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The tribes of Bandhaguda

Our first meeting was with Pradan Foundation to understand the support they are providing to local tribal communities in the region. Having obtained some valuable insights and information we set out to explore the reality on the ground. Nestled in the heights of the Eastern Ghats was Bandhaguda, a small village with only a few inhabitants depending mainly on agriculture and livestock breeding for their livelihood. From being termed as an unlucky village to being named as the number one village in the district this small in-habitation had seen it all. While all our communication was through a translator, we could sense the emotion with which they were sharing their challenges and aspirations. Little problems that are sometimes ignored tend to have a huge impact. The setting for this meeting with the women was also a unique one with a calm and serene atmosphere except for the buffaloes mooing now and then. A day to reflect on and was also a day to test out our activity pack for the future meetings. Back at the hotel ready to accept the hospitality of our favourite waiter!

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