When families are relocated out of forests, they often lose not just their homes, but also their traditional means of livelihood. For young girls, the result is often isolation and limited opportunities. Vanya Sakhi, launched in 2024 at Anandipura village is changing that story.

Vanya Sakhi is a women’s livelihood and skill-development initiative of Tiger Watch, designed to support young women from forest-fringe and relocated villages of the Ranthambhore landscape. The programme recognises that long-term conservation is inseparable from social equity and economic security for local communities—especially women.

Launched with the belief that empowered women become stewards of their landscapes, Vanya Sakhi provides structured training in stitching, embroidery, and nature-inspired crafts, while building confidence, dignity, and sustainable income opportunities.

Objectives of Vanya Sakhi

• Empower displaced girls and women from relocated forest families with practical, income-generating skills.
• Provide vocational training in stitching, sewing, and craftwork that can lead to stable livelihoods and self-employment.
• Enhance economic resilience of families affected by relocation, reducing dependence on forests for survival.
• Promote dignity and confidence among young women, ensuring that displacement does not lead to isolation.
• Encourage community-based self-reliance by building local skill networks that support conservation-linked development.

Why Vanya Sakhi?

Women living around protected areas often face limited access to education, skills, and employment. Displacement, restricted forest access, and poverty can deepen vulnerability—especially for young girls.

Vanya Sakhi addresses this gap by:

• Creating alternative, dignified livelihoods linked to traditional skills

• Reducing dependence on forest extraction

• Strengthening women’s economic independence and decision-making power

• Building a positive relationship between communities and conservation

What We Do

Under the Vanya Sakhi programme:

• Young women from relocated and forest-edge villages are selected through community consultation

• Participants receive hands-on training in stitching, embroidery, and craft production

• Every 15 days, trainees visit professional workshops to refine skills and learn quality standards

• Training is supported by technical expertise and mentorship from Dhonk Crafts

• Finished products are guided towards market linkages, ensuring real income generation

The programme currently operates through two training centres. The first centre was established at Anandipura in December 2024, followed by a second centre at Jhiri, Sarmathura (Dholpur) in December 2025. Together, these centres support 50 girls and women, with plans to expand the initiative to additional villages across the Ranthambhore and Dholpur–Karauli landscapes.

Partnerships & Support

Vanya Sakhi is implemented by Tiger Watch with the generous support of Sud-Chemie and technical collaboration with Dhonk Crafts. These partnerships ensure high-quality training, fair practices, and long-term sustainability of the programme.

Impact Vision

By investing in women, Vanya Sakhi aims to:

• Build resilient, conservation-friendly communities

• Reduce human–wildlife conflict drivers rooted in poverty

• Create a model where livelihood security strengthens wildlife protection

“Stitching a Future from Displacement”