Momee Pegu
Having done their master’s in social work from Bosco Institute, Dibugarh University, both Momee and Tulika have been active in climate action. Momee’s course took her towards organic farming, where she learnt how farming can address health, environment and sustainability-related concerns of her village. A project coordinator at RIGBO, Tulika is of the belief that we must know the roots of our food chain and how we impact it.
As a part of their project, Tulika and Momee wanted to increase their communities’ awareness on climate change and wanted to encourage the adoption of renewable options. To achieve this goal, they trained 10 solar sakhis from 10 villages and empowered them with the knowledge of renewable energy with the goal of them then circulating this in their villages and encouraging the adoption of renewable options. 40 young people also participated in social action and were a part of dialogue circles in order to initiate community-level discussions on the climate issue.
By initiating discussions on climate change issues locally, the project has contributed to raising awareness about the critical nature of climate change among community members. The project's focus on local discussions and action steps, such as waste management and rewilding, have led to the development of context-specific solutions. The project's success in initiating climate action discussions and implementing practical steps served as a model or inspiration for neighbouring communities. This "demonstration effect" led to the replication of similar initiatives in other areas, thus amplifying the project's impact.
Momee and Tulika plan to continue the project with an aim to explore revenue-generating sustainability initiatives. For instance, consider setting up a small-scale eco-tourism program if the project includes elements like rewilding, which can attract eco-conscious tourists. They have started a chain reaction of change, and intend to keep it going.