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DIMAPUR — The Entrepreneurs Associates (tEA) held its first ever community conclave on August 24 at the TT Hall in Pfutsero town under Phek district with the participation of community leaders and tEA beneficiaries from 27 villages.
Cukhoyi Chiero, tEA zonal head of east zone overseeing Phek, Kiphire, Zunheboto and Ukhrul in Manipur, chaired the programme, while Rev. Vepocu Epao, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, blessed the programme with a prayer.
An update from tEA stated that several participants narrated their experiences working with the organisation in numerous ways. Speakers have shared how they were able to scale behavior change, acquire professional skill and sustain their businesses through tEA’s continued handholding support.
It was followed with disbursement of zero interest loans to 11 women beneficiaries from Pfutsero as financial support to upscale their businesses.
Delivering the keynote address, Neichute Doulo, CEO of tEA, delved into 24 years of the organisation’s work at the grassroots and its many audacious feats. He recounted how tEA had triggered the cultivation of crops such as potato, cabbage, kiwi and cardamom in Phek district.
He further encouraged and challenged the community to envision planting 1 crore (10 million) fruit trees in Phek district by 2040 to trigger 5000 crore economy. The aim was in convergence with tEA’s ‘Trees for wealth’ movement, which aspires to plant 3 billion trees by 2050.
During the technical and interactive session, Tongtimenla, tEA research and development associate, stressed the need to sensitise rural communities on the deteriorating state of the climate.
“We have to take action but the first step is to make communities aware by simplifying the science of climate change and amplifying it at the grassroots level,” she said.
Arishinaro Longkumer, tEA project associate, apprised the attendees on the need for communities to adopt climate smart agriculture practices such as conservation agriculture, which is essential in mitigating soil erosion and enhancing crop productivity. She also encouraged the farmers to take up Tamarillo, a GI tagged crop due to its promising scope outside the state.
Amba, tEA project associate, made aware on how the forest is the key to our existence and the role it plays in sustaining the various actors in the value chain.
The programme culminated with a focus group discussion centred on the community’s approach towards farming practices.
In another programme, tEA organised the "Uplifting women street vendors programme” for the women street vendors on August 24 at its office in Dimapur with 6 women street vendors and their spouses.
Supongchiba, tEA community mobiliser, spoke on the importance of cultivating the habit of savings to live a comfortable life, while Vezou Venuh, tEA branch manager, apprised the women on the organisation’s motivation behind initiating the provision of zero interest loans.
It stated that all the 6 beneficiaries were recipients of the zero interest loans.