From Orphans to Eco-Holidays: Balihar Village's Journey Towards Sustainable Development
Visitors will be able to see a purer India and study the biodiversity, flora and fauna of the region. They will experience our dedication to permaculture and organic farming in an idyllic spot by the Bhargavi River near the Bay of Bengal.
Nearby, Chilika Lake is well-known for its dolphins, and the Bay of Bengal boasts an annual migration of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
Birds, including storks and flamingos, flock into the area from all over the world. In the forest are jackals, snakes, monitor lizards, deer, mongooses, wild cats and many other species.
Two small temples – Mukteshwar, dedicated to Siva, and the other to the goddess Baliharachandi – are also close by. In Puri there is the world-famous Jagannath Temple. Beyond the town, at Konark, is the 13th century temple built as a vast stone chariot for the sun god.
A vital part of the project is giving a permanent home to the poor. Fifteen elderly men and women and 15 orphaned children will be looked after. They will be saved from the horror and loneliness of their situation. Will you please spread the word among friends so that we can raise donations to make this possible?
Exploring Balihar Village's Eco-Holidays and Permaculture
THE PROJECT
The purpose of this project is to create a self-sufficient village, consisting of a small school, a home for the elderly, up to eight mud-and-straw houses to accommodate tourists, staff premises and a camp site.
STAFF AND SUPPORTERS
Simon Howard and Santosh Kumar Barik will lead the administration of the NGO. The project is Santosh’s brainchild. Simon, a screenwriter and teacher, is an old India hand.
THE VILLAGE
Balihar will be built around the school. It will occupy one acre of land. Later, we plan to build a small temple dedicated to the villagers’ chosen deity…
.
Five houses will be built out of brick, mud and cement:
A dormitory for the orphan children.
A dwelling for the homeless elderly people.
A large building for the staff, including a kitchen, dining room and library.
A workshop for the children, elderly and volunteers to learn and teach skills and handicrafts.
Tourists will be accommodated in comfortable eco-friendly mud-and-straw huts with en suite bathrooms…
The buildings will be powered by electricity and solar panels.
We’ll be happy to accommodate volunteers – some from other NGOs – in exchange for a donation, so that we can share ideas about various schemes to help the poor, etc. They will stay between 15 and 30 days.
The children will get up one hour before school, bathe and have breakfast. The rest of the morning will be spent in the classroom. After lunch they will play or take a nap before resuming lessons.
Later on they’ll engage in workshops: reading, chess, music, painting, cooking, dancing, gardening, films, etc. They will also listen to traditional tales, including Hindu epics, told by old storytellers.
What they won’t hear is outdated caste prejudice. Older children will mentor the younger ones.
For entirely practical reasons, we’ll need a minibus and a motorboat. One day we’ll launch an eco-friendly film festival using solar power…
Copyright © BaliharVillage site developed and maintained by FILMS4FUTURE www.films4future.com
