November 26, 2022
By Keystone Field Centre – Nilambur
Faseela V., from our Governance team at Nilambur in Kerala’s Malappuram district, has been chosen as the recipient of the All India Adivasi Mahasabha Awards! Every year, the committee of this tribal government wing, chooses three dedicated people for health, community service and media work.
Faseela, who has been with us for three years, is a champion of human rights within tribal communities like Paniya and Kattunaikka in Nilambur, a town that lies on the outskirts of the Nilgiris along the Chaliyar river. The official award ceremony will be taking place next week on December 3 at the Nilambur Karulai Bhumikuth Scheduled Tribe Sanketam at 5 pm.
At Keystone’s field centre in Nilambur, Faseela has been working to improve governance through cross-sectoral collaboration between local government bodies, community members and social workers. Last month, she led a digital training in Mancheeri and Nedumkayam in Karulai panchayat for 25 people. Participating were members of the local Urukootam Samithi, who received training on documenting activities within their villages using their phone cameras and Google Docs. They were also guided on processes for claiming forest rights, and drafting reports on challenges in development and well-being, like cases of inaccessibility to healthcare, displacement and homelessness, and so on. Faseela and the rest of the team also engaged members of the Paniya community on area documentation and mapping land for Community Forest Rights.
Recognising the usually unsung work of dedicated individuals working towards eco-development and tribal community well-being is important in growing support, bringing human rights issues to the forefront and inspiring youth towards achieving such goals too.
