FSL India Blog

It is a fact that Sea Turtles are one of the most endangered species in the world today. Commercial fishing, loss of nesting habitat, and climate changes are the threats for Sea Turtles extinction which ultimately affect their ability to fulfill vital functions in ocean ecosystems.

Across the coastal area of Kundapur, Sea Turtle population was under constant threat from fishing and egg predation by locals. Three species of the protected Sea Turtles are nesting on India’s West Coast and all of them are endangered species. FSL India under Home Based Project has initiated Sea Turtle conservation program in a geographical stretch of 60 kilo metres in Kundapur. Since its inception, FSL India along with Long-Term Volunteers from various countries has been conducting surveys, awareness campaigns in schools and villages, harbours and fishing communities, building hatcheries and information centres, and facilitate promotional activities.

The Home Based Protect Team along with the International Volunteers found the 4th nesting habitat of Sea Turtles at Kanchugodu village on 21st November 2011. Kanchugodu village is located in Kundapur Taluk, Udupi District. A total of 110 eggs were found in the nesting habitat. On receiving information from one Mr. Mani Kharvi of Kanchugodu, the team later safely relocated the eggs to Marvante Hatchery Center. Work Camp volunteers such as Cuzi, Lina, Valina, Marena, Herbe, Thalia, Celine and the Long Term Volunteer Julia and Vinus joined and participated in the relocation of process. The volunteers were extremely happy to see the Sea Turtle eggs.

Work Camps of FSL India are aimed at increasing social, cultural, educational and environmental actions in the rural and urban areas of India through international and national volunteers. These camps offer valuable opportunities for the volunteers to learn values of life from different parts of the world through cooperative operations and services. Altogether 8 Work Camps were conducted at various locations during September and October. A total of 58 International Volunteers participated in the Work Camps.

Dharamsala - Tibetan culture / Construction / Environment

05.09.2011 to 25.09.2011

Engaged in digging foundation of the toilet for the school, educational wall paintings, cleansed school kitchen, painted walls of the classroom, doors, windows, black boards of the schools. Interacted with the Tibetan Youth and monks, visited Tibetan Museum, Dalai Lama’s temple, Tibetan Library, Medicine Museum, waterfall, temples, Tibetan Children’s Village, Norbulingka Institute, Tibetan cooking class and attended McLeod Indian Gusthi (Martial Art) - part of a local festival.

Goa - Social / Happy Hearts / Kids

12.09.2011 to 25.09.2011

Volunteers painted two rooms, one hall, and one kitchen and balconies of Boy’s Orphanage Home. Taught Basic English, Maths, Action songs and simulation games to orphan children. During the evening hours helped the children in their home and interacted with them. Country-wise inter-cultural Performance.

Chennai - Social / Happy Hearts / Kids

03.10.2011 to 16.10.2011

Volunteers painted two rooms, one hall, and one kitchen and balconies of Boy’s Orphanage Home. Taught Basic English, Maths, Action songs and simulation games to orphan children. During the evening hours helped the children in their home and interacted with them.

Kundapur - Sea Turtle Conservation / Environment

10.10.2011 to 23.10.2011

Volunteers built 2 TIC near the Beach South & North of Kundapur (Maravanthe and Bejadi Beach). Volunteers conducted awareness program to save Sea Turtles to near the Beach side and in Malphe Harbour to fisher-folk community about conservation of Sea Turtles the Eggs. Renovated Community Center and Water Shed (cleaning & Painting). Henna class, Indian cooking class, Kannada class, Boat trip, visited Hindu temple, attended Hindu family marriage   and Indian family, and performed in country-wise presentation of cultural event and Kannda Nudi Theru.

Bangalore - Social / Kids

12.09.2011 to 25.09.2011

Educational pictorial wall paintings and taught English and interacted with children and community people.

Attended Health on Stage program hosted by FSL India, visited families and learnt Indian cooking and Kannada language.

On 7th August we found an adult female Olive Ridley turtle at Kanchugodu village. It was badly injured with front left flipper missing and a deep cut on its rear flipper. Considering rough and high tide in sea we kept the turtle with Daasi Kharvy for care and treatment. We tried to release it to sea couple of times but it couldn’t cross the high waves due to heavy rain. We visited the nearby fishing village of fishermen and asked for help so that fishermen can take this turtle and leave it in the deep sea. Fortunately on 28th August sea was calm than the other days at Maravanthe. Dasi swam with turtle about 20 meters from the shore helping it to cross the waves. Our rescue action was successful when the turtle managed to cross the waves returned to the sea.

As the monsoon season started this month the sea is very rough now,causing wounded sea turtles that are foraging too close to the shore to strand. In the last week fishermen reported four stranded sea turtles, most of them Olive Ridleys out of them one is critically wounded. The sea turtle team went to the beaches several time to assess the condition of the animals. So we could release 2 of them immediately back to the ocean but 2 which are not in a position to swim are taken care by our contact person Daasi Karvi at Maravanthe.

FSL-India is running tent school project for the children of migrating families in the selected villages of Kundapur taluk belonging to Udupi district. The first tent school has started in year 2006, in Kundapur.

The tent families migrates from different parts of India, in search of employment and better opportunities. Because of these regular migration children’s education and health get affected and some children’s are forced to go for work or begging by their parents.

So the FSL-India’s Ho me Based Project initiated to rehabilitate these children and started identifying migrant’s tents and running school to give basic education to those children. The objective of this project is to motivate the children to join the regular school. International volunteers and local teachers are involved in teaching these children through innovative skills. Self help groups are been forming to educate and empower the families on Health and Hygiene.

With all the efforts and hard work since 2006, the year of 2011 is been a success for this project. Number of tent school has been increased from 3 to 8 schools, number of local teachers are 3 in the place of 1 in the beginning, 14 children from five different tent schools joined the main/ regular school. Moreover, out of 14, two children joined deaf and dumb Special school, one boy joined High school, one girl joined Kindergarten and the rest 10 kids joined Primary school. The parents and teacher are happy about changes in the life of the children.

We reached this level of progress only through the effort of all the previous and present volunteers, teachers and the whole tent school.

Successful completion of 5th Korean happy move camp – appreciation letter by Mr. MOHAN Panchayat President and Mr. SEKAR 3^rd ward member of Kattarampakkam Panchayat, Sriperumpudur block - CHENNAI

Kattarampakkam Panchayat President Mr. MOHAN and Sugamtharumpedu 3^rd ward member Mr. SEKAR, invited FSL India and gave us their letters of thanks and appreciation for 5^th Korean happy move camps development activities’ successful completion; and willingness letter to provide 50% of community contribution and sufficient land to construct community hall at Sugamtharumpedu. Both letters have been given to FSL Staff Mr. B.ARUN., and gave their interview of 5^th happy move camp and each development activities and its successful completion, of activity in their villages respectively Kattarampakkam, Sugamtharumpedu, Pudhuperu, which was done by Korean volunteers through HYUNDAI/IWO and FSL India.

A case study from Chennai facility about - My proud on - Rural Flush-out Leach Pit - Super Structure Toilet;

My name is N. Panchatchram-76, I have 6 sons, all are got married, out of them 4 are living with me as joined family.  My occupation was Blacksmith and no more I am working because of my old age.  My generation are not involved the business which I had that Blacksmith, because this area fully covered by companies(SIPCOT) with advanced technologies. So my children also changed their occupation like Carpenter and housekeeping work at the adjoined places and its availability.

Since born, I never seen toilet any more in this village and not utilized yet, few rich peoples having toilet, those who have constructed concrete building.  I have been using open defecation, where the screed thorn bushes availed in the village.  My family  members also followed  as I am, even we have 16 members, out of total members 7 school going children, in this 3 Male and 4 females(two are adolescent  girls);  we lived in this situation because of poverty, illiterate and unaware above health & Hygiene.

I have been seeing Korean volunteer services at last two years in my village and I heard that it from my grand children also, because they are studying in Irunkattukottai Panchayat Union Primary school., in this connection my family situation and poverty, the school teacher, FSL India staff and PRI leader suggested me to get this toilet facility by the construction of Korean volunteers while the 5th Happy move camp.

During the construction, myself and my children are contributed our physical work to digging the pits before the raising wall.  The volunteers also very much involved and furnished the toilet well for our utilization. The Toilet called – Rural Flush out Supper structure cum leach Pit…………..

They are constructed not only the toilet, which is included bath shed plat form, soak pit and provided one baring tree.

After the construction, small orientation was given about usage and maintenance of the toilet in proper manner, which was given by FSL Chennai staff.

In my 76 years old, I felt the imports of the toilet to elders like me, women and children, now everybody using this toilets, from which we can feel our comfort without social problems and children are construction their education better.

Hence I have given my appreciation and acknowledgement to FSL Indian for their stakeholders and volunteers fantastic work. One more thanks to everyone those who have taking part this toilet construction.

Case study from Chennai facility about Environment project;

I am Monisha, age 9 years, studying 5th standard in Irunkattukottai Panchayat Union Primary school, where we have very fan of Korean volunteers of each six month., we will awaiting the season they come., because we have opportunity to learn more about development activities and creative learning.

Each time different people they are coming for different activities our usefulness.  This time they gave 5 trees in the school compound again and 50 bearing/fruit trees for school children. Where we have split into group by the school teach and keep the entire shadow tree well. Korean volunteers are also taught about environment keeping, for that tree is taking more part to keep our circumstances and environment friendly with many reasons such as rain, get shadow, avoid the sand erosion….

I am the leader to lead the team which comprised with 5 members at school to maintain the entire trees without fail.  Daily we will come and divided the work that pouring water and removing weed outside and inside the guard, we will watch the tree how much level its grown in each days, that we will discuss in the class room and class teacher also. We are very much proved about these will tell our name to somebody will come to study the in future and I want to be a good environmentalist, which impacts will bring the other children to contribute the knowledge and physical skill to keep environment well through the  tree plantation.

On Friday 13^th August, Chief Minster of Karnataka Mr. B.S. Yeddiyurappa officially inaugurated Sea Turtle conservation program by releasing a wounded sea turtle at Kodi Kanyana beach. During his visit, he inaugurated “Green cover project”, which includes sea turtle conservation program and different afforestation projects along the coast to prevent sea erosion.

Ministers, members of Western Ghat Task Force, officers of the forest department, politicians and locals were present during this event.

Green cover program is started by the western ghat task force- Government of Karnataka and Sea turtle conservation program was included along with many other Eco projects to preserve bio- diversity of the region.

This initiation is the result of the effort from forest department and the presentation/appeal given by FSL sea turtle team to the Government during workshop held by Forest department and Western Ghat task force at Mangalore in March 18^th 2010.

Getting Support by the Government for this project is huge achievement for MTCI (Maravanthe Turtle Conservation Initiative) to our future plans. FSL India would like to thank all the volunteers and locals who actively participated in this project during last 5 years.

The latest photographs of Kundapur and surroundings, showing its cultural diversity. Full of colour, full of life!

You can purchase these postcards from the Eco-Tourism team in the Eco-office (418-8 Veeramma Shedthi Compound near Departmental Store, B.H.M Road, Kundapur - 576 201) for Rs 10 only. All the money goes to the Eco-Tourism fund which is used to finance our projects and build a farmer’s committee on Kannada Kudru.