Case Studies Undp: Samudram Women's Federation, India

Transcript

Samudram is a federation of 160 women's self-help groups across 50 villages in Ganjam and the nearby districts of Orissa, India. The Federation works at the intersection of biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction, empowering its more than 1,500 economically-marginalized members with income generation activities, while conserving Olive Ridley Turtle nesting sites. Samudram undertakes monitoring and breeding of the turtles, restores their habitats, implements artificial reef construction and promotes sustainable fishing practices to increase marine resource diversity. Meanwhile, women members and the wider community benefit from capacity building training, access to microfinance, and increased income as a result of improved fish yields.