Rural Organisation for Social Elevation

Though in many ways I am averse to some of the ways in which eco-tourism and voluntourism are touted and used for profit in many developing countries, R.O.S.E. seems to have established a stellar (and multiple award-winning) model in the northern state of Uttarakhand. Rural Organisation for Social Elevation (R.O.S.E.) also known by its Hindi name Koormanchal Seva Samsthan (K.S.S.), was founded in 1981 by a small group from the Kanda community as a non-governmental, non-profit organization.

R.O.S.E.'s programming works at grassroots level, appealing to the community to become active participants in developing a better life for themselves. It is the goal of K.S.S./R.O.S.E. to improve the health, education and quality of life of the rural poor in this region while maintaining cultural integrity and ecological balance. This goal is realized through a program which brings tourist volunteers to Kanda to live with the Verma family, experience local Kumaoni culture and assist financially (administration fee, rent & optional donation) and manually, in the rural development projects of K.S.S./R.O.S.E.

Mr. Verma has created an exceptional example of responsible rural tourism that greatly benefits the community and the visitors through genuine, respectful cultural interactions. Mr. Verma’s family has lived in the Kanda region for generations. Therefore he has a deep understanding of the social, cultural and environmental issues faced by the local population. Most importantly, he recognizes that these three aspects are interdependent and integral parts of a fully sustainable system of living and all projects are approached with this in mind. Some examples of previous projects of K.S.S./R.O.S.E. include the installation of twin-tank latrines, construction of earthquake-proof homes, community educational programmes on sanitation and employment generation for the rural unemployed.

R.O.S.E. website
Jeevan Verma
R.O.S.E.
Sunargaon, Kanda
Bageshwar-263631
Uttarakhand, India
jeevanverma@rosekanda.org
Office: +91-5963-241081

Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC) in Sikkim

Situated in the Eastern Himalayas, the beautiful state of Sikkim is sandwiched between the kingdoms of Nepal in the West and Bhutan in the East, Tibet in the North and the Indian state of West Bengal in the South. Known also as 'Demazong' by the Sikkimese people, it means "hidden valley full of treasure, fruit and flower". It is considered a sacred land blessed by the Saint Padma Sambhava.


Humble Beginnings
Yuksam, a small hamlet in west Sikkim, has long been a popular base for trekkers and nature lovers up to Dzongri (4030m), Goecha-La (5002m) near Mt Khangchendzonga, the world's third highest mountain at (8586m). These treks also offer panoramic views of other snow-capped mountains such as Mt. Pandim, Mt. Kabur and Mt Narsing. Together with the area's heterogeneity in culture and tradition, rich biodiversity, scenic beauty and historic religious places like Norbu Gang and Dubdi Monastery, this area has become an attractive place for tourists.

Over time, this previously remote area of Sikkim gained prominence as tourism developed rapidly and the Indian government started to promote tourism in this part of the country.

As more and more visitors came to the area, the different impacts of tourism became visible. The pressure on the surrounding resources increased, more infrastructure demand led to depletion of the surrounding forests, garbage and litter began to be a problem in the trekking trails and campsites and different conflicts related with tourism began to manifest in their area.

There was a growing concern amongst the local community to do something to mitigate the various impacts of tourism and conserve the resources that attracted visitors to this area. Out of this shared concern, different stakeholders from the community came under one banner in the name of Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC).

Initial activities at the grass root level started from the beginning of 1996. Soon after, we were formally registered and recognized by the Government of Sikkim on 19th February 1997.

Who is in the KCC?
KCC is a community-based organisation in Yuksam, West Sikkim. This means that the organisation comprises representatives of the community (e.g. village heads) and stakeholders in tourism enterprises (such as hotels) who work together to

* Mitigate the negative impacts of tourism,
* Conserve natural and cultural resources,
* Provide training to community stakeholders,
* Educate visitors,
* Monitor resources, and
* Advocate for appropriate policy changes.

KCC website
Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee
P.O. Box Yuksam, Sikkim, 737113, India
Phone: 91-3595-241411
email: kcc_sikkim@hotmail.com