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
