The INDP is an Indian NGO based in the territory of Pondicherry and the state of Tamil Nadu, steering educational and cultural projects for marginalised populations living below the poverty line (notably the
Dalits). With INDP support, added to the agreement and administrative backing of their Pandayat or village council, women in the village of Boothure have begun recultivating a five-acre plot of fallow land, saving it from erosion, financial speculation and pollution.
"Cultivating medicinal plants allows local people to reappropriate their ancestral expertise, create jobs, treat local populations and educate young people about respect for the natural world," explains INDP's founder and director, Augustin Brutus.
The land has been cleared, levelled and planted, shelters built, electricity and a pump installed. Educational programmes have raised awareness of traditional medecines. The scheme has created 20 jobs, notably for women, giving them independence and dignity. The benefits extend to seven villages in the district around Boothure.
The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès is supporting the project over a two-year period, as it works to promote a more harmonious relationship between man and nature.
