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In the shadow of the Eastern Himalayas, Manas National Park is a place of wild beauty and deep fragility. It’s a critical tiger habitat, but it’s also a landscape shaped by its people, many of whom have lived here for generations. These communities have long relied on the forest for wood, water, and fodder, making conservation a challenge. The pressures of resource use, loss of habitat, and a long history of tension between people and wildlife have often put both tigers and communities at risk. 

Since 2009, Aaranyak’s Conservation & Livelihood Division has been working with women from over 50 villages to build sustainable, forest-free livelihoods that directly reduce pressures on tiger habitat. The goal is to align community well-being with wildlife conservation. 

 
Take Maidangshri, an all‑women self‑help group formed from five villages near Manas. Trained by Aaranyak in making squash, jelly, and pickles from local ingredients, these women have turned what they already knew, growing fruit and working together into a source of income. In fact, their signature papaya jelly went on to win the Best Private Stall and Best Product Award at a state fair in Assam. 

“Our papaya jelly now travels further than we ever have,” says Rekha Boro, a Maidangshri member. “And I haven’t needed to go to the forest for months.” 

Today, more than 116 women‑led groups like Maidangshri are engaged in conservation-linked enterprises across the Manas landscape. From beekeeping and dairy to vermicomposting, mushroom farming, and weaving, these efforts are providing alternatives to cutting down wood or entering the forest. In doing so, they’re easing the pressure on habitats and making space for tigers, elephants, and countless other species. 

Aaranyak is also making sure this work goes beyond individual villages. They’ve set up warehouses, training centers, and strong value chains that connect rural entrepreneurs with wider markets. Even activities like ecotourism are taking root. Many SHGs are exploring homestays and nature-based hospitality, inviting visitors to experience Manas, further boosting income. 

Regular exposure trips in the park also help build sensitivity towards the ecosystem, cultivating community pride and stewardship. For many women, encountering a tiger in the wild for the first time becomes a powerful moment, further deepening their resolve to protect them.   

Through this women-led, landscape-based model, Aaranyak is proving that tiger conservation doesn’t have to mean exclusion, it can also mean empowerment. 

To explore more of Aaranyak’s work at the intersection of conservation, community, and coexistence, visit their website.