Himalayan Brown Bear Trust conducts Dry Needle Felting Workshop at Holiyal

KARGIL: The Himalayan Brown Bear Trust, a Kargil-based non-profit focused on community-based conservation, organized a dry needle felting workshop for the women’s Self-Help Group of Holiyal village, Drass from the 20 to 22nd of October.

It was conducted in collaboration with the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust (SLCIT), the Department of Wildlife Protection, Kargil and Roots Ladakh.

Trainers from SLCIT visited Holival and trained up to 40 women in the technique of dry needle felting. While the locals experiences livestock loss from the existing human-Himalayan Brown Bear conflict in the valley, the area is also becoming a hotspot for brown bear tourism.

The aim of the workshop was to upskill the women in creating sellable felt toys to create an alternative channel of income for their families.

The 3-day workshop was concluded with a closing ceremony, attended by Wildlife Warden Raza Ali as Chief Guest wherein he felicitated the participants with certificates.

The efforts of the Trusts and the diligent participation of the women of Holival was highly appreciated by the Wildlife Department.