KANCHANPUR: The Brindaban Community Forest located in Shuklaphanta Municipality-9 has been continuously supporting the education of children from extremely poor families for the past two years.

The community forest has been providing cash to provide scholarships and purchase school uniforms for talented, extremely poor children from indigenous and Dalit communities studying at Asigram Secondary School and Mangal Primary School as part of its social responsibility.

Mohan Singh Ayer, the president of the community forest users committee, said that they provided Rs 200 thousand to the Asigram Secondary School last year, and this year the amount has been increased to Rs 300 thousand.

“Last year, we also gave Rs 200 thousand to Mangal Basic School, but this year, due to lack of money, the budget could not be arranged for that school,” he said.Nearly 300 children have benefited from the funds provided to the schools.

The community forest generates income by selling timber, firewood and grass, as well as by fish farming in the pond within the forest. President Ayer stated that a certain portion of this income is invested in the education sector.

This initiative of the community forest users’ committee has increased student retention in schools. Teacher Nainsingh Ayer of Asigram Secondary School stated that with the support of the community forest, the school dropout rate due to financial difficulties has ended.

He said, “Children from disadvantaged backgrounds have benefited more since they started receiving funds for uniforms, educational materials and scholarships.”

The Brindaban Community Forest, spread over an area of 199 hectares, supports 643 consumer households. Along with forest conservation, the contribution of this forest to social and educational development has become exemplary for other community forests as well.