A Tribal Revolution

My first tryst with tribals was about 4 years ago. I fell in love with their honest uncomplicated lives; with how they loved the forests, the wildlife, and everything about nature. I loved the kids, their food, the music, the simplicity in their habits, and the way they just accepted me into their fold.

I had the chance to accompany them in their forays into the wild to collect wild forest honey...where I discovered an all-together different, dangerous world.

Using vines made from the trees of the forests, they rappel down giant boulders and treacherous rocks, in an incredibly scary descent into the wild, collecting delicious raw honey from beehives hanging down from mindboggling heights. Just watching them made me feel numb, and yet they went about their task nonchalantly, braving death at every comb.

It set me thinking. Is there something I can do? To make their lives better...safer? Is there a way to provide quality education for the next generation, and financial education for the tribals to attain self-sustainability?

The answer took me 4 years to arrive at. And it started with our social enterprise, Indian Superheroes, and our NGO, Superheroes Foundation. I believe firmly in the notion that charity doesn't work - people have to earn their livelihood. Money can aid value-additions, but it must not be a stop-gap solution. We designed a system where every sale of honey made by the tribals would result in 85-89% of the MRP going back to them to help their self-sustenance, and provide education for their kids alongside a few partner schools in the vicinity.

The response has been overwhelming. We ran out of stock 2 days after we launched the pilot - and we've restocked larger quantities that's again almost sold-out. We only do small batches, responsibly harvested, and the tribals and I are very clear that we don't harm the biodiversity but instead preserve it. We take great care of our forests.

As we speak, more tribals are joining us onboard this movement, and it makes us more socially responsible than ever.

My business, for me, was a natural extension of the person that I'm. In that, I feel that I was lucky. It is the same with the tribals. They love enabling forests and protecting the ecosystem. They've now found means to not be run ragged, but earn a good income through their honest connection with nature.

I thank each and everyone of you Superheroes who's tried our Wild Forest Raw Honey. You've empowered lives in more ways than you think. Thank you!

To buy our Wild Forest, Raw Honey, shop here.