We will train the orphaned and poor youths, who want to do something for the development of their regions,’ Sanjay Nahar, founder president of ‘Sarhad’ said.

Stories ofdo-gooders and proverbial Good Samaritans in India, the land of ancient civilisation, are galore.

One such instance comes from a Pune-based NGO, “Sarhad” which will launch a first-of-its kind initiative called“Border Tourism”, including in border villages of UTs of J-K, Ladakh and Punjab to help orphans and locals of the area get self-employment.

The proposed initiative follows the Sarhad’s drive last year to help villagers inKashmir to boostfarming of apple and its export.

Besides, the initiative will be spread over to border villages in Rajasthan and north-eastern states.

Founder president of Sarhad, Sanjay Nahar, said here that the initiative will be launched on July 19 atLehota village in Doda district and Dardpora village in J-K. J-K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has agreed to inaugurate it at Lehota.

“We will train the orphaned and poor youths, who want to do something for the development of their regions. Around 2,000 youths will be trained in ‘Border Tourism’ in the coming five years,” Nahar said while elaborating on the initiative.

As many as 11 villages have been identified for the initiative in the first phase.

The initiative includes villages of J-K and Ladakh, namely Lehota in Doda district, Dardapora in Kupwara district, Hunderman in Kargil district, Aragam in Bandipora district, Sopore in Baramulla district, and Ghiman in Gurdaspur district and Hussainiwala in Firozpur district in Punjab.

“Tourists will be taken to these villages. They will experience the life and hardships of villagers on the country’s border,” Nahar said.

Sarhad has so far trained100 locals in border-tourism. The exercise is on.

The initiative will be driven and propelled by the locals of the villages concerned.

“Visits of tourists will be organised so they get first-hand knowledge of villagers’ life on the Indo-Pak border; they will interact with Army jawans, officers,” Nahar said.

Interface of tourists with Army officers and jawansdeployed at border posts will be organised.

“The initiative has immense potential to generate employment for local youths. Moreover, it will help in bonding people from other states with the people of bordering areas of J-K,”Nahar said.

Since its inception in 1997, Sarhad has adopted large number of orphans and poor children, including those who are victims of terrorism, especially in J-K.

The inmates are given free food, education andlodging in Sarhad’s school and centres in Pune, and imparted skill trainings to stand up on their feet economically.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 7th May , 2022