During my first week in Kerala, India, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Dr. Manju Vasudevan, the founder of Forest Post, an NGO that works closely with forest-dependent communities to promote sustainable livelihoods through eco-centered product development and ethical retail. Forest Post not only trains artisans in design but also ensures that their voices are heard in conversations around environmental stewardship and cultural preservation.
Our visit began with a meeting with women from the Muthuvar tribe, known for their traditional bamboo weaving practices. Many of these women learned the craft from their mothers, an intergenerational practice that carries not just economic value but cultural identity.
Later, I met with women from the Malayar community, whose stories revealed the complexities of conservation and marginalization. They explained how increased tourism and environmental degradation have disrupted elephant migration paths, causing the animals to enter villages and, in tragic cases, harm or kill community members. In response, the Forest Department imposed a ban making it so only those who live in the forest are allowed to enter it. While this is framed as a protective measure, it has also led to a loss of autonomy. Residents are now legally prohibited from hosting guests who are not permitted in the forest, even though they warmly invited us into their homes. One woman reminsced on her childhood, explaining how previously, her community could rely entirely on the forest for their survival. Moreover, she further explained that although working in the garment industry has given her more autonomy, she now must rely on wage labour.
This experience left me with difficult but necessary questions: What does sustainability mean when it is imposed from the outside? Who gets to make decisions about land, safety, and cultural practice? And how can we, as researchers and advocates, elevate indigenous voices rather than overwrite them?
Forest Post’s work represents one path forward, where economic empowerment is paired with cultural affirmation and environmental sensitivity. I’m deeply grateful to have witnessed the strength and creativity of the women I met and to have been trusted with their stories. Their resilience, wisdom, and warmth are reminders that sustainability is not just about materials or markets, `it’s about people, place, and power.