Spending a week with Forest Post, who honour the relationship between craft, community, and conservation, opened my eyes to the delicate balance that exists in the forest ecosystem between humans and nature.

At the heart of Forest Post is its founder, Manju, whose passion and clarity of vision were evident in every conversation. Her commitment to uplifting tribal communities, especially women, through skill-building, economic opportunity, and heritage preservation is something I will carry with me. From the first moment we met the artisans, it became clear that this organisation is rooted not only in sustainability but in deep respect for the land and its people.

We began our week in Chalakudy, meeting four weavers who live and work within the forest itself. These women, all part of the Malayar tribal community, support themselves by harvesting and crafting from the abundant natural resources around them.. The craftsmanship, watching them weave, was awe-inspiring, and yet, as we discussed, such labour is too often undervalued in modern markets. The women were also kind enough to take us through a weaving workshop which was a challenge to get the technique correct.

These communities are deeply embedded in and reliant upon their local environment. But that same interdependence also makes them vulnerable, particularly to the construction of dams and other infrastructure projects, which have already displaced these women and their families seven times. Furthermore, from open discussions with these communities we learnt how the relationship with animals such as elephants in the forest is making both their lives more precarious and dangerous on a daily basis.

Midweek, we visited Forest Post’s manufacturing unit, where we worked with local women to make lip balms and soaps from forest-sourced beeswax. After flaking the wax and adding orange-scented oils, we poured the mixture into small pots and packaged the final product. It was a simple process, but deeply grounding and a privilege to learn from the tribal women who so generously shared their knowledge and time with us. That afternoon, we presented our mini-consulting project to Manju, sharing suggestions for Forest Post’s future growth and social media presence.

Our final day was spent learning about eco-printing from Pooja, who taught us how to use local leaves and natural dyes to print patterns on fabric. The technique not only produces beautiful results but also conserves water, using reusable steam instead of traditional dyeing methods. We were even lucky enough to try the process ourselves, creating a saree with the natural dyeing process, a creative and fitting way to end a week grounded in ecological respect and creativity.

Beyond our work, we were able to immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of the forest, particularly exploring waterfalls on our day off which was incredible.

Thank you to Manju and all the women at Forest Post for being so welcoming. I am so grateful for your generosity and for the chance to witness how heritage, empowerment, and sustainability can come together in such meaningful and beautiful ways.