Vanya oar who is 80 years old, has come to India from England when she was 20 years old. Her ancestors have relationship with India. Her great grandfather and grandfather were working at the borders of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. So Vanya’s mother used to visit India frequently. Twenty years back when she had come to India, she came with her 60 years daughter Vanya. Exactly at that time the forest department has warned the backward caste people to quite that place. But the Girijans were fighting against them saying that they will never leave that place even they cut them into pieces and kill them. They all came to Vanya and told her that her grandfather worked for this people a lot when he was a Superintendent and his services were very useful to them. They told that till today they have his photos with them. Saying this all of them pleaded her help. Sorrow in their eyes and their curiosity stopped her to stay there and she decided to give her helping hand to 200 villages. She started a trust called “Earth Trust” and fought for Girijan’s of that villages. On one side she fought for the earth and on the other side she fought for the development of women of those villages. After a very long revolt the Chennai Government took their step backward.  

Vanya started training females to cultivate the plants which are useful for medicines. And one special thing is that it was the South’s first “Medical Point Development Area”. She says “no has the authority to spoil the environment. Each and everyone have their own place in this earth. How far it is correct when human beings go and disturb the place where animals live. Fresh water will be always flowing in this Nilgiri Hills. If we protect this earth, she will be very helpful to us”. With this clarity Vanya she has been staying here since 20 years with these villagers. With the help of Vanya, the Girijans of that area are cultivating thousands of acres. She teaches all of them personally about agriculture. Now Niligiri Hills are filled with greenery with plants like medicine plants, carron, cabbage, beans, etc.

Educating females, organizing Ego Clubs with the help of the students has become a part of her life. “Environment is helping me to do all these; I hope God has given me this life to help the people over here” says Vanya. Her age has failed before insistence and hard work.

Article Posted By : sreevani  On June 14, 2013lView All Articles

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Keywords :
forest dweller , Vanya Oar