Our newsletter for Oct 2009 is now available online. It features a travelogue written by Zainab Kakal who visited Sunderbans immediately after Cyclone Aila that hit Eastern India on 25th May. It carries an interview with Jeremy Smith, founder of ivili.org on the potential of the website to bring together innovative solutions to sustainable development. Two other articles show case The Blue Yonder attending ITB Asia and WTM London. A short summary of latest recognitions to TBY can also be read here.

For more details, check online here

Labels: Ivili, Media, Newsletter, Responsible Tourism India, Sunderbans, The Blue Yonder

Ravaged Beauty : Sunderbans copyright � 2009 Zainab Kakal

Cyclone Aila Support Group managed to raise 5,00,000 INR (appr 10,550 USD) through the facebook campaign. Compared to the devastation and the need in Sunderbans, this amount is quite small. However with guidance from Association for Conservation and Tourism, the money is spend on basic needs of the affected people. Charities Aid Foundation India is doing the due diligence, programme planning, funds disbursement, monitoring, auditing and reporting. Updates from us will be send to all donors. We thank all the organisations and people who raised awareness about the disaster. We salute the resilience of the people of Sunderbans and self-less work by our partners at Help Tourism who stood by the communities when they needed them the most."

Seeing a posting on facebook for a volunteer to document the Cyclone Aila that hit the Eastern India on the 25th May 2009, Zainab Kakal went to Sunderbans to share the need of the people and give her insights into the disaster that affected millions of people in West Bengal and neighbouring regions. The following text and photos are from Zainab's personal journal that she maintained during her travel to Sunderbans.

Sunderbans: the land of floating green islands:

Arrival: (June 2009) "I enter the Sunderbans exhausted. The endless journey jumping from boat to boat through the riverines has taken about 4 hours and I am drenched and extremely skeptical. The Sunderbans, even to a tired eye looks like a marvel. It is close to being called mythical for it could not be real - it is the land of floating green islands.

I am sitting in a boat huddled in cargo and open umbrellas. My umbrella is poked in too many places to offer any protection and my baggage is wet and drippy but I could not care less for I was in the Sunderbans. Yes, there is a wonder of it all - the endless skies, the elegant angler dropping his nets into the birthing seas, the exodus of people traveling back and forth; all in the palette of murky grays and soft blues." Read the full text here:

Labels: Cyclone Alia, Media, Sunderbans, The Blue Yonder

West Bengal, a state in eastern India, stretching from the Himalayas to the Bay Of Bengal in the south, is a popular tourist destination for its art, culture, history and natural beauty. West Bengal is an agricultural dependent state. Rice and fish are traditional favorite foods. West Bengal offers everything for a discerning tourist. From wild life tours, himalaya expeditions, exotic beach holidays to waterfalls, coffee and tea plantations.

The Kolkata city, also known as 'City of Joy' is well known for Howrah Bridge, local Bengali sweets and the world famous Shantiniketan (Visva-Bharati University) - set up by renowned poet and Nobel Laureate Shri Rabindranath Tagore.

Near the coastal region is the world's largest delta covered with 10,000 sq.km of mangrove forest, popularly known as Sunderbans. The wild life of of Sunderbans offers a fascinating diversity of terrain, flora and fauna.

On the eastern side, lies the Darjeeling, 'Queen of Hills, well known for Sandakfu, the highest peak of the state, Khangchendzonga hill ranges, Tiger Hills and heritage railway station. Kalimpong, Dooars valley and Siliguri are quite close by to Darjeeling city and make the visit a worthwhile experience for nature and adventure sport lovers.

With a combination of holidays in nearby Sikkim, we are now offering some unique and of course responsible holidays in West Bengal. Check it out here for more details.

Labels: Darjeeling, India, Responsible Tourism, Responsible Travel, Sikkim, Sunderbans, The Blue Yonder, West Bengal

Labels: Help Tourism, Media, Sunderbans, The Blue Yonder, Travel to Care

© REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
Two weeks ago Cyclone Aila ravaged eastern India and Bangladesh. In the Sunderbans, the scenic islands and mangrove forests set in the Gangetic delta, the wind, the tidal waves and the flood destroyed or damaged over 500,000 houses. Over 150,000 people lost their homes, fields, work equipment and livelihoods. Many of them lost their breadwinners or other family members.With the disaster killing their cattle and rendering their farmlands saline and infertile for many months or even years, it is a very grim outlook for the people here.

In India and Bangladesh an estimated five million people are affected in one way or the other.Heavy monsoon rains are predicted in few days to come - a grim forecast considering that many of the affected families are left with no proper shelter.To prevent more floods, the local communities with support from the government, military and NGOs have been desperately trying to repair embankments to prepare for the monsoon.Still effective disaster management is not on track yet.

There is a lack of basic necessities like water, staple food and medical assistance. While some delta islands have received relief items, many others have got nothing. Health workers fear that lack of water and sanitation facilities may lead to outbreak of epidemics. Already there are cases of diarrhoea. Children will go hungry on under-nourished.

The media grossly under-reported the impact of the disaster and failed to predict its aftermath. It was actually a precursor another calamity with the fierce annual monsoon rains imminent.In a rapid response to the appeal of our local partners in the Sunderbans, The Blue Yonder, Traveltocare.com and Help Tourism have set up the Cyclone Aila Support Group to help local communities in peril in the Sunderbans Region. Our local partner, the Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT), was in the field during and immediately after the cyclone and is currently stretching its resources to reach out to people at the earliest.The Cyclone Aila Support Group has partnered with the well-known Charities Aid Foundation - India (CAF India) to help manage an accountable and transparent fund raising process. The ACT and the West Bengal Voluntary Health Association (WBVHA) are co-ordinating relief efforts on the ground.

The Cyclone Aila Support Group is committed to supporting the long-term rehabilitation of the Sunderbans region and we need all your support - for now and for the future!We urge governments, public and private organisations, and fellow human beings to wake up to this disaster and the impending tragedy that is about to unfold.

Kindly support the people in need!!

How you can make a difference?
Rs 50 or one euro: Drinking water for five families for one day.
Rs 50 or one euro: Epidemic protection for one week
Rs 250 or five euros: Buys 10 flashlights to protect against snakebites and accidents
Rs 500 or 10 euros: Food for 50 people for one day
Rs 500 or ten euros: Enough food supply for one family for two weeks
Rs 2500 or 50 euros: People in a small village do not have to sleep under open sky
Rs 5000 or 100 euros: Transportation and supplies with one boatWe can make a difference!Check the website for more updates from field and on how to donate efficiently.

Labels: Cyclone Alia, Fund Raising, Sunderbans, The Blue Yonder