Rural Bengal Innovation! Purulia Doll Makers spread plant seeds through clay dolls

Lovely clay dolls, king and queen, or just an elephant or a domestic cow. Remembering those putuls we played with as kids? Well, these clay dolls are different as they have plant seeds within them that will be spread and grow into trees when the dolls break or are thrown away. So long, we have heard of pens with seeds in them, now are toys that have seeds to grow into plants. The women of remote villages of Purulia like Raina, Pathardi, Chhoto Ranga, Kendajor have come together forming self-help groups that are making these toys to spread awareness against deforestation. 

These women make various kinds of clay dolls that children would love to play with and then distributes them to students of Anganwadi centres and primary schools. They have already distributed around 1,000 such toys made of clay and given lessons to children on how to plant the seeds that are present inside the toys. Their mission has received huge response from children and also the local authorities who have come forward to help these women. What an innovative way of spreading the lesson for saving trees and growing more!