For Pushkar, it was a surprise when he began his work in Mizoram in January 2024. He was assigned as Amrita’s coordinator for a new project to uplift tribal people in the north-eastern state. His guide kindly told him he could leave his suitcase at the entrance while they went shopping in the market.
His first response was, “No way! It will get stolen.” Pushkar grew up in Delhi where theft is a common occurrence. But his companion assured him that no one would take it. He decided to cooperate and one hour later, there was his luggage, safe and sound.
“The people in Mizoram are more innocent compared to the rest of India. In the state of 1.25 million people, 95% are Scheduled Tribe,” he said.
“They are not trying to get ahead. They are happy with a simple lifestyle. There is no need for them to cheat, lie, deceive and manipulate.”
Pushkar is leading the University’s Science, Technology, & Innovation (STI) Hub, a project in collaboration with Mizoram University and funded by the Govt of India’s Dept of Science & Technology.
Its goal is to restore resilience and independence to the Mizo tribes through health, skill development, substance abuse awareness, cybersafety, and preservation of traditional medicine. A team of 15 local people are leading interventions in the districts of Aizawl and Serchhip.
As of today, more than 6,000 people have been supported through health camps, digital literacy, food & nutrition awareness, substance abuse sessions, and archiving practices of tribal healers.
Mizoram is a land of rolling hills where its tribes live with a great sense of community—they are there to support each other. Even though the people may be poor, they will have a roof over their heads and something to eat.
It is an agrarian economy with a literacy rate of 92%, India’s second highest, where most of the people speak Mizo. As well, many were converted to Christianity during British rule, which today accounts for 87% of the population. Neighbours gather wholeheartedly for church activities on the weekend.
Regardless, Pushkar continued that the Mizo tribes face great challenges. The people have all but lost their ancient knowledge about food, nutrition, and traditional healing practices. In today’s world, unemployment rates are high with very few industries in the state. One of the biggest challenges is that the hilly terrain makes transport of raw materials difficult.
Of even deeper concern, Mizoram is at the forefront of Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle, one of the world’s largest drug trafficking corridors. Many of the youth get caught up early. They are also targeted by online predators, with smugglers eventually dragging them into forced labour or sexual exploitation.
“Personally, this never came across my mind that I could help support youth through these interventions,” expressed Frederick Lalhmachhuana, a coordinator with the Digital Literacy & Adolescent Awareness Ambassadors (AAA) team.
AAA teaches adolescents about the dangers of substance abuse. In Mizoram, 200 youth have been trained to reach out to their classmates. The digital literacy programs address human trafficking, cybersafety, and internet misuse.
It makes me a better version of myself because I develop new skills. And, of course, witnessing the positive impact on our young people’s lives means a better future is possible for all of us,” said Frederick.
The mentors use tablets to engage with the children, as they are drawn by the technology. In Mizoram, the teams are visiting schools, juvenile homes, and drug rehabilitation centres. Digital literacy especially targets government schools where poor families send their children, as well as church gatherings for kids.
The students get the chance to use computers for the first time, and then learn how to use basic software like Word and Excel, access the internet, and compose emails. This opens the doors for their future employment.
Pushkar remembers watching the transformation of a teenage boy during one of the Digital Literacy & AAA sessions.
“There was one kid who was about 13 years old. He was on the back bench creating ruckus and noise, not listening to any of the presentation. But as soon as the tablets came out, he was hooked,” said Pushkar.
“That boy was the first one to raise his hand that he was done each lesson. He then gave the best speech of all the newly trained student ambassadors. This proves he had the potential. It just had to be channeled.”
The STI Hub is supporting the people’s basic health needs, as reaching health centres and hospitals can be difficult. The teams hold Ayurveda medical camps to encourage holistic wellbeing and early detection of lifestyle diseases. This includes providing free medicines and conducting health surveys to gain a better understanding of the needs of the people.
As well, the team is interviewing the tribal healers to create an even deeper connection with the ancient knowledge of the Mizo people. They have a rich tradition of indigenous herbs to treat a wide range of ailments. Their practices are in alignment with nature, but also at risk due to climate change. The STI Hub seeks to preserve and strengthen this invaluable heritage by documenting the practices.
“The aim is to create a database of the healers, the healing techniques, and the local native herbs,” said Pushkar. “It’s a way to preserve their traditional knowledge. Most of the next generation are not interested in this and then it will be lost.”
In addition, the project is introducing Ayurveda to the Mizo community, as well as finding correlations with their tribal medicine systems. This is not intended to replace local healing methods or allopathic medicine, but to complement and coexist with each other, strengthening an overall approach to health and well-being.
Over the past 15 years, Mizoram’s nutrition indicators have worsened, driven by a growing dependence on packaged foods and limited access to affordable fresh produce due to tough terrain and transport issues.
To address this, the STI Hub’s Food & Nutrition team partnered with Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under India’s Ministry of Women and Child Development. Extensive surveys were carried out to understand the lifestyle and dietary practices of the Mizo people.
And thus, crucial Nutritional Education Intervention programs were delivered at anganwadis. The Govt of India centres provide basic healthcare services, nutrition support, and pre-school education to children aged 0-6 years. They also support pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Mizoram’s STI Hub aims to empower the anganwadi workers and mothers with the knowledge and skills necessary to combat malnutrition and improve the nutritional well-being of young children and adolescents, including an emphasis on adolescent anemia.
The team is also training entrepreneurs and self-help group women to produce value-added food products with local supplies. Prototypes include moringa cookies, amla teabags, and dragonfruit noodles. This will not only enhance the livelihoods of the people, but also improve their nutritional health levels.
