The Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world's largest mangrove forest, is under threat from human-tiger conflict. Tiger attacks have left many women, known as 'tiger widows', bereft of their husbands and facing stigma and poverty. However, a new conservation initiative is offering these women a chance to restore the environment and their livelihoods. Led by Shahif Ali, a 26-year-old fellow at i-Behind The Ink (IBTI), the project aims to restore 100 hectares of mangrove forests in the Jharkhali region of the Sundarbans. The women, including Malati Mondal, who lost her husband to a tiger, are paid 300 rupees ($3.30) a day for their work, which helps them care for themselves and their children. The project is part of Conservation International's 'Mountains to Mangrove' initiative, which aims to protect and restore 1 million hectares of forest across the Himalayas to the Sundarbans. The ultimate goal is to restore mangrove ecosystems, which provide resilience against climate change and create income opportunities for women affected by tiger attacks.
