Background

The Sundarbans region, spanning the deltaic confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, sustains communities that live and depend on the forest resources for their livelihoods. This ecological coexistence of both humans and animal inhabitants has brought their territories to overlap with each other, posing a direct threat of proximity to the Bengal Tigers. This becomes a reason for a persistent threat to the local populations as they venture into the forest areas for resources. The breadwinners, dominated by males, are disproportionately affected by the fatalities of the tiger attacks, leaving the young widows behind who face economic vulnerability and social marginalization in their community.   

The statistics on human-wildlife conflict in the Sundarbans report approximately 50-60 people losing their lives to tiger attacks annually. This creates a demographic of widows, exposed to abruptly assuming financial responsibility of the households, often without any skills or a pathway to employment. The immediate personal and economic shock often drives the families into poverty, coupled with the pressures of childcare responsibilities and grief processing. 

The traditional support systems provide minimal relief, leaving the women trapped in perpetual social isolation and economic instability. The government support towards human support interventions following fatalities remains inadequate. There is an absence of targeted skill development programs and formal employment connections to uplift the widowed population. This lack often puts a barrier for women to enter formal labor markets, and the neglect continually strengthens their vulnerabilities. 

The Mangrove Circle was created to bridge this gap by creating skills training, developing private sector partnerships, and advocating for formal employment pathways that will transform economic vulnerability to sustainable livelihoods.