Restoring Sundarbans mangroves, rebuilding tiger-widow livelihoods

Green Hope Foundation: Restoring Ecosystems, Rebuilding Lives

Green Hope Foundation is a UN ECOSOC–accredited and UNCCD‑accredited civil society organization founded on the belief that environmental restoration must advance both ecological balance and social justice. Our founder, a UNCCD Land Hero, established the organization to empower frontline communities to become custodians of their own landscapes.

In the Indian Sundarbans—one of the world’s most climate‑vulnerable ecosystems— climate change is devastating both nature and people. Rising seas, fierce cyclones, and creeping salinity have destroyed the mangrove forests that once protected communities—and the livelihoods they depend on. The human cost runs deeper: hundreds of women, widowed by tiger attacks, face crushing social and economic isolation. One such community, Chargheri Village, faces rising seas, cyclonic storms, salinity intrusion, and rapid mangrove degradation. Loss of mangrove buffers has intensified erosion, reduced fisheries, and increased human–tiger conflict, pushing already marginalized families into deeper precarity.

Our community‑led model uniquely addresses this challenge by placing Indigenous communities, especially tiger widows, at the center of restoration. These women, often socially excluded after losing spouses to tiger attacks, are trained in mangrove nursery development, planting, monitoring, and eco‑enterprise creation. This restores both ecosystems and dignity.

By regenerating native mangroves, strengthening blue carbon sinks, and creating sustainable livelihoods, our approach rebuilds natural coastal defenses while ensuring long‑term community ownership. This fusion of ecological restoration, gender justice, and grassroots leadership makes our model both transformative and deeply resilient.

Green Hope Foundation is changing this story.

Working in Chargheri Village on Satjelia Island, we're proving that environmental restoration and human dignity aren't separate goals—they're inseparable. Through community-led nurseries and native-species planting, we've regenerated 258 hectares of mangrove ecosystems and planted over 18,000 saplings. Simultaneously, 200 tiger-widow families now lead thriving sustainable aquaculture enterprises, creating stable incomes while reducing pressure on forests.

Local women are becoming ecological guardians. Restored waterways are becoming pathways to resilience. Healing the land heals the community.

Your support will expand these community nurseries, restore more vulnerable zones, and unlock greater livelihood opportunities—ensuring that people and planet truly thrive together.