Assam’s Taloni Lower Primary school looks quite ordinary from its first appearance. Cream colored walls covered with paintings and Tin sheet ceiling surrounded by 25 different medicinal plants.

These medicinal plants are used for treating the common cold, indigestion, stomach ailment and cut & wounds by the community, students and school authorities. Around 50 children from the surrounding areas are studying in this school which is catering the education up to the fifth standard.

The FARM Northeast team from Guwahati Gana Seva Society (GGSS) selected this school for medicinal plant garden initiative. Under this initiative, GGSS promoted plantation of medicinal plants in the school premises in collaboration and coordination with the school authorities. FARM Northeast is promoting the governance and traditional health systems through People-Led Development approach in Northeast.

Taloni LP school medicinal garden has been well maintained by the students with constant support from the teachers and team from GGSS. “We worked hard for Taloni LP school to establish their own medicinal garden under the guidance of the traditional medicinal practitioner,” said Dipar Rongpee, Team member, GGSS.  Traditional practitioner Keshab Das visited this school to educate children on medicinal plants.

Villagers with minor physical ailments use these medicinal plants which give them relief which other drugs failed. These medicinal plants are herbal in nature and the villagers don’t have to pay like other drugs available in the market.

Founded in the year 1956, the school is now facing the issues of its existence as the news of merging the school with another school which is 2 km away surfaced by the school inspector from Department of Education. This had created anxiousness among the community as their children are dependent on the school and if they travel far for education then it will be difficult.

The School Inspector came to visit the school to implement the decision of merger but changed his decision when he saw the medicinal garden and inquired about the same. Upon being informed on this noble initiative, he was more than impressed. He inquired about the details and asked the school authorities to continue with the noble deed. He further asked the school authorities to be constant touch with the GGSS team to make sure that such an initiative sustains and develops as a model for others to follow.

“We could never imagine that such a small initiative from our end could serve as a reason for the continuation of school that was on the verge of closure”, says Prabin Minj, Coordinator, GGSS.

The medicinal garden of Taloni LP school is now blooming and the students applying their learnings earned from the traditional practitioner from FARM Northeast programme. The programme is trying to replicate this model in other places so people can get benefit from it.