Chief leader of Raute Community Mr. Mahin Bahadur Shahi’s son is of age thirty one, who have the skills to make Kosi, Ari, khat, and Madhus(raute traditional craft items), which he have learnt from his ancestors. Leader (Mukiya) Bir Bahadur Shahi’s son, Birkha Bahadur Shahi is young by age, but has the great skills of crafting woods. He too learned from his father. Youth Raute, Mr. Humraj Shahi makes wooden utensils from the discarded woods from the forest. These three people not only being youths, belong to the only remaining nomadic tribe of Nepal and their skills of wooden crafting is traditional which they have received from ancestor.

They used to make wooden utensils using only three equipment which are axe, basillo and chino. Currently, for protecting ancestral skills and fostering business prospects, they are being provided with the trainings to craft woods from the modern hand used tools. As demanded by the community to get trained for effective livelihood, thirteen youths are provided with the training. These Raute youths have came from Surkhet Gurmagot Municipality13 Beteni river bank to Dungeshwor Rural Municipality to receive training.  The training is organized by Social Service Center (SOSEC) Nepal, Dailekh in coordination with Gurans Rural Municipality and District Division Forest Office & support of AEIN. Raute are seen to be enthusiastic to learn such new techniques and skills on wood crafting. They are being trained by Trainor Mr. Jhalak Kumar BK and Sher Bahadur Bayalkoti who have long experience on the sector of wooden work.

“We never used any modern tools, because of which many of the wood went wasted” said Siva Raj Shahi(raute).  Due to the help of these modern tools, it’s easier, time saving and very few wastages. Likewise, the crafts will have more beautiful finishing and we will be able to earn more from materials made he added.

Instructor Mr. Jhalak Kumar BK said,”Raute youths are very eager to learn the new techniques and we are instructing them with the view of conserving there tradition and fostering their own skill. They are being taught with their own requirement and will. Such as, if they wish to learn of using iron nails and if not, they will be trained of using wooden nails”. They were in big surprise when they came to know that nearly 16 to 20 plywood can be made using such tools from a single wood log as they were only able to take out only 3 to 4 ply wood from same wood log. This surprise has created their eagerness on the training he added.

During past nine months, SOSEC Nepal is working in the development and conservation of Raute community on improving the bad behaviors for self-empowerment and better livelihood as well as health. “This training will have a great impact, not only in those trainee as well as in the forest conservation. As the wooden materials crafting is the major livelihood of the community, due to lack of knowledge and technology they used to cut more trees for crafting few materials as most of the wood used to waste but after the training most of the wood will be used for making materials which will have value in the market as well as have impact on very few deforestation. For the marketing and promotion of the Raute wooden product showroom at Surkhet is established” said Mr. Hira Singh Thapa President of Social Service Center (SOSEC) Nepal Dailekh.

With time the Raute Community are accepting the new techniques and tools for the better results. This community is roaming around Dailekh, Surkhet, Dang, Salyan and around the Karnali provenience and are remained only one hundred forty-six in number.