Friends of Orchha is a social enterprise that works with local families to open their homes to travellers, to create more sustainable livelihoods. Founded in 2009, it now has a network of six host families, who earn additional income to supplement their livelihoods from traditional subsistence farming.
“We are a family that survives on farming. We consume what we grow. If there is a surplus, we sell it in the market, but that’s quite rare. It is tough because our survival depends on rainfall and Orchha is a drought-prone area.
When Asha ji met and spoke to us some years ago suggesting the idea of a homestay, it made sense, though we were a little sceptical. But some other families had already been hosting tourists and it seemed like it was helping them — financially, at least.
I don’t speak English. So I used to be very uncomfortable around our guests in the beginning. It was all too new for me. I didn’t know what to say. Over time, of course, that changed.
Hosting tourists gives us an opportunity to earn without being entirely reliant on our land. We enjoy having people staying with us from different parts of the world. It’s an opportunity for us to learn — like how most non-Indian guests though prefer non-spicy food, whereas our local cuisine is on the spicier side!”
Read more about Friends of Orchha
Meet Kiran and Surendra of Friends of Orchha
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