Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are popular, savory edible fungi native to East Asia mostly in Japan recognized by their tan-to-brown caps and meaty texture. They are the world’s second most cultivated mushroom, Rich in nutrients like B Vitamins and Copper, they offer immune-boosting benefits. Because of high nutrients in the Shiitake mushroom people believes that, it’s also fight cancer cell. The mushroom that we cultivated is shiitake, a common mushroom variety originally from Japan. It has already been 12 months since the demonstration of the shiitake mushroom cultivation was completed, yet it has still not started to bloom. I have asked several people and some experts about this issue. They shared that they have also cultivated shiitake mushrooms, but even after more than 15 months, there has still been no sign of blooming. Some experts suggested that the delay might be due to the climate in Manipur not being suitable for this particular mushroom. However, some Naga farmers from Kohima mentioned that shiitake mushrooms prefer warmer conditions, such as the climate in Dimapur. They advised that we should wait until the oak logs begin to decay naturally, as the mushrooms may bloom during that stage. Experts from KVK and the founder of Ka-Inn Neocha, Pu Gautam, also advised us not to hurry. According to them, even their own cultivation took more than 15 months and still had no sign of blooming for a long time. Since shiitake mushroom cultivation is still new in Manipur, not only our organization but other groups have also tried it mainly for demonstration purposes, and so far none have reported successful blooming yet. Therefore, we will wait for another five to six months and hope that the mushrooms will eventually grow and bloom. Sometimes I also thought that the place where we kept the logs might not be suitable for the mushrooms to bloom. However, some people told me that the location should not be a big problem. In Japan, shiitake mushrooms are often cultivated in natural forests without green nets or any special covering. Still, for better protection and safety from heavy rain, we decided to shift the logs to another place. We hope that in this new location the mushrooms may bloom in an unexpected way

Mrs Hoinu Haokip, a mother of three from Churachandpur district was displace from her village due to recent conflicts. Life in the relief camp was full of uncertainty and hardship. With no stable source of income, supporting her family became a daily struggle. However, Mrs. Hoinu refused to be losing hope not only depend on relief aid and sought ways to rebuild her life with dignity. During such uncertainty and unwavering mind the organization launched a micro-support for women empowerment for self-reliance support program. Mrs Hoinu took the opportunity and avail the revolving fund support and focusing on loin weaving – a traditional hand – weaving her skill in this field deeply rooted in the Kuki community. At first Mrs. Hoinu found it challenging after years of disruption in the state. But with encouragement from the Green Catcher and peer weavers, she gradually regained confidence. With her sheer hard work, she began weaving beautiful traditional shawls and wraps, blending cultural designs with modern styles. Mrs. Hoinu earns a regular income through loin weaving. She is able to meet her family’s daily needs, support her children education. Weaving has restored her sense of purpose and self-confidence in supporting her family. “The small support I availed from the organization indeed rebuild my self-esteem after losing everything. Weaving has given me inner strength, hope and a way to support my family.” (Hoinu Haokip) With support from the organization, Mrs Hoinu Haokip has transformed her life from dependency. Her story stands as an inspiration to other displaced women – providing those traditional skills, when nurtured with the right support can build lives and strength communities.

Kineithem Kilong was one of the trainees from the 19th batch of the tailoring program initiated by InSIDE North East. When she joins the training, she was quiet and introverted, a mother of 1 girl, yet her eagerness to learn and grow was clearly visible. Before joining she was fully dependent on her husband. After successfully completing the three-month tailoring training, our team recently visited her home. We were deeply moved to witness her remarkable transformation. Her communication skills had improved significantly, her confidence had grown, and she is now more open and comfortable expressing her thoughts and feeling. She now started home-based tailoring business contributing to her family income. Today, Kineithem has begun applying her newly acquired skills from home and is actively contributing to her family’s growth and well-being. Her journey reflects not just skill development, but a powerful transformation in self-belief and independence.