Nestled in the Palani hills, PaPuKo (an initiative of Mother Teresa Women’s University with the support of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology) seeks to provide a market platform for wild forest produce and sustainable jewellery harvested and crafted by indigenous communities. 

Project PaPuKo through market solutions and fair prices provides sustainable livelihood options to the Paliyar and Pulaiyar community while respecting their ethnic identity and sovereignty over their forest. Rooted in the forest they gather honey, seeds, spices, herbs and other natural products in a sustainable manner. 

PaPuKo by fostering training in jewellery making and marketing  creates value-added options. which are  local, natural and wild for the community to explore.

Forest produce has been sustainably harvested for thousands of years by indigenous communities at great risk but with immense culture, rituals and tradition respecting this unique relationship is at the heart of PaPuKo.