HIMACHAL PRADESH
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh is famed for its apple orchards, scenic sites and places such as Manali, Dharamshala, Shimla and Kulu. Although 90% of the population lives in rural communities, most homes have toilets, making it one of the few states in India with a 100% hygiene rate. Himachal Pradesh is India's least corrupt state according to a survey of CMS - India Corruption Study 2017. It is one of the states that lie in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), one of the richest reservoirs of biological diversity in the world. Himachal is also said to be the fruit bowl of the country, with orchards being widespread. Meadows and pastures are also seen clinging to steep slopes.
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At the time of Independence, Himachal Pradesh had a literacy rate of 8% - one of the lowest in the country. By 2011, the literacy rate surged to over 82%, making Himachal one of the most literate states in the country.
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A state of approximately seventy lakh, Himachal has a number of distinct language communities. The population of these communities number approximately four lakh. Within these communities, approximately 73% are literate, without about a 20% disparity between the sexes. Among these, Nirmaan works actively with one community, engaging with them through projects such as language development and literacy
KINNAURI
The Kinnauri people number roughly eighty-five thousand, and There are eight varieties of Kinnauri language but Kinnauri is the most predominant .Kinnauri and Kinnauri Pahari are two different languages spoken by two castes. (Schedule tribe & Schedule caste). The separation between these two communities is very high
Hindi is commonly spoken as the langua franca to speak to outsiders. Thus, Literacy rates are high, with most individuals seeking a quality education.
The Kinnauri are located in the foothills of the Himalayas, surrounded by picturesque scenes. However, access to this area is governed by the seasons. Despite this, the Kinnauri are prosperous, gleaning a living by cultivating crops such as apples, apricots, almonds and chilgozas (pine nuts).
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Nirmaan empowers the Kinnauri through language development projects like the creation of dictionary in Kinnauri Pahari.