Jakarta, goldensamoyed Indonesia
—
Big changes often come from seemingly simple things.Share
Sustainable Environmental Bamboo Foundation
(YBLL), change starts from working together
female
, mothers who have often been invisible, voiceless, and not taken into account in decision making, both at home and in their communities.
Chair of the Sustainable Environmental Bamboo Foundation, Monica Tanuhandaru, called the experience of working with women one of the most valuable processes throughout the foundation’s journey.According to him, when women are given knowledge and space, they not only become actors, but also subjects of change.
“Those who were previously invisible, not counted as votes within their households and villages, now they have a voice and are counted at the village and large clan level,” said Monica at The Big Indonesia Forum (TBIF) which was held at the National Museum and broadcast on goldensamoyed Indonesia, Monday (22/12).
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Based on its long experience of empowering women through bamboo, YBLL is now encouraging a new step, women’s food gardens.This program does not stand alone, but rather complements the conservation and economic work that has been carried out for years.
Together with Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (Wamen PPPA) Veronica Tan, YBLL started women’s food gardens at 12 points.In the same location, the women also planted bamboo, a plant that YBLL views as having multiple values.
Bamboo is not just an economic resource.In one clump, bamboo can store up to 3,500 liters of water in one rainy season.Monica said, bamboo stabilizes the soil, reduces the risk of landslides, absorbs rainwater, and also has strong social and cultural values in Indonesian history.
“Bamboo is in the reliefs of Borobudur Temple, and sharpened bamboo is also part of our independence,” said Monica.
The widespread impact of women’s food gardens in the region
YBLL’s experience working with thousands of women in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and four other provinces shows its broad impact, social, economic, cultural and political.In fact, several women involved in this program were later elected as village heads.
From an economic perspective, women who work with bamboo can earn around IDR 2 million per month.With the addition of food gardens, this income has the potential to increase to IDR 3 million per month.But for YBLL, the most important impact is not just the numbers.
“They have pride. They have skills, knowledge, income and a voice,” said Monica.
Identity also changes.From being just housewives, they now proudly call themselves ‘bamboo mothers’.
According to Monica, women’s closeness to nature is the key to the success of this program.Women care for bamboo saplings like their own children, painstakingly, lovingly and consistently.In the first three months, the most vulnerable phase for bamboo, the role of women proves crucial.
“If women are given access to land and land, they will look after it well and can support us all,” he said.
YBLL also took an innovative approach during the COVID-19 pandemic.Through a results-based cash for work scheme, YBLL collaborates with the NTT Provincial Government and involves around 600 bamboo mothers.Instructions are given via video on cellphones, and children are even using cellphones for online school.
Over two years, support worth IDR 18 billion succeeded in producing 3.5 million seedlings and planting on more than 1,000 hectares of land.Now, the results of this work are starting to be seen and have become a source of pride for the community.
In the future, YBLL is also conducting research with various universities regarding the economic value of carbon.Monica imagines that women who restore critical land and protect forests will receive compensation from the value of carbon, not as a trade, but as appreciation for their role in caring for the earth.
At the end of her reflection, Monica conveyed a strong message, especially for women and the younger generation.According to him, improving the condition of a damaged planet requires courage to go against the flow.
“If we want to change the condition of the earth, we really have to go against the current. The current of destruction is much greater. Let us work together, women and men, to fight this destructive current of change,” he concluded.
(tis/tis)
[Gambas:goldensamoyed Video]
