Indonesia
Yogyakarta Schools’ Health & Environment Education Program
Nu Skin Indonesia employees and distributors created and funded an elementary education program that uses interactive learning, educational games, and multi-media to educate children on the importance of a clean environment. This two-month program was offered just one year after the Foundation rebuilt the school where these classes are offered. A major highlight for the students has been the hands-on educational opportunity to formulate creative stories about environmental issues and then write, narrate, and film their ideas.
Yogyakarta School Rebuilding Program
The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation, in association with Global TV and the Housing Development Consultant Association, rebuilt two kindergartens and one elementary school in Indonesia. The reconstruction included installing water sanitation devices, selecting high quality and earthquake-safe building material, and most importantly, creating an environment that fosters joy and knowledge. To complement the school reconstruction activities, students also received education on how to recycle water and paper, and produce organic fertilizer.
Indonesia Earthquake Relief Fund
The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation donated funds in August 2006 to provide relief following the earthquake in Indonesia in May 2006. Funds will be used to reconstruct three schools in Central Java, an area heavily devastated by the earthquake.
Right to Play
The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation made a donation in December 2006 to the Right to Play organization to purchase sports equipment for underprivileged children in Thailand and Indonesia.
Fresh water supply, public toilets and access road in exchange for the creation of a permanent 35-acre no-take sea turtle nesting beach. (Ranawangko Village, North Sulawesi, 2006)
Along with neighboring Tulaun and Tulap, the tiny coastal village of Ranawangko owns part of an extensive strip of beach that is critical nesting ground for four species of endangered sea turtles: Olive Ridley, Green, Hawksbill and Leatherback. The village is enthusiastic about the conservation of turtles and would also like to further their commitment to protect turtles by turning a 2.32 mile length of their beach into a permanent official no-take zone. In return, Seacology will fund improvements to the village fresh water system, two public toilets, two bathing areas and improvements to the village access road.
Public stairway in exchange for the creation of a permanent 36-acre no-take sea turtle nesting beach. (Tulap Village, North Sulawesi, 2006)
Tulap Village is home to 1,240 people. A steep and slippery dirt path is used daily by students from neighboring Tulaun to walk to the high schools in Tulap, and is also used by village elementary school students. Along with neighboring Tulaun and Ranawangko, the village of Tulap owns part of an extensive strip of beach that is critical nesting grounds for four species of endangered sea turtles: Olive Ridley, Green, Hawksbill and Leatherback. As a show of commitment to turtle conservation they are willing to turn a length of their beach (2.4 miles long) into a permanent official no-take zone. In return, Seacology will fund construction of a staircase on Tulap's path to make it safer and more convenient.
Fresh water supply, public toilets and access road in exchange for the creation of a permanent 30-acre no-take sea turtle nesting beach. (Tulaun Village, North Sulawesi, 2006)
Tulaun is a coastal village made up of 40 families. Along with neighboring Tulap and Ranawangko villages, Tulaun owns part of an extensive strip of beach that is critical nesting grounds for four species of endangered sea turtles: Olive Ridley, Green, Hawksbill and Leatherback. The villagers have shown genuine interest and concern for turtles by protecting and monitoring nests rather than collecting the eggs and killing the nesting turtles. They would like to further this commitment by turning their entire length of beach (2 miles long) into a permanent official no-take zone. In return for creating a no-take zone, Seacology will fund improvements to the village fresh water system, three public toilets and improvements to the village access road.
Medical clinic in support of a 60,958-acre rainforest reserve for a minimum duration of 20 years. (Ensem Village, Karakelang Island, Talaud Archipelago, 2006)
Ensem Village in the Talaud archipelago of eastern Indonesia was first formed in the early stages of the spice trade nearly 600 years ago. The livelihood of the 609 residents of the village revolves around the centuries-old tradition of harvesting nutmeg and cloves as well as coconuts and other cash crops. The village borders the northern section of a 60,958-acre rainforest reserve on the island of Karakelang. Due to the exceptional biological significance of this rainforest reserve, BirdLife Indonesia has been working with Ensem Village since 2003 to create a village initiative to preserve this forest. Seacology is funding the construction of a badly-needed medical clinic in support of Ensem's commitment to preserve their rainforest for a minimum duration of 20 years.
Coral reef clean-up and mangrove restoration in exchange for the establishment of a 35-acre permanent no-take mangrove forest reserve (Iboih Village, Weh Island, Sumatra, 2005)
Iboih Village on Weh Island is located on the most westerly point of Indonesia in the province of Aceh. The island was spared from serious devastation by the December 2004 tsunami, but debris from the island was deposited on the nearby reefs, and a large swath of mangroves was destroyed. Seacology will provide funding to replant 14,400 mangrove seedlings and clean up the debris that is suffocating the reefs and remaining mangrove forest. In exchange, the people of Iboih Village will create a 35-acre permanent no-take mangrove forest reserve.
Update January 2006 - A nonprofit organization, Aceh Coral Conservation, was set up to receive and manage funds for the project. The coral reef and mangrove cleanup took place in October 2005, and the project has been completed. 14,400 mangroves were planted.
Village-scale fresh water well system in exchange for the establishment of a 191-acre no-take rainforest reserve and a 98-acre no-take mangrove and coral reef reserve (Pinasungkulan Village, North Sulawesi, 2005)
The small coastal community of Pinasungkulan is desperate for a reliable fresh ground water supply to meet the minimum requirements of the village year-round. In cooperation with the Bunaken National Park Concerned Citizen's Forum, the village is creating two permanent no-take reserves to include 191 acres of rainforest, and 98 acres of mangrove and coral reef. In exchange for this sacrifice, Seacology will provide a much-needed new well system for the village. The protected rainforest will be a new addition to the Seacology-supported contiguous no-take reserves already created by Kumu, Teling and Poopoh Villages.
Village-wide solar power in exchange for the establishment of 46,080 acres of no-take reef and rainforests (Arborek Village, Gam Island, Papua, 2005)
Arborek Village has no electrical supply and depends on burning firewood for cooking and kerosene for light. The community is willing to establish no-take zones including about 9,600 acres of rainforest on four islands, about 16,000 acres of fringing reef and a bay with mangrove forest which is feeding grounds for endangered leatherback turtles. In exchange for this sacrifice, Seacology is providing 60 watts of usable solar power for each house and the village church. Additionally, a VHF radio unit for communication between the islands is being supplied so that the villagers may be able to contact family members on the mainland, as well as for assistance when bomb-fishing boats enter their area.
Upgrading village rainwater collection system and school reconstruction in exchange for the establishment of a 500-acre no-take forest reserve (Kaibolafin Village, Kola Island, Maluku, 2005)
Kaibolafin Village is located on Kola Island, one of a cluster of low-lying Aru Islands in the middle of the Arafaru Sea. Kaibolafin consists of 55 fishing families who currently rely on rainwater, which is collected from the village church roof in a single storage tank that is in urgent need of repair and refurbishing. During the dry season, the villagers can only obtain fresh water from a forest well located two kilometers away or by collecting it from one of the neighboring islands, a 30 minute boat-ride away. In addition to the village's water problem, a severely broken-down school serves the needs of 70 elementary school students in the village. The village is creating a 500-acre permanent no-take forest reserve. In exchange, Seacology is providing a new village rainwater catchment system as well as complete construction of the elementary school.
Village-scale fresh well water system in exchange for the establishment of a 500-acre no-take forest reserve (Popo Village, North Sulawesi, 2005)
Popo is a small coastal village in North Sulawesi with a population of about 320 families. The community is desperate for a reliable fresh groundwater supply to meet the minimum water requirements of the village. The villagers are willing to turn approximately 500 acres of intact hill forest into a permanent no-take zone through a legally enforceable village ordinance. This protected forest is directly adjacent to the protected forests recently created by neighboring Kumu and Teling Villages (both supported by Seacology). In exchange for this sacrifice, Seacology will provide Popo Village with a new village-scale fresh water system.
Upgrading and repairing an existing fresh water system in exchange for the establishment of a 250-acre no-take forest reserve (Teling Village, North Sulawesi, 2005)
Teling is a small hillside village in North Sulawesi with a population of about 250 families. Due to the geography of the area, Teling has experienced water supply problems for many years. In exchange for an upgraded fresh water system, the village is setting aside an additional 250 acres of intact hill forest as a permanent no-take zone through the expansion of an existing village ordinance that currently protects 200 acres of Manembo-nembo forest. The newly protected forest will connect to the no-take zone recently created by neighboring Kumu and Popo Villages (both supported by Seacology).
Establishment of 124-acre no take forest reserve in exchange for elementary school renovations (Kumu Village, North Sulawesi, 2004)
Kumu is a small village on the northern coast of Sulawesi with a population of about 240 families. Due to the area's decreased watershed protection, the village now experiences serious groundwater shortages during the dry season, as well as flooding during heavy rains. Seacology has assisted Kumu Villagers by funding the planting of 5,000 indigenous tree seedlings in about 25 acres of deforested land bordering the river, as well as the much-need renovation of the village's only school. In exchange for these urgently needed items, the villagers have set aside 124 acres of intact rainforest as a no take zone.
UPDATE January 2006 - Kumu School was finished in May, 2005 and the official opening ceremony took place on June 8th. The buildings were available for use for the new school year, which started in July.
Establishment of four no take marine reserves in exchange for outdoor cultural theater (Molas, Meras, Tongkeina, and Bahowo Villages, Sulawesi Island, 2004)
World-renowned for its fantastic coral reef diversity, the 89,000-hectare Bunaken National Marine Park is home to over 30,000 fisher/farmers. In exchange for the formalization of four no take marine reserves totaling 160 acres as a means of rebuilding reef fish stocks in this area, Seacology has funded a 200-seat outdoor cultural amphitheater to be used for traditional dance performances. Construction of the theater was completed in December 2004.
Rural health clinics and community health training/education in exchange for creation of a 370-acre rainforest no-take zone (Seram Island, 2004)
Seram is the largest of the "Spice Islands" in the remote eastern region of Indonesia. Two villages on the northern coast of Seram, Sawai (Muslim) and Masihulan (Christian), live side by side in harmony with a combined population of 1,500 people. The health conditions in these villages are extremely poor, even by Indonesian standards. The villages have signed a covenant to set aside 370 acres of pristine forest as a strict no take zone for a minimum of 50 years. In exchange for this sacrifice, in cooperation with Project Bird Watch, Seacology is funding basic but critically needed health facilities, formal medical training for village based health practitioners and community health education.
UPDATE January 2006 - The two clinics have been completed and are operational. Both nurse practitioners have completed training in Bali. Small refrigerators to store medicine, to be powered by portable solar generators, have been purchased, as have solar-powered water purifiers. Work on a children's coloring book/hygiene manual will begin shortly. Project coordinator Dr. Stewart Metz of Project Birdwatch reports that the rainforest preserve is being honored by local communities and remains pristine.
Village-based fisheries management program in Wakatobi National Park, Southeast Sulawesi (Sampela Village, Kaledupa Island, 2003)
Wakatobi Marine National Park covers a vast, remote area of 3.5 million acres and is one of Indonesia's most important and largest marine protected areas. The Bajo people, an ethnic group popularly known as "Sea Gypsies," live within this archipelago, and though relatively small in numbers, have had a significant impact on coral reefs due to their intense dependency on reef resources. Working closely with a local village-based NGO, Yayasan Bajo Mattila, Seacology has provided shallow-water Fish Aggregating Devices, ice making facilities and other equipment to the Bajo fishing village of Sampela on Kaledupa Island in support of a pelagic fisheries cooperative to reduce dependency on coral reef resources.
Wastewater garden at Tirtagangga Water Palace, Bali (July 2002)
The island of Bali lies within the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. Over one million foreign tourists visit the "Island of the Gods" each year to see the beauty and unique culture of the island's 3.5 million inhabitants. The local government's waste management services are not adequate to handle the heavy volume of waste generated through tourism. Tirtagangga (Tirta=holy water and Gangga= Ganges river) was built in 1948 by the last king of Karangasem in one of Bali's most beautiful sites. The palace is made up of gardens and spring-fed fountains, ponds and a formal bathing pool. The solid and liquid waste generated by up to 200 visitors a day is negatively impacting the water quality throughout the surrounding area. Seacology has assisted the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation in implementing a wastewater garden system that organically breaks down wastewater and produces a rich habitat for vegetation. The wastewater garden will serve as a model for local governments, and will assist a local resident group (Tirtagangga Community Organization) in their efforts to clean up local water supplies.
Alternative fishing program, Komodo Island National Park (December 2000)
Komodo National Park in Indonesia is composed of 510 square miles of some of the most biologically diverse waters, reefs, mangroves and bays in the world. The waters within the park provide habitat for more than 1,000 species of fish, approximately 260 species of reef-building coral, 70 species of sponge, and the endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles. Two destructive fishing practices, dynamite and cyanide fishing, are severely damaging the reef fish populations as well as the reef itself. Fish aggregating devices placed in the 5,000-foot deep waters outside the boundary of Komodo National Park provide an incentive for the fishing community to fish the open ocean away from the threatened coral reefs. Fish aggregating devices attract pelagic fish such as yellow fin tuna, skipjack tuna and Spanish mackerel which migrate through the Indo-Pacific. Seacology funds have been used to support The Nature Conservancy in training fishers from two Komodo Island communities in the skills needed to fish off deep-water fish aggregating devices, and also to equip and refit boats with equipment appropriate for this type of fishing. This is enabling the local fishing community to continue earning a living from fishing without destroying the coral reefs.