Tunda Island: Boats Tripled Fisher Folk’s Income

By Oxfam GB Indonesia Office, Makassar Program 

 “Thank to God. Although prices increase from time to time, we still have enough income to fulfil our daily needs. I cannot imagine how can I buy food for my family if I still work as a fisher labourer!” said Anwar while looking at Pahlawan Laut , the name of the boat christened by them. This boat was distributed to him by Oxfam GB from Oxfam’s Unwrapped Gift Fund.

Anwar and two of his colleagues were very proud of their boats. In April 2008, they received the boat from Oxfam GB and started to operate it to catch fish. Anwar and the two colleagues formed a groups that they called Nelayan Kecil or Small Fisher. This group is one of the nine groups from Tunda Island that received similar support from Oxfam GB.

Building Opportunities: Takut ditolak berbuah rasa percaya

Oleh: Aloysius Suratin & Yusnita Ike Christanti, Oxfam GB Indonesia Office, Makassar programme

 Perasaan takut ditolak membuat Siti Nuraida (38 tahun) awalnya sungkan untuk menjadi peserta kegiatan Building Opportunities. Tapi kegigihan fasilitator kini mengubah semuanya. Siti Nuraida menemukan kembali kepercayaan dari tetangga dan kelompoknya.

Home Sweet Home: From Oxfam to the People

By Olenka Priyadarsani, Communication Officer of Oxfam GB Indonesia Office, Aceh & Nias Programme

My home is my palace, according to an Indonesian saying. A home is place where you rest and  sleep at night after a whole day’s at work. It’s also a place where you meet and share your love with your family.

Unfortunately, after the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, in Aceh and Nias, over 600,000 people left homeless. Many had to live years in the barracks, living in uncertainty. I remember one of barrack residents in Kajhu, Aceh Besar, told me, “I feel like chicken without cage.” He illustrated how he had to move from tent, to temporary shelter, to barrack, then to another barrack, without knowing when his house would be completed.  

If Only I was a Millionaire….

by Yulia Immajati, Gender Advisor of Oxfam GB Indonesia Office

I jumped out of the blue mini bus and walked along the dark street to my boarding house. I wanted to go straight to my place, but a strange feeling moved me to enter this small shop at the alley at around the corner. A young lady greeted me. I guess she was at her thirties. Later I learnt, she is the daughter of the old mama who owns the shop. She smiled and asked what I wanted to buy. It took me for a while to answer since I truly did not have anything in mind. I finally asked for a glass of hot tea. I took a seat on the old chair. There were four old chairs, one of which was broken, and one old dining table. They all were very dusty.

The dust clearly sent the strong message of poverty and, as usual, it led me to the memory of my childhood. I suddenly saw myself ran along the street of my kampong in Salatiga, which could be much dustier than this table during the dry season or when Merapi sent its volcanic dust to my hometown. I saw our little house that was half-made of bamboo and could be so uncomfortably cold at night time. I saw my mother applied glue on my old shoes so that I could wore them again to school. I saw my father made kites to sell to our neighbors’ kids for extra cash so that he could give me some small change for the offering in the Sunday school.

The nice fragrant of Javanese black tea woke me up from my flashback. The young lady brought my tea and put it carefully on the table.