Stories from Partners

The Kenayan village of West Kalimantan is so remote that it does not even have a school for its children. But its community organization, the Padung Kumang ‘Adat' has proven that proactive community-based management of local natural resources can protect their area from loggers and big plantations.

In 2004, the Pulanggana Foundation, through the project, worked with this community in establishing an education center that enhances adult skills in organic agriculture, seed and seedling productions, fishery, and rice farming. It helped the people develop a cocoa-based agro-forest system, establish market ties with cocoa traders in Sanggau (the closest district town) and Sarawak, Malaysia, and develop a participatory kampong governance system that would establish land rights over the ‘adat' territories of their village.

Developing a cocoa-based agro-forest system was not easy to achieve. The villagers had to transport seedlings, re-purchase when the seedlings withered, nurture the survivors until they were mature enough, etc. and bear the costs along the way. Now, all families in Kampung Sekajau have cocoa growing on their family lands. They have thought of expanding and are eagerly looking forward to a good harvest.

The people have learned that participation leads to an effective program, and promotes independent mobilization of resources. They have also learned that real empowerment comes from a proactive pursuit for livelihood based on their own natural resources and their mark of empowerment has been a strong signal to drive encroachers away.

Other villages have seen their success and are eager to follow suit.