One more group has joined!

We are very happy to post that yesterday we finished the 3 days workshop we normally have when start a new KAF savings and loans group. During 3 days we go through different group dynamics and train the women on the savings and loans methodology, how to calculate interest rates, how to organize themselves in order to enable decision making and conflict solving among the group.

The new group of 15 women is located in Bangkang, a small Desa where most of the population used to live from harvesting the lands and farming. Not so long ago Gold was discovered in the surrounding mountains so now the mining of this metal has become part of their lives and income. It may sound that this is beneficial for them and might lead to development. However reality is always tricky:

- First of all the methods used to extract the Gold are quite unprofessional which puts many men's lives at risk in the so called mines.

- Locals are not aware of the severe health and environmental issues that mercury (used to separate gold from stone) has, and are putting at risk the planet's most valuable resource and their main source of life: water.

- Most people become greedy about this precious metal and think that this will solve all their problems so they stop everything else and focus on this. However, most of the times locals only get a small piece of the whole cake (middlemen are the main beneficiaries) and of course they do not think long term, Gold can also finish!
(For more information please see below a copy of the letter by our advisor, Helen Morgan, published by the Jakarta post).

Although some people in the community are aware of the issues that Gold mining has, not everyone is willing to give-up money in exchange for the health and survival of their families and future generations, ironic? So other than supporting the women to enable their empowerment through the savings and loans groups, we aim to gradually educate locals on the dangers of this risky business.

Selamat Datang to all the women!

Letter to Jakarta Post
By: Helen Morgan


COMMUNITY MINING IN SOUTHERN LOMBOK>

A few kilometres south west of Kute Lombok there is an area which is
having the guts ripped right out of it, because gold is in the ground.
Those in authority who should care about these things are seemingly
unable to gather together the will to call a halt to it.
This lack of interest is symptomatic of the two major ailments which
are impacting heavily on this area of Lombok right now: developer
madness and gold fever. The Kute area of Lombok is being touted as
having fantastic potential for investors, who will help move the
island forward into a shining future. Those who are projecting this
stylish image (used to be LTDC, then BTDC, now maybe ITDC?) are
encouraging a dream fantasy that the whole southern coast will morph
into a playground of golf courses, luxury hotels, jet skis and
marinas. Meanwhile in reality, (and quite apart from its natural
beauty and very attractive raw energy), Kute has become a tip, the
local beaches are NOT pristine, and the road to certain
well-advertised spots with surfable waves and beautiful bays suitable
for swimming, is almost totally destroyed; This is because it is the
same road used by the miners in their pick-ups and trucks and on their
motor bikes. The traffic on this particular stretch has increased
maybe 5-fold since mining began two years ago.
Many locals living along this road are involved in the first stage of
processing – generator-run noisy machines breaking down rocks, often
twenty four hours a day. Who can blame them, ignored as they are by
government at all levels? No electricity, no easily accessible water,
no road maintenance for literally years. But many of them do not
understand the dangers to their health and the environment – they just
need the income. Neighbours who do not have a processing plant,
through choice or lack of start-up funds, dare not protest or make
more formal complaints for fear of retribution from those who do.
And yet, and here’s the irony, Lombok is actively seeking investors,
and Lombok wants tourism badly.
So maybe it’s time to choose? Because in many people’s minds the
development of tourism side by side with community mining just cannot
work. The two are simply incompatible.
Let the relevant government departments – tourism, environment and
health – meet together and begin serious discussion about ways to put
a stop to this illegal activity, which has the potential to harm not
only investment in Lombok but als, and this is long-term, its
environment and the health of its long-suffering people.