KILAS COMMDEV A Brief of Our Community Development Activities

KILAS COMMDEV A Brief of Our Community Development Activities Edisi II Quartal 1, 2012 / Edition II Quarter 1, 2012

PENGANTAR / FOREWORD Ada tiga syarat penting yang mau tidak mau harus ada bagi berhasilnya suatu program pemberdayaan masyarakat atau community development (Commdev). Pertama, kesediaan menerima kritik dan masukan. Kedua, kemauan menjalin kerja sama dengan pemangku kepentingan, terutama kelompok penerima manfaat dan pemerintah setempat. Ketiga, perencanaan yang baik, tolok ukur keberhasilan yang jelas, dan pengelolaan yang transparan. Program Commdev PT Vale senantiasa berusaha memenuhi ketiga syarat tersebut. Berbekal semangat otokritik dan tekad untuk menciptakan program Commdev yang berhasil, PT Vale mengadakan serangkaian konsultasi intensif dengan pemangku kepentingan. Targetnya, mulai 2013 akan dijalankan mekanisme program Commdev untuk jangka waktu lima tahunan (2013-2017). Sasaran dari mekanisme itu adalah kemandirian masyarakat jangka panjang dengan berlandaskan prinsip konsultatif,

partisipatif, kemitraan, transparansi dan akuntabilitas melalui pelibatan tiga pilar pembangunan (Pemda, masyarakat, dan perusahaan). Sedangkan, program outstanding 2011 yang telah direncanakan dan disetujui berdasarkan komitmen PT Vale dengan pemerintah dan masyarakat, tetap direalisasikan pada 2012. Tahun ini sekaligus merupakan masa transisi menuju penerapan model tersebut dengan persiapan yang disepakati antara pemerintah, masyarakat, dan perusahaan. There are three important requirements that are absolutely necessary for the success of a community development (Commdev) program. First: readiness to accept criticism and input. Second: willingness to cooperate with various stakeholders, particularly with beneficiaries of the program. Third: good planning with clear benchmarks of success and transparent management.

With a spirit of self-criticism and the desire to create a successful Commdev Program, PT Vale has conducted a series of intensive consultations with various stakeholders. The target, staring in 2013, is to have a Commdev program under a five-year scheme (2013-2017). The goal of the scheme is long-term community self-sufficiency based on a spirit of consultative, parsipatory, partnership, transparency and accountability involving three pillars of development: local government, community and the company. However, The 2011 programs planned and approved as part of PT Vale’s commitments with the government and the community will still be realized in 2012. This is a transition year leading up to the implementation of the new scheme; it consists of preparatory stages to which the government, community and the company have agreed. Editor EDISI II QUARTAL 1 KILAS COMMDEV 2012 - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk.

LAPORAN UTAMA

Tolok Ukur Baru Agar Lebih Sinergis

Konsultasi hingga implementasi proyek percontohan. Upaya pembenahan pelaksanaan program pemberdayaan masyarakat terus dilakukan. Hal ini tentu membawa angin segar bagi semua pihak. Sebagai salah satu pelaksana program pemberdayaan masyarakat, PT Vale bahu-membahu bersama pemangku kepentingan menyusun mekanisme pelaksanaan program Commdev yang lebih baik. Tujuannya agar program dijalankan atas prinsip akuntabilitas, sinergitas, partisipatif, dapat dipertanggungjawabkan, dan tepat sasaran. Sejak kuartal IV-2011, melalui koordinasi dan konsultasi dengan pemerintah dan masyarakat, tim Commdev PT Vale banyak menerima masukan dan ide untuk meningkatkan efektivitas pelaksanaan program Commdev. Masukan dan ide tersebut muncul dari berbagai pertemuan yang dilakukan secara intensif.

01 EDISI II QUARTAL 1 KILAS COMMDEV 2012 - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk.

Koordinasi dan konsultasi itu diharapkan berujung pada lahirnya mekanisme baku implementasi program Commdev. PT Vale duduk bersama pemerintah Kabupaten Luwu Timur, kelompok masyarakat, dan penerima manfaat untuk membahas mekanisme pelaksanaan program pemberdayaan masyarakat

di bidang pendidikan, kesehatan, dan pengembangan ekonomi masyarakat. Di Kecamatan Nuha, misalnya, pada 20 Maret 2012, bertempat di Gedung Otuno, PT Vale menerima kelompok masyarakat dalam sebuah pertemuan. Di sana dilakukan refleksi bersama terhadap mekanisme dan implementasi program Commdev selama ini. Pertemuan lainnya berlangsung di Kantor Bupati Luwu Timur, Malili, pada 25 April 2012. Pertemuan itu, yang digagas Asisten II Bidang Pembangunan dan Perekonomian Pemkab Luwu Timur, dihadiri Manajemen PT Vale, Badan Perencanaan dan Pembangunan Luwu Timur, dan aparatur kecamatan di Luwu Timur. Dalam pertemuan tersebut, yang merupakan tindak lanjut komunikasi formal dan informal antara PT Vale dan pemerintah, dibahas tolok ukur program Commdev 2012 dan program Commdev lima tahunan (2013-2017). “Tolok ukur baru ini memang perlu dicanangkan, karena program Commdev berjalan dinamis. Jadi diperlukan mekanisme yang mampu menjawab kebutuhan tersebut. Kami banyak menerima masukan dari pertemuan dengan pemerintah kabupaten dan masyarakat. Selama masa transisi ini, program Commdev yang telah direncanakan pada 2012 tetap akan berjalan. Kami harapkan pula agar dengan mekanisme baru, nantinya

LAPORAN UTAMA

02 aktivitas Commdev bisa berjalan lancar,” ujar Direktur External Relations & Corporate Affairs PT Vale, Basrie Kamba. Finalisasi tolok ukur pelaksanaan program Commdev tersebut cukup penting, karena kebutuhan implementasi program mendesak. “Kami sangat berharap aturan baru ini kelak lebih transparan dan berdasarkan prinsip akuntabilitas,” ujar Muhammad Zabur, Asisten II Pemkab Luwu Timur.

dan monitoring, dan diatur melalui mekanisme yang jelas dan disepakati antara perusahaan, pemerintah, dan masyarakat. “Selama ini, program Commdev masih dianggap kurang bermanfaat luas dan tidak berdampak jangka panjang bagi kemandirian masyarakat. Maka itu program perlu dibenahi sedemikian rupa agar lebih bermanfaat bagi masyarakat dan berdampak jangka panjang,” ujar dia.

Dari pertemuan dan konsultasi PT Vale dengan Pemda dan masyarakat, diperoleh kesimpulan untuk mengadakan social impact assessment, yaitu studi untuk mendapatkan evaluasi pelaksanaan program Commdev dan referensi bagi implementasi program ke depan. “Social impact assessment ini akan dilakukan oleh pihak profesional dan independen. Hasilnya akan menjadi pedoman manajemen perusahaan dan pemangku kepentingan untuk melihat keberhasilan, atau sebaliknya, dalam pelaksanaan program Commdev. Inilah yang menjadi panduan untuk membuat benchmark baru agar lebih sinergis dan tepat sasaran dari sebelumnya,” tambah Basrie Kamba. Sebagai aparatur desa, Parmenas Kenda, Kepala Desa Tabarano, Kecamatan Wasuponda, pun mengharapkan agar aktivitas Commdev yang direalisasikan PT Vale, perlu upaya pendampingan

Percontohan Dalam agenda pembenahan tersebut, Kecamatan Nuha dijadikan area percontohan dalam assessment implementasi program Commdev. Hal ini disepakati dalam pertemuan manajemen PT Vale dengan pemerintah kecamatan yang dikonsultasikan pula ke Pemda. Realisasinya adalah penilaian pelaksanaan dan kelayakan program Commdev di Kecamatan Nuha hingga tahun 2012. Program 2012 juga disusun berdasarkan referensi dan masukan dari pemerintah serta masyarakat melalui koordinasi dan konsultasi yang dilakukan.

layak untuk direkomendasikan melalui Commdev. Juga memastikan agar proses penjaringan dan implementasinya dilakukan sesuai prinsip-prinsip transparansi, akuntabilitas, dan partisipatif,” ungkap Miftahuddin Hadilang, Commdev Officer Nuha Area PT Vale. Terkait itu, tim Commdev PT Vale telah melakukan sejumlah pertemuan, di antaranya konsultasi dengan pemerintah Kecamatan Nuha pada 6 Februari 2012, sosialisasi mekanisme penilaian pada 13 April 2012, dan pembekalan tim penilai pada 15 April 2012. Sebanyak 20 pemuda dan pemudi dari Kecamatan Nuha dilatih dan dibekali keterampilan dasar sebagai fasilitator. Melalui pembekalan berupa pelatihan participatory rural appraisal (PRA), yang digelar di kantor Camat Nuha, diharapkan tim ini dapat mengenali masalah mendasar sebuah daerah, mengenali potensi pengembangan usaha, dan visi desa tersebut. ***

Penilaian tersebut melibatkan fasilitator yang mewakili kelompok masyarakat yang tergabung sebagai tim penilai. “Mereka ini adalah tim yang akan menilai program masyarakat yang EDISI II QUARTAL 1 KILAS COMMDEV 2012 - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk.

03 COVER STORY

New Benchmarks to be more Aligned

From consultation to implementation of experimental projects. There have been ongoing efforts to improve the implementation of community empowerment programs. No doubt this is a breath of fresh air for everyone. Being one of the actors involved in the programs, PT Vale has joined stakeholders in drawing up a mechanism that will allow better implementation of Commdev programs. The aim is to run programs based on principles of accountability, synergy, participation, responsibility and accuracy. Starting in the 4th quarter 2011, PT Vale’s Commdev team, through coordination and consultations with the government and the community, received input and ideas to improve the effectiveness of Commdev programs. The feedback was a result of several intensive meetings. The coordination and consultation meetings were expected to produce a standard mechanism for the implementation of Commdev programs. PT Vale went through discussions with Luwu Timur Regency authorities, community groups and stakeholders to draw up a scheme for the implementation of community empowerment programs in the areas of education, health and economic development.

EDISI II QUARTAL 1 KILAS COMMDEV 2012 - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk.

In Nuha Subdistrict, for example, on 20 March 2012 in the Otuno Building, PT Vale received a community group for a meeting to reflect on the ongoing mechanism and implementation of Commdev programs. Another meeting took place in the office of the Regent of Luwu Timur, Malili, on 25 April 2012. The meeting was initiated by Luwu Timur Regency Assistant-II for Development and Economy. Present at the meeting were PT Vale management executives as well as officials from Luwu Timur Planning and Development Agency and Luwu Timur subdistricts. The meeting a follow-up of formal and informal communications which had taken place between PT Vale and the government discussed benchmarks for the 2012 Commdev Program and the five-yearly (2013-2017) Commdev Program. “We need to launch new benchmarks because Commdev programs are dynamic; a mechanism is necessary to accommodate this. We received a lot of input from our meetings with the regency government and the community. During this transition period, the Commdev programs that have been planned for 2012 will be maintained. We hope the new mechanism will allow Commdev activities to run smoothly,” said PT Vale External Relations & Corporate Affairs Director Basrie Kamba.

COVER STORY Finalizing the Commdev program benchmarks was important as there was an urgent need to implement the programs. “We really hope these new rulings will be more transparent and based on principles of accountability,” said Luwu Timur Regency Assistant-II, Muhammad Zabur. The meetings and consultation sessions between PT Vale, local authorities and community members concluded with a call for a social impact assessment a study to evaluate the current implementation of Commdev programs and a reference point for future implementations. “This social impact assessment will be conducted by independent professionals. The result will become a guideline for company managers and stakeholders to see the success or otherwise of Commdev programs; it will guide the making of the new benchmarks and ensure they are more synergic and target-specific than they were before,” added Basrie Kamba. Village Head Parmenas Kenda from Tabarano Village, Wasuponda Subdistrict, also hoped that PT Vale’s Commdev activities would be assisted, monitored, and managed under a clear mechanism agreed upon by the company, the government and the community. “Currently, it is considered that Commdev programs do not have much use or long-term impact on the community’s self-sufficiency. That’s why the programs

need to be reorganized so they are advantageous to the community and have a long-term impact,” he said.

Pilot project To assess the current implementation of Commdev programs, it was agreed that Nuha Subdistrict would be used as a pilot area. This decision was made in a meeting of PT Vale managers and subdistrict authorities, in which the regency government was also consulted. The result was that Commdev programs in Nuha Subdistrict would be assessed in terms of their implementation and appropriateness until 2012. The program for 2012 was prepared on the basis of government and community references and input, which were presented during coordination and consultation sessions. The assessment would involve facilitators representing community groups; they would work as a team of appraisers. “This team will assess which community programs are worth to recommended through Commdev. They will also ensure selection processes and implementations are based on principles of transparency, accountability and participation,” said Miftahuddin Hadilang, PT Vale’s Commdev Officer for Nuha Area. For this, PT Vale’s Commdev team has conducted several meetings, including consultations with Nuha Subdistrict

officials on 6 February 2012, socialization of the assessment plan on 13 April 2012, and briefing for members of the appraisal team on 15 April 2012. Twenty young men and women from Nuha Subdistrict have been trained and equipped with the basic skills required to act as facilitators. Briefed on participatory rural appraisal (PRA) at the office of Nuha Subdistrict Head, the team is expected to be able to identify an area’s basic problems, business development potential and vision. ***

04


LAPORAN UTAMA

Menjaring Potensi, Mendorong Prestasi

Program beasiswa PT Vale memunculkan para pelajar potensial, khususnya pelajar lokal Luwu Timur. Sekilas, Fatimasari Kasim tidak berbeda dengan gadis remaja lainnya. Dia kerap tertawa hingga matanya menyipit, sering memainkan rambut panjangnya ketika sedang berpikir, dan hobi menonton televisi. Yang membuat Fatima istimewa adalah prestasinya. Di rapornya tertulis angka 96 untuk pelajaran matematika. Fatima masuk lima besar siswa berprestasi di sekolahnya, SMA Negeri 1 Nuha. Siswi kelas XII itu juga pernah mewakili sekolahnya pada Olimpiade Matematika se-Kabupaten Luwu Timur. Fatima berasal dari keluarga tidak mampu. Penghasilan ayah Fatima, Kasim, seorang penjaga kebersihan masjid, tidak lebih dari Rp500 ribu per bulan. “Pernah saya hanya dibayar dengan beras,” kata Kasim. Sementara sang ibu, A. Masnaeni, seorang ibu rumah tangga yang hanya sesekali mendapat penghasilan ketika membantu tetangga yang punya hajat. Anak Kasim dan Masnaeni bukan Fatima seorang. Masih ada tiga adik Fatima yang semuanya bersekolah dan memerlukan biaya. Di tengah keterbatasan ekonomi itu, Fatima tidak menyerah. Dia membalas kerja keras orangtuanya dengan prestasi yang bisa dibanggakan.

Berpihak pada Potensi Lokal Begitu banyak pelajar berprestasi. Mereka punya potensi yang perlu didukung agar menjadi manusia berdaya saing tinggi. PT Vale berkomitmen untuk memajukan pendidikan. Perusahaan mengalokasikan dana Commdev untuk penguatan sektor pendidikan. Salah satunya melalui pemberian beasiswa komunitas kepada pelajar berprestasi.

05


Selain beasiswa komunitas, PT Vale memberikan beasiswa khusus di Hari Pendidikan Nasional (Hardiknas) setiap tahun. Bertepatan dengan Hardiknas tahun ini, sebanyak 212 siswa SD hingga SMA se-Kebupaten Luwu Timur menerima beasiswa. Sepanjang triwulan pertama 2012, PT Vale telah memberikan bantuan kepada 44 siswa SD, 23 siswa SMP, 18 siswa SMA, 26 mahasiswa tingkat diploma, 216 calon sarjana, dan 8 mahasiswa pascasarjana. Nilainya bervariasi, dari Rp750 ribu untuk siswa SD hingga Rp10.500.000 untuk mahasiswa S2. Total dana yang dikeluarkan Rp1,2 miliar. “Penerima

LAPORAN UTAMA beasiswa diutamakan dari empat kecamatan pemberdayaan dan Luwu Timur (Lutim), 90 persen pelajar lokal Lutim. Untuk SD hingga SMA kami khususkan untuk siswa Lutim, sementara untuk mahasiswa boleh dari kabupaten lain, meskipun keberpihakan kami tetap pada mahasiswa lokal,” kata Sohra, Community Relations Analyst PT Vale. Dari 3.327 pelajar SD hingga mahasiswa S3 yang mendaftar sebagai penerima beasiswa, komite beasiswa PT Vale melakukan skoring. Setelah data pelamar beasiswa masuk dan disaring, sekitar 600 kandidat yang memenuhi skor awal diundang untuk wawancara. Selain melihat nilai akademik, prestasi non-akademik pelamar menjadi pertimbangan. Komite beasiswa PT Vale menemukan potensi besar pada para pelajar. Di antara mereka ada yang pernah mengikuti ajang internasional untuk berbagai kompetisi, mencatatkan nama di Pekan Olahraga Nasional, atau menjadi peserta pertukaran pelajar. Penerima beasiswa masih bisa terus mendaftarkan diri untuk mendapatkan bantuan di semester berikutnya, asalkan tetap berprestasi. Nilai rapor rata-rata di atas 80 atau IPK di atas 3 menjadi patokan. Fatima, misalnya, sudah tiga semester terakhir mendapat beasiswa komunitas dari PT Vale. Kini dia kembali mendaftarkan diri sebagai penerima beasiswa untuk keempat kalinya. Bagi Fatima, beasiswa sebesar Rp1.500.000 per semester itu sangat membantu. “Begitu dapat uang langsung saya tabung. Untung saja uang SPP sudah ditanggung pemerintah. Jadi uang beasiswa bisa saya gunakan untuk beli buku dan keperluan sekolah saya dan adik-adik,” kata Fatima. Masih panjang jalan Fatima untuk mewujudkan cita-citanya sebagai perawat. Dukungan dari pihak-pihak yang peduli terhadap pendidikan dan kualitas sumber daya manusia sangat dia butuhkan. Dia ingin mewujudkan impian mulianya: menjadi orang yang berguna bagi sesama. ***

06


COVER STORY

Seizing Potential, Encouraging Achievement

PT Vale’s scholarship program highlights the academic potential of students, particularly those who are local to Luwu Timur. At a glance, Fatimasari Kasim is no different from other teenage girls. She laughs often until her eyes become small slits on her face, she fiddles with her long hair when deep in thought, and she lists TV-watching as a hobby. What makes her special is her academic achievement. Her report card states a score of 96 for mathematics. Fatima is in the top five of her school, SMA Negeri I Nuha senior highschool. The 12th grade student has represented her school in the Luwu Timur regency-level Mathematics Olympiad. Fatima comes from a poor family. Father Kasim works as a cleaner at a mosque, making no more than IDR500,000 a month. “There were times when I was paid in rice,” said Kasim. Her mother, A Masnaeni, is a housewife who infrequently earns money helping neighbors host celebrations. Fatima is not the only child of Kasim and Masnaeni. She has three younger siblings, all of whom go to school and therefore have fees to pay. Fatima is not discouraged by her family’s economic hardships; she repays her parents’ hard work with an academic achievement they can be proud of.

Siding with Local Potential. So many students have excellent academic results. Their great potential is worth nurturing so they may become competitive adults. PT Vale is strongly committed to advancing education, and the company allocates funds for Commdev programs aimed at strengthening the education sector. Among these are community scholarships awarded to high-achieving students.

07


Apart from community scholarships, PT Vale grants special scholarships to outstanding students on National Education Day every year. This year, 212 primary- to highschoollevel students from across Luwu Timur regency have been awarded the scholarship. In the first quarter of 2012, PT Vale has assisted 44 primary school students, 23 junior highschool students, 18 senior highschool students, 26 diploma-program tertiary students, 216 university undergraduates and 8 postgraduate students. The assistance varies in amount, from IDR750,000 for primary school students to IDR10,500,000 for

COVER STORY

08

a master’s degree student. The total amount spent was IDR1.2 billion. “Priority for scholarship recipients goes to those living in the four empowerment subdistricts and Luwu Timur (Lutim); 90 percent are local Lutim students. Primary to highschool scholarship recipients are limited to Lutim students. Tertiary students may come from other regencies, but we will give first preference to local students,” said Sohra, Community Relations Analyst at PT Vale.

The 3,327 primary school to doctoral degree students applying for scholarships were given scores by PT Vale’s scholarship committee. After applications were received and selected, about 600 candidates were invited for an interview. Apart from applicants’ academic results, consideration was also given to non-academic achievements. In the process, PT Vale’s scholarship committee managed to unearth the outstanding potential of some students. Some had competed in various international tournaments, participated in National Sports Week, or attended student exchange programs. Scholarship recipients may continue to apply for assistance in consecutive semesters as long as they continue to keep up their good work. A report card score above 80 or GPA over 3 is the standard. Fatima, for example, has received PT Vale’s community scholarship for the last three semesters. Now she is applying for a fourth. For Fatima, the IDR1,500,000 scholarship she receives every semester assists her greatly. “As soon as I get the money, I save it. Fortunately tuition costs are paid for by the government so I use the scholarship money to buy books and school stationery for me and my younger siblings,” said Fatima. Fatima has a long way to go before she can make her dream of becoming a nurse come true. She greatly needs the support of those who care for education and the quality of human resources. She wants to achieve her noble ideals: to become someone who is useful for others.***


NUHA

Jalan Mulus di Kopatea Pengaspalan jalan sepanjang 2.646 meter. Berlumpur dan licin ketika hujan, berkabut debu ketika panas. Itulah kondisi jalan menuju daerah Kopatea dulu. Kini, kondisi tersebut telah berubah—pejalan kaki atau pengendara dapat menikmat jalan yang nyaman. Jalan Kopatea telah berbadan lebar dan halus karena telah diaspal. Juga bersahabat bagi pejalan kaki maupun pengendara. Proyek ini merupakan komitmen PT Vale di sektor infrastruktur, karena di daerah Kopatea terdapat Tempat Pemakaman Umum (TPU) terbesar di Kecamatan Nuha. TPU ini digunakan oleh warga Desa Magani, Desa Nikkel, dan Desa Sorowako. “Karena digunakan untuk masyarakat umum, jalan perlu dibuat lebih nyaman dan aman,” ujar Abdul Jabar, Manager Construction Planning PT Vale. Proyek pengaspalan sejauh 2.646 meter itu mulai dikerjakan pada 16 Maret 2012. Pengaspalan dilakukan mulai dari bibir Jalan Sumantri Brojonegoro (di pertigaan Bumi Perkemahan) hingga ke Tempat Pemakaman Umum Kopatea. Proyek ini dikerjakan oleh Departemen General Facilities & Services, Construction, Engineering, dan External Relations dari PT Vale dan didukung dua kontraktor lokal, yakni PT Capra Karya (untuk hauling and loading material) dan CV Matano Karya. Selain pengaspalan, dibangun pula drainase untuk mengantisipasi genangan air yang dapat merusak jalan.***

09


NUHA

Smooth Road in Kopatea Sealing 2,646 meters of road. Muddy and slippery when it rained, dusty when it was hot: these were once the conditions of the road to Kopatea. Now, that has all changed; pedestrians and motor vehicle drivers alike can have an enjoyable journey. Jalan Kopatea is now wide and smooth thanks to a new bitumen surface. It is pedestrian and motor-vehicle friendly. This project is a commitment of PT Vale’s management in the infrastructure sector; Kopatea is the location of Nuha Subdistrict’s largest cemetery, which is used by residents from the villages of Magani, Nikkel and Sorowako. “Because it is used by the public, it was necessary to make the road comfortable and safe,” said Abdul Jabar, PT Vale’s Construction Manager for Planning. Work to seal 2,646 meters of road began on 16 March 2012. Bitumen was laid starting from the lip of Jalan Sumantri Brojonegoro road (the intersection to Bumi Perkemahan camping grounds) to Kopatea Cemetery. This project was conducted by PT Vale’s General Facilities & Services, Construction, Engineering, and External Relations departments and supported by two local contractors: PT Capra Karya for material hauling and loading and CV Matano Karya. Apart from road surfacing works, drainage was also installed to anticipate water surges that could potentially damage the road.***

10


NUHA

Akses untuk Air Bersih

PT Vale melakukan upgrading kapasitas instalasi air bersih. Sebanyak 2.000 keluarga bakal menikmati air bersih. Air bersih merupakan salah satu kebutuhan utama rumah tangga. Pesatnya pertumbuhan permukiman di Sorowako, membuat kebutuhan air bersih untuk rumah tangga meningkat tajam dalam beberapa tahun terakhir. Ayu Candra, seorang ibu rumah tangga yang tinggal di perumahan Villa Danau Matano, mengaku suplai air bersih di rumahnya tidak selalu mengalir selama 24 jam. “Air sering kali mati bergiliran. Kami biasanya menampung air dari pipa-pipa milik tetangga yang tidak mati,” ujar dia. Menjawab kebutuhan itu, PT Vale melakukan upgrading kapasitas instalasi air bersih di Old Camp, Sorowako, yang ditargetkan comissioning pada Juli 2012. Proyek ini, yang telah berjalan sejak akhir Januari 2012, meliputi penambahan 2 unit tangki pengolahan air bersih, masing-masing berkapasitas 200 kiloliter dan 300 kiloliter. Proyek upgrading instalasi air bersih ini diproyeksikan mampu menyuplai air bersih bagi hampir 2.000 keluarga, sedikitnya di tiga area, yakni Dusun Otuno, Helai, dan Sumasang. “Dengan proyeksi pertambahan penduduk di area itu sekitar lima persen per tahun, proyek upgrading ini dapat mencukupi


kebutuhan air bersih warga hingga lima tahun mendatang,” ujar Project Manager Gustaf Ganna Songgo. Proyek meliputi penggantian bangunan rumah pompa (pump house), penambahan 1 unit generator sebagai back up power untuk keadaan darurat, penambahan 3 unit pompa klorinasi dan pengolahan klorin, dan pemasangan jalur langsung dari tangki ke pipa induk rumah-rumah warga. Dalam pengerjaannya, proyek ini melibatkan puluhan pekerja dari kontraktor lokal. Ke depan, pengelolaan instalasi air bersih akan melibatkan kelompok masyarakat dan pemuda Sorowako. Sebelumnya, PT Vale telah memiliki tiga tangki pengolahan dan penampungan air bersih berkapasitas 35.000 liter (total 105 ribu liter) dan tiga pompa air di lokasi tersebut. Selama ini, kebutuhan air bersih sangat bergantung pada instalasi air bersih tersebut, padahal populasi penduduk dan perumahan terus bertambah.***

11

NUHA

Access to Clean Water

PT Vale has upgraded the capacity of clean water installations. Two thousand families will soon enjoy clean water. Clean water is one of the vital necessities of a household. The rapid growth of residential areas in Sorowako has resulted in a sharp rise in demand for clean household water over the last few years. Ayu Candra, a housewife living in Villa Danau Matano housing estate, said clean water does not always flow 24 hours a day at her house. “The water supply is often turned off at intervals. We usually collect water from pipes belonging to our neighbors whose water has not been cut off,” she said. In response to this situation, PT Vale is currently upgrading the capacity of clean water installations in Old Camp, Sorowako. Works are expected for comissioning on July 2012. The project, which commenced in late January 2012, involves the installation of 2 additional water treatment tanks with capacities of 200 kiloliters and 300 kiloliters, respectively. The clean water installation upgrading project is expected to supply clean water to almost 2,000 households in three areas, namely the hamlets of Otuno, Helai and Sumasang. “Based on a projected population growth in the area of about

five percent a year, the upgrades can be expected to meet residents’ demand for clean water for the next five years,” said Project Manager Gustaf Ganna Songgo. The project involves the replacement of a pump house, the addition of 1 emergency back-up power generator, the addition of 3 chlorination and chlorine treatment pumps, and the installation of pipelines from tanks to residential water mains. The project involves dozens of workers employed by local contractors. In the future, the clean water management will involve Sorowako’s community groups and youth groups. Currently at the location, PT Vale operates three water treatment and holding tanks with a capacity of 35,000 liters (or 105,000 liters in total), and three water pumps. Clean water supplies rely on these installations; meanwhile, population and residential growth have increased significantly.***

12


NUHA

Mewujudkan Masyarakat Sehat PT Vale memberikan akses berobat bagi pasien tidak mampu. Agar bisa produktif, tubuh harus sehat. Kesehatan perlu dijaga dengan menanamkan pola hidup sehat. Jika jatuh sakit, pengobatan harus segera dilakukan. Bagi orang mampu, berobat ke rumah sakit dan menebus resep tentu bukan masalah. Namun tidak demikian halnya bagi yang berekonomi kurang beruntung. Ditambah akses masyarakat ke rumah sakit bersubsidi terbatas oleh jarak yang jauh. Berangkat dari itu, PT Vale membantu akses pasien tidak mampu di sekitar area operasinya untuk dirawat di RS Inco. Sepanjang triwulan pertama 2012, PT Vale telah memberikan akses perawatan bagi pasien tidak mampu untuk lebih dari seribu kunjungan ke RS Inco. Namun demikian, upaya preventif di sektor kesehatan tetap menjadi program ideal. Karena itu, PT Vale bersama pemerintah dan masyarakat secara berkesinambungan memprioritaskan program ini. Di antaranya adalah program

sosialisasi pencegahan demam berdarah dengue (DBD) yang diadakan Puskesmas Nuha dan pemerintah tiga desa. Program tersebut layak diberi apresiasi dan dukungan.

karena itulah radius nyamuk Aedes aegypti terbang,” jelas Chandra. Cara 3M+ terbukti efektif mencegah DBD, salah satunya dengan cara menguras secara rutin tempat-tempat penampungan air.

Pada kuartal pertama 2012, angka kejadian DBD di Kecamatan Nuha naik tajam. Jika sepanjang 2011 tercatat 19 kasus positif DBD, dalam tiga bulan pertama 2012 tercatat sebanyak 27 kasus DBD. Satu kasus tidak berhasil diselamatkan. Ini sudah dikategorikan sebagai kejadian luar biasa (KLB).

Satu hari setelah sosialisasi, masyarakat dengan sigap mempraktikkan kegiatan menguras bak mandi, menutup tempat penampungan air, mengubur tempattempat yang potensial menjadi sarang nyamuk, dan kegiatan lain yang bisa memberantas sarang nyamuk, seperti menaburkan bubuk Abate di bak mandi berukuran besar yang tidak bisa dikuras setiap hari. Petugas Puskesmas terjun langsung ke lapangan untuk mensurvei, memberi penyuluhan ke tiap rumah, dan membagikan Abate.***

“Sejak Januari kami merencanakan tindakan preventif di tiga desa, yaitu Desa Nikkel, Desa Sorowako, dan Desa Magani,” kata Chandra SKM, penanggung jawab program surveillance di Puskesmas Nuha. Dalam acara sosialisasi, masyarakat mendapat kesempatan mengenal DBD, cara penularan, dan cara pencegahannya. Sosialisasi dilakukan di tiap kantor desa pada Februari hingga Maret. “Banyak yang belum tahu kalau ada satu orang terjangkit maka orang lain dalam radius 100 meter persegi berisiko tertular,

Petugas dari RS Inco memberikan pelatihan penggunaan peralatan laboratorium kepada staf Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Luwu Timur.


13

Socialization dengue prevention also given to students in District Nuha.

NUHA

Creating Healthy Communities PT Vale provides low-income patients with access to medication. A healthy body is essential to achieving productivity. Health can be preserved by living a healthy lifestyle. If a person becomes ill, then medication must be given immediately. For people with means, seeking medication or hospitalization is, of course, not a problem. But not so for people with weaker economic power, particularly if the situation is exacerbated by the great distance they must travel to reach subsidized health care centers. To alleviate this situation, PT Vale assists low-income patients living in surrounding areas by providing access to Inco Hospital. In the first quarter of 2012, PT Vale has provided access to Inco Hospital services for over 1,000 visitations by lowincome patients. Nevertheless, preventative programs in the health sector are still the ideal, and therefore remain the priority of PT Vale, as well as the government and community. Among these is the program to socialize

the prevention of dengue held by Nuha Puskesmas (Community Health Center) in three villages. This program is worthy of appreciation and support. In the first quarter of 2012, the occurrence of dengue fever in Nuha Subdistrict rose sharply. Throughout 2011, 19 cases tested positive for dengue; in the first three months of 2012, 27 cases of dengue were recorded. One of these was fatal. This can be considered an extraordinary incident. “In January we planned preventative actions in the villages of Nikkel, Sorowako and Magani,” said Chandra SKM, who is in charge of the surveillance program at Nuha Puskesmas. During the socialization sessions, the community had the chance to learn about dengue fever, how it is spread and its prevention. Socialization sessions were held in every village office from February to March. “Many people do not know that if one person is infected, then others within a radius of 100 meters are at risk of contagion because that is the distance the Aedes aegypti mosquito roams,” said

Chandra. Introducing the “3M+” concept was an effective way to prevent dengue; this included, among other things, having to regularly clean water collecting equipment. A day after socialization sessions, community members put into practice the advice to scrub wash tubs, cover places where mosquitoes could potentially breed and perform other things required to destroy mosquito breeding grounds, such as sprinkling Abate powder into large water-filled wash tubs that could not be cleansed every day. Puskesmas officers were in the field to conduct surveys, provide counseling to each household and distribute Abate.***

14


TOWUTI

Jalan Tani untuk Kebun Merica

Pemicu agar fokus mengolah pertanian. “Dulu kami terpaksa menerabas semak dan melewati pekarangan orang untuk menuju kebun atau mengangkat hasil panen,” ujar Bakri, seorang petani merica dari Desa Pekaloa, Kecamatan Towuti. Bakri ingat betul pengalamannya menembus lahan tidur yang mendominasi daerah Pekaloa. Waktu itu 2009, ketika sebagian warga desa tersebut mulai beralih profesi dari pencari kayu liar menjadi petani merica. Semak tinggi dan tanah yang labil, membuat petani perlu ekstra tenaga dan kesabaran menuju kebun mericanya. Apalagi ketika mereka harus mengangkat pupuk atau memanen. Kendaraan angkut terpaksa parkir 1-2 kilometer dari kebun merica terdekat milik petani. Dua tahun melihat kondisi demikian, atas inisiatif sendiri, para petani pun bertekad membangun jalan yang layak. PT Vale ikut mendukung. Maka digagaslah proyek bernama “Jalan Tani Pekaloa” di pengujung 2011. Proyek mulai dikerjakan pada Februari 2012.


Sekitar 20 orang bekerja bergantian menyiangi semak, mengangkut batu dan tanah timbun, hingga meratakan jalan. Keberadaan Jalan Tani itu kini memberi manfaat pada sedikitnya 300 kepala keluarga yang merupakan petani merica. Proyek Jalan Tani terbagi dalam tiga tahap. Tahap I berlangsung di 3 titik (ruas jalan) pada areal 50 hektar. Tahap II berlangsung di 5 titik pada lahan seluas

70 hektar. Sedangkan Tahap III di areal seluas 100 hektar. Proyek Tahap I dan Tahap II telah rampung. Sedangkan untuk Tahap III masih dalam proses. Jalan Tani itu ternyata juga memicu hal positif lainnya. Kata Bakri, semua warga Desa Pekaloa jadi bersemangat menanam merica. “Kalau dulu warga susah diajak beralih profesi, sekarang mereka malah berlomba-lomba menanam merica. Kami hampir tidak percaya,” ujar Bakri yang juga Kepala Urusan Pembangunan Desa Pekaloa, sumringah. Saat ini, setiap petani merica Desa Pekaloa memiliki lahan minimal seluas 600 meter persegi. Namun tidak sedikit yang berukuran hektar. Keberadaan Jalan Tani ini juga membuat petani melakukan penanaman merica di areal yang tepat. Areal yang dimaksud adalah areal di luar kawasan hutan lindung dan di lahan yang dimiliki petani secara legal. Towuti merupakan daerah di Luwu Timur yang sukses dalam pertanian merica. Bakri bersama petani merica Towuti lainnya pernah menghitung volume produksi merica mereka dalam satu bulan. “Hasilnya sekitar 5-6 ton dalam satu bulan,” tutur Bakri. Sementara harga jual rata-rata satu kilogram merica Rp70.000-Rp80.000. Pengembangan pertanian merica di area peruntukkannya, tanpa menggangu hutan lindung, tentu dapat meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat. ***

TOWUTI

Farming Road for Peppercorn Plantations

An incentive to focus on agriculture. “In the past we had to cut through bushes and walk across people’s yards to reach the plantations or collect the harvest,” said Bakri, a peppercorn farmer from Pekaloa Village, Towuti Subdistrict. Bakri has a vivid recollection of his experience cutting through a dormant field that dominated Pekaloa. It was 2009, a time when many villagers started switching their livelihood from wood gathering to peppercorn farming. High shrubs and unstable soil meant farmers had to work extra hard, and with greater patience, when travelling to their pepper farms; it was worse when they had to carry fertilizer or bring in their harvest. Vehicles had to park 1 to 2 kilometers away from the nearest pepper plantation owned by the farmers. After two years of less than ideal conditions, the farmers on their own initiative decided to build a suitable road. PT Vale gave its support. The result was a project called “Pekaloa farming road”, which emerged in late 2011. Works on the road started in February 2012. About 20 people have taken turns cutting back shrubs, carrying rocks and dirt and grading the new road. Now farming road is used by at least 300 heads of household who work as peppercorn farmers.

70 hectares. Stage-III involves work in 100 hectares. Stages-I and -II have been completed while stage II is ongoing. Farming road has resulted in other positive outcomes. Bakri said the people of Pekaloa Village are now encouraged to plant peppercorn. “In the past it was hard to convince people to change their profession; now they are racing to plant pepper. It is almost too hard to believe,” beamed Bakri, who is also the head of Pekaloa Village Development Affairs. Currently each peppercorn farmer in Pekaloa Village owns a plot of at least 600 square meters; many of these are individually-owned plots measurable in hectares.

16

Having farming road has also encouraged farmers to plant their pepper vines in correct areas. This means plantations are located outside protected forests and farmland legally owned by farmers. Towuti in Luwu Timur is a successful peppercorn-farming region. Bakri and other pepper farmers from Towuti have calculated the volume of their monthly pepper production. “We produce about 5 to 6 tons a month,” said Bakri. Peppercorn prices range between IDR70,000 and 80,000 per kilogram on average. Enhancement of peppercorn farming at the proper areat, with no disruption to protected forest, will surely enhance community welfare. ***

The farming road project consists of three stages. Stage-I involves work at 3 locations along the road, in a 50-hectare area. Stage-II consists of 5 locations in EDISI II QUARTAL 1 KILAS COMMDEV 2012 - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk.

TOWUTI

Terus Berkembang Menuju Kemandirian Sekelompok pemuda jeli melihat potensi usaha. Unggas, ikan air tawar, sapi, dan merica jadi pilihan. Lahan luas di Desa Baruga, Kecamatan Towuti, itu begitu hidup. Ada kandang yang penuh ayam petelur, tambak ikan air tawar, dan sapi yang sedang merumput. Tidak jauh dari lokasi itu, membentang kebun merica. Di sebuah pondok kayu, mereka membangun mimpi dan begitu bersemangat mewujudkannya. Mereka tergabung dalam Kelompok Sumber Rezeki yang beranggotakan delapan orang. Bermula dari keinginan kuat menggerakkan ekonomi desa dengan menjajal jenis usaha yang benar-benar baru di daerah mereka. Peternakan ayam petelur menjadi pilihan—dua tahun yang lalu. Bantuan dana Commdev yang diberikan PT Vale untuk pembelian bibit ayam tidak mereka sia-siakan. Diawali dengan 800 ekor ayam, mereka memperluas kapasitas kandang pada 2010 hingga bisa menampung 1.500 ekor ayam petelur. Peternakan perintis tersebut menjadi proyek percontohan bagi kelompok lain di Towuti, bahkan kecamatan lain. “Asumsi kami, bukan hanya telur yang bisa kami manfaatkan, melainkan kotoran ayam dan ayam itu sendiri yang bisa jadi ayam potong ketika sudah tidak produktif,” kata Rudi Rusli, Sekretaris Sumber Rezeki. Awalnya, baru 100 hingga 200 butir telur per hari yang bisa dipanen. Kini, sudah lebih dari 1.000 butir atau sekitar 35 rak telur per hari yang bisa dijual. “Tapi angka itu masih jauh dari cukup untuk memenuhi kebutuhan di Kecamatan Towuti. Kami perkirakan, kebutuhan di Towuti zona kota saja sekitar 800 rak tiap hari,” kata Rifai, Ketua Sumber Rezeki. Maka salah satu mimpi mereka adalah membuat sentra ayam petelur dengan jumlah ternak 30.000 ekor. Keuntungan yang didapat saat ini mereka manfaatkan untuk mengembangkan usaha. Tambak ikan air tawar menjadi pilihan mereka kali ini. “Ikan-ikan ini belum bisa kami jual, tapi minimal anggota kelompok tidak perlu lagi keluar uang untuk membeli ikan,” kata Rifai. Swasembada pangan pun tercapai. Rencana ke depan adalah membangun tempat pemancingan umum di tengah lahan luas dan suasana asri Desa Baruga. Kelompok Sumber Rezeki juga merintis perkebunan merica, sejalan dengan visi kabupaten agroindustri yang ingin diraih Luwu Timur. Ada 30 hektar yang diproyeksikan menjadi lahan percontohan atau demplot. Kendalanya pupuk. Sampai sekarang, suplai pupuk masih bergantung pada Sidrap dan Pinrang. Meski demikian, kelompok tersebut tidak patah semangat. Mereka mengumpulkan kotoran ayam untuk dijadikan pupuk. Setiap enam bulan, mereka berhasil membuat 1,5 ton pupuk. “Lagi-lagi belum bisa dijual. Jumlah itu hanya cukup untuk memenuhi kebutuhan satu hektar lahan merica. Tapi lumayanlah sebagai permulaan,” kata Rudi. Mereka masih punya keuntungan yang bisa dimanfaatkan untuk mengembangkan usaha. Sejak awal 2012 atas dukungan pendapingan dari PT Vale, Sumber Rezeki mengembangkan usahanya ke sektor peternakan sapi. Di bekas lahan tidur yang kini sangat hidup itu, mereka menyandarkan banyak mimpi. Sentra ayam petelur dan sapi potong, perkebunan merica lengkap dengan pabrik pengolahan sekaligus pengemasan, taman pemancingan umum, hingga wisata outbound yang bisa mendekatkan anak-anak dengan alam. ***


18 TOWUTI

Continuing to Develop Towards Self-Sufficiency A group of young men identify potential business ventures. Poultry, freshwater fish, cattle and peppercorn are their choices. The expansive land in Baruga Village, Towuti Subdistrict, is full of life. There are cages full of egg-laying hens, ponds with freshwater fish and fields of grazing cows. Not far away is a plantation containing pepper vines. In a wooden hut, they shared their dream and with great enthusiasm they have been working to build it. The young people belong to the eight-member Sumber Rezeki Group that originated from a desire to mobilize the village’s economy through business ventures which were entirely new to their region. There first choice was to establish an egg-laying hen farm two years ago. Assistance from PT Vale’s Commdev program was used to buy day-old chicks. Beginning with 800 chickens, they expanded the farm’s cage capacity in 2010 to accommodate 1,500 egg-laying hens. The pioneer farm became a pilot project for other groups in Towuti and other subdistricts as well. “We assumed that we would take advantage not only of the eggs that were produced, but the manure and the chickens as well, which can become broiler chickens when they are no longer productive,” said Sumber Rezeki Secretary, Rudi Rusli. At the start, only 100 to 200 eggs were harvested daily. Now that figure has become 1,000; or a sale of about 35 racks of eggs a day. “But those figures are far from adequate when it comes to meeting the demand in Towuti Subdistrict. For the town center of Towuti alone, we estimate that demand to be about 800 racks a day,” said Rifai, the head of Sumber Rezeki. So it was that one of their dreams was to have an egg-laying farm with 30,000 hens. Currently, they use proceeds from their earnings to expand their business. This time, they have chosen freshwater fish farming. “We can’t sell these fish yet but at least group members don’t need to spend money to buy fish,” said Rifai. And so they have achieved food self-sufficiency. Their plan for the future involves developing a fishing area for public use in the middle of their expansive plot, set among the beauty of Baruga Village. Sumber Rezeki Group has also started a peppercorn plantation, in line with Luwu Timur’s vision to become an “agro-industrial regency”. The group plans to use 30 hectares of land as pilot plots. Obtaining fertilizer is a problem. Fertilizer supplies come from Sidrap and Pinrang. But this has not discouraged the group. They collect chicken manure and make it into fertilizer. Every six months, they are able to produce about 1.5 tons of fertilizer. “Again, we are not able to sell this. It is only enough to fertilize one hectare of pepper plantations. But it’s not a bad start,” said Rudi. They still have a profit they can use to develop their business. Since early 2012 with PT Vale’s support, Sumber Rezeki has expanded their works into livestock farming. On their plot of land once a dormant field, but now very much alive the group members build their dream of egg-laying poultry and livestock farms, peppercorn plantations equipped with processing and packing facilities, a fishing area, and “outbound” recreational facilities where people can come closer to nature. ***


19

WASUPONDA

Pergi Sekolah Jadi Lebih Mudah Tak perlu “transit” di kala hujan. Ummi, siswi kelas 11 SMA Negeri I Wasuponda, pernah merasakan sulitnya menempuh jalan menuju sekolah. Dia harus diantar-jemput oleh orangtuanya menggunakan sepeda motor di tengah hari panas atau terpaan hujan. Sering kali dia terlambat mengikuti pelajaran pertama. Teman-teman Ummi juga tidak jarang tiba di sekolah dengan sepatu kotor karena terciprat genangan air, atau baju seragam yang basah akibat kehujanan. Maghfirah, siswi kelas 10 di sekolah yang sama, pernah harus mengeluarkan uang Rp5.000 setiap hari untuk ongkos naik ojek ke sekolah. “Ada sepupu saya yang sempat mogok sekolah karena capek jalan kaki. Orangtuanya tidak mampu membayar ojek,” cerita Maghfirah. Hanya ada satu SMP dan satu SMA di Kecamatan Wasuponda. Bagi Ummi yang tinggal di Desa Balambano, jarak 12 km harus ditempuh untuk mencapai sekolah. Akses menjadi penghambat kegiatan siswa menuntut ilmu. Bila setiap tahun jumlah siswa sekolah menengah terus bertambah, maka semakin banyak murid yang terbentur kendala akses menuju sekolah.


Akses transportasi dibutuhkan. PT Vale pun mendukung dengan bantuan akses pendidikan melalui pengadaan unit bus sekolah. Untuk sementara, commdev PT Vale masih membiayai perawatan dan operasionalisasi bus, sebelum dilakukan handover atau dikelola oleh masyarakat. Sebanyak 138 siswa SMP dan SMA terbantu berkat kehadiran bus yang berkapasitas 40 anak satu kali angkut. Mereka bisa menikmati fasilitas tersebut secara gratis. Pukul 06.00 pagi, bus sudah menunggu mereka di Balambano, lalu menjemput siswa-siswi yang tinggal di Dusun Togo. Bus kemudian melaju ke SMP Negeri I Wasuponda dan SMA Negeri I Wasuponda. Siswa pun bisa sampai ke sekolah tanpa diterpa panas matahari dan hujan. “Enak naik bus, tidak kehujanan dan tidak terlambat lagi sampai di sekolah,” kata Risma, siswi kelas 10. Aspek keselamatan penumpang pun tetap diperhatikan. Bus dilengkapi sabuk pengaman maupun pegangan besi di langit-langit. Kecepatan bus tidak diperbolehkan melebihi 40 km/jam demi menjaga keselamatan penumpang. Pengelolaan bus sekolah diserahkan kepada Badan Usaha Milik Desa

(BUMDes). Karena itulah operatornya disediakan oleh lembaga desa. Harun, sejak akhir 2011 menjadi sopir bus sekolah. “Kalau hari hujan sulit sekali menyetir. Jalan masuk ke SMA itu sempit dan licin karena pinggirannya sawah. Kalau tidak hati-hati, bisa tergelincir,” kata Harun. Akses menuju prasarana pendidikan itu memang jauh dari mulus. Setelah melewati jalan poros, para siswa harus menempuh jalan berlubang dan sempit. Bila dua kendaraan berpapasan, salah satunya harus mengalah. Meski demikian, lebih banyak suka yang dialami Harun dalam kesehariannya. Berbincang dengan murid-murid sekolah membuat dia senang. Tak jarang dia menyelipkan wejangan kepada para siswa didik tersebut. “Sejak saya jadi sopir, tidak ada lagi murid yang merokok,” ucap Harun sembari tersenyum. Selain di Wasuponda, program pengadaan bus sekolah juga dinikmati pelajar Desa Lampia, Kecamatan Malili. Di sana juga disediakan satu unit bus sekolah. Kini para pelajar punya akses langsung pergi dan pulang sekolah, tak panas di kala terik dan tak perlu ’transit’ di kala hujan. ***

WASUPONDA

More Comfort to School No need to “transit” during rainy days. Ummi, a grade 11 student from SMA Negeri I Wasuponda senior highschool knows how hard it can be to get to school. Her parents used to take her to, and pick her up from school by motorbike every day, come rain or shine. She was often late for her morning class. Ummi’s friends also frequently arrived at school with mud-splattered shoes or raindrenched uniforms. Maghfirah is a grade 10 student from the same school and had to spend IDR5,000 a day on motorbike taxis to school. “There was a time when a cousin of mine refused to go to school because it was too exhausting to walk, and the parents couldn’t afford motorbike taxi fares,” Maghfirah said. There is only one SMP (junior highschool) and one SMA (senior highschool) in Wasuponda Subdistrict. Ummi, who lives in Balambano Village, must travel 12 kilometers to get to school. The main obstacle to students’ learning was having access to transportation. If the number of students continues to increase each year, more students would face this problem. Access to transportation became a necessity. PT Vale has stepped in, providing educational support by

supplying a school bus. PT Vale’s Commdev program currently bears the bus’ maintenance and operational costs before handing over the responsibilities to the community. The bus, which has a capacity of 40 passengers, now assists about 138 junior and senior highschool students. They ride the bus for free. At 6:00 am the bus waits for students in Balambano then picks up those in Togo Village before proceeding to SMP Negeri I Wasuponda and SMA Negeri I Wasuponda. The students can arrive at school without having to suffer in the heat and rain. “It’s good to go by bus, we don’t get rained on and we are never late getting to school,” said Risma, a grade 10 student. Passenger safety is an important aspect. The bus is equipped with seatbelts and handrails for standing passengers. In the interest of passenger safety, the bus is also not allowed to go faster than 40 km per hour.

fields. If you are not careful, you could easily slip,” said Harun. The access to the educational facilities is indeed far from smooth. After going down a main road, students must pass a narrow, potholed path where two vehicles cannot drive alongside each other at the same time. Nevertheless, the daily experiences Harun encounters are more on the positive side. Chatting with the students makes him happy. Sometimes he gives them a few words of advice. “Since I have driven, no more students smoke,” Harun said with a smile. Apart from Wasuponda, the school bus program is also delivered to students in Lampia Village, Malili Subdistrict. There is one bus available for their use. Now the students have good access to and from school; they do not have to travel with the sun beating down their head, nor do they require a “transit” when the sky pours in. ***

The school bus is managed by the BUMDes (village-owned enterprise) so the operator is provided by village institutions. Harun has been the bus driver since late 2011. ”When it rains, it is very hard to drive the bus. The driveway into the senior highschool is narrow and slippery because it is edged by rice

20


WASUPONDA

21

Tanam Rumput, Membiakkan Sapi Berinisiatif untuk kemandirian pakan ternak. Lahan seluas empat hektar di bukit Tabarano, Wasuponda, itu dikelilingi pagar kawat berduri. Di sisi depan seluas satu hektar, tumbuh rumput-rumput gajah yang mirip tanaman padi. Rumput gajah yang sedang diuji coba itu bukanlah rumput liar, melainkan pakan sapi yang direkomendasikan Dinas Pertanian, Peternakan, dan Perikanan Luwu Timur. Dua kelompok pemiliknya, Tama Pundu dan Tuwua. Kelompok Tama Pundu dan Tuwua mulai merintis peternakan mereka di sebuah sentra yang terdapat di sana. Sejak tahun lalu, mereka memulai fase pembentukan kelompok, pembelian dan sewa lahan, dan penyiapan lahan. Keinginan kuat untuk memajukan usaha membuat mereka mengeluarkan dana swadaya untuk pembelian dan uji coba penanaman pakan mengembangbiakkan rumput gajah. “Menanam rumput ini sudah kami lakukan sejak enam bulan lalu. Ini pakan terbaik bagi sapi-sapi kami,” ujar Yuskal Lasampa, Bendahara Tama Pundu. Meski dua kelompok itu baru berdiri awal 2011, mereka telah memiliki tujuh ekor sapi. “Sapi-sapi ini milik kami pribadi, namun belum banyak,” kata Syarifuddin, Sekretaris Kelompok Tuwua. Sapi yang ada di sentra tersebut ada yang berusia 5 bulan hingga 3 tahun. Bahkan salah satu indukannya baru melahirkan dua ekor. Sebelum kelompok peternak ini berdiri, 13 anggotanya dibekali cara memelihara dan merawat ternak sapi yang baik. Pembekalan dilakukan Dinas Pertanian, Perikanan, dan Peternakan didukung PT Vale melalu program penguatan organisasi. “Salah satu hasil pembekalan itu adalah inisiatif anggota untuk menanam rumput gajah tadi,” tambah Yuskal. Sebelumnya, sapi hanya dibiarkan mengonsumsi pakan liar tanpa diperhatikan nilai gizinya. Kata Yuskal, bila proyek penanaman rumput gajah itu berhasil, kualitas dan bobot sapi akan semakin baik. “Berat sapi bisa naik 40 persen ketimbang memakan rumput liar di areal peternakan,” tambah Yuskal. Pada triwulan pertama 2012, PT Vale memberikan bantuan untuk pembelian bibit rumput dan sapi. Bantuan juga diberikan untuk pengadaan hand tractor guna membantu peternak menggemburkan lahan yang ditanami rumput gajah. Sektor peternakan menjadi salah satu kekuatan ekonomi Kecamatan Wasuponda. Selain unggas, sapi menjadi komoditas yang menjanjikan di wilayah tersebut. Ketersediaan lahan yang luas sebagai kandang dan aliran mata air memberikan daya dukung yang bagi peternakan sapi.***


WASUPONDA

Growing Grass, Breeding Cattle An initiative to achieve self-sufficiency in livestock feed. The four-hectare field on Tabarano hill, Wasuponda, is surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Elephant grass tall like rice plants grows in the front, covering one hectare. The grass, which has been planted as an experiment, is not a weed but potential feed for livestock, as recommended by the Luwu Timur Agency for Agriculture, Livestock Farming and Fisheries. Two groups own the grass: Tama Pundu and Tuwua. Tama Pundu and Tuwua groups started their livestock venture in that area. Since last year, they formed groups in charge of land purchasing and renting, and land preparation. Determined to develop their venture, the members used their own funds to purchase and experiment in planting elephant grass for livestock feed. “We started planting the grass six months ago. It is the best feed for our cattle,” said Yuskal Lasampa, the treasurer of Tama Pundu Group. Although the two groups were only established in early 2011, they already own seven cows. “The cows belong to us personally; there are not many yet,” said Syarifuddin, the secretary of Tuwua Group. Cattle in this center are aged between 5 months and 3 years old. One of them recently had two calves. Before the two livestock farming groups were established, their 13 members were trained on good livestock rearing and nurturing practices. The briefing was conducted by the Agency for Agriculture, Livestock Farming and Fisheries, and supported by PT Vale through an organizational reinforcement program. “As a result of the briefing session, the members came up with the initiative to plant elephant grass,” added Yuskal. Previously, cows were left to fend for themselves and there was no regard for the nutritious value of their feed. Yuskal said that if the elephant grass planting project is successful, cattle quality and weight will improve. “Cows can weigh 40 percent more than if they feed on wild grass found around the farm,” added Yuskal. In the first quarter of 2012, PT Vale assisted in the purchase of grass seeds and cows. A hand tractor was also made available for use by the farmers to till the soil for planting. Livestock farming is one of the economic strengths of Wasuponda Subdistrict. Apart from poultry, cattle have become a promising commodity in the area. The availability of large tracts of land as pens and flowing spring water are ideal conditions to support cattle farming ventures.***


Publikasi ini diterbitkan oleh Divisi Komunikasi PT Vale Indonesia Tbk Pelindung I Basrie Kamba (Director of External Relations & Corporate Affairs). Penanggung Jawab I Teuku Mufizar Mahmud (General Manager Communications). Pelaksana Program I Sudarmono, Idham Kurniawan, Sohra, Andi Zulkarnain, Baso Haris, Syawal, La Ode M. Ichman, Miftahuddin Hadilang. Editor I Teuku Mufizar Mahmud, Sudarmono, Sihanto B. Bela, Rohman H. Yuliawan. Tim Peliput I Nala Dipa, Eko Rusdianto, Nuki Adiati. Fotografer I Doni Setiadi. Desainer Grafis I Sandy Pauling. EDISI II QUARTAL 1 KILAS COMMDEV 2012 - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk.

KILAS COMMDEV A Brief of Our Community Development Activities

Recommend Documents