We are supporting a Transformational Community Development (TCD) Project in Mawa village, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, run by Global Hope Network International (GHNI). The project is expected to run from 2020-2024. This TCD project has been fully funded by CTT (approx $15,000 USD per year).
Background
The GHNI team first visited Mawa in late 2019. They saw the extreme challenges – chiefly water access & poverty – that this village faced. Some households were spending upwards of 50% of their monthly income on water during the dry season. Half of the children in this village did not attend school due to cost & distance. Most households took care of livestock (pigs) for other owners & therefore earned very limited income. The average wage of 85USD/month was half the minimum wage). Many of the fathers work in other regions of Indonesia for several months each year. Simple skin diseases and diarrhea are prevalent. The nearest (unclean) water source was 800m away.
A local TCD committee has been set up (and a TCD Champion has been selected: Ani – she has been a key figure behind the clean water projects). The team visit twice a week, training committee members and volunteers in lessons, which include: clean water, education of children, reduce preventable diseases and diarrhea, improving income.
January 2023 Update:
Water
The village has already addressed their water needs – locating, protecting and piping water from a nearby spring to a new tank in the village. Households now have water piped directly to their homes from that tank, and pay a small fee for water consumption. That fee covers the maintenance costs for the water system – including a salary for one employee. This has reduced the cost of fresh water by 90%.
Income
The focus is currently on generating additional income. The team is working through strategies to develop capital for investment so they can purchase their own livestock.
The current plan is to create a revolving capital fund for the purchase of pigs, with a set number of individuals withdrawing funds per year. They have mapped out income and expenses over the next 3 years. If all were to proceed as planned, around 15 families per year will be starting their own pig-raising operations. They have extensive knowledge of pig-raising because, to this point, their primary source of livelihood has been raising pigs owned by wealthier people. They hope that with each new business owner putting 50% into the fund for each pig and GHNI contributing the other 50%, this fund can revolve indefinitely.
However, a virus has spread through the area and caused the deaths of dozens of pigs. This not only had an impact on the launch of the new program, but it also affected the current livelihoods in the Mawa community since their income is currently dependent on being able to raise the pigs of others to full maturity. In the coming weeks, the Transformational Community Development (TCD) committee and the training team will re-evaluate their plans and hope for the best.
Education
The team plans to continue working to raise awareness of the need and importance of education, but currently the village is focused on generating additional income.
