Bawah Anambas Foundation (BAF) passed the one-year mark in 2019, and what a year of learning it has been! We are taking a prudent approach with our program implementation on the ground to ensure we have strong foundations to build our programs on. Along the way, we learned many important lessons and saw with our own eyes how our works had helped empower the community and preserve the environment of the Anambas Islands.
When we started this foundation, overfishing and illegal fishing practices were common in this region, however through our marine conservation initiative by the end of 2019 we managed to protect and return the population of fish and coral reefs to normal.
It was such a proud moment for us to see Organic Farming program had inspired the community in Telaga village to develop a second farm using their budget. Not only that, but the women in the village also came up with an idea of growing vegetables using recycled materials. The last part is extra special for us because with women managing their own crops, it helps in reducing gender inequalities in the area and improves the economy in a family by having two sources of income.
Our Digital English Club (DEC) initiative also had a positive impact on the community that went beyond teaching English to children. It also increased children’s enthusiasm for knowledge and their confidence in speaking English. As a result, these children were always so excited whenever foreign guests came over to their places as they got to practice their English skills!
Yet despite all these amazing achievements, we also had to learn the hard way of things through setbacks and obstacles that we faced while running our programs. But from these challenges, we learned and improved. In the end, we are glad that we overcame all the obstacles that came our way because now we are more equipped for the future.
This year however has been tough for all us due to COVID-19 pandemic. We have had to delay some of the programs as we’re trying to adapt to a new normal. But we continue to work hard, even from our own homes, to protect the environment and elevate communities’ welfare of Anambas Islands and we look forward to sharing with you our future success and achievements once the pandemic is over.
To see the full report in English and Bahasa Indonesia click HERE