By Justina Poskeviciute | Individual Giving Associate
“I don’t want my son to repeat my mistakes,” says Sunardi, a former logger who has traded in his chainsaw for a future that better aligns with the aspirations he has for his family.
“At that time, I didn't think about the negative impact of cutting down trees in the forest. Now you can feel the impact. The air temperature feels hotter. The dry season is short, and clean water is immediately difficult. If the mountains here are bare, we will be finished. Now I have started a new job as a gardener and stopped cutting down trees in the forest.”
Sunardi is one of the former loggers who handed in their chainsaws through the Chainsaw Buyback Program in exchange for funding and entrepreneurship coaching to start a small business.
In Sunardi’s case, that business is in organic farming. He is part of one of the 21 groups of farmers that Health In Harmony and its partner ASRI engaged in organic farming training in 2023. The program provided in-person workshops and training videos, covering organic farming practices, financial management tools, and profit estimation techniques. It also provided logistical support for farmers to start their projects.
In 2023, 32 loggers chose to participate in the Chainsaw Buyback Program, bringing the cumulative number of participants to 279 since the program's inception in 2017.
With support from ASRI and Health In Harmony, local community members reforested a total of 62 hectares in 2023.
Thank you for your support which made all of this possible. We are honored to continue implementing solutions designed by rainforest communities and to see people like Sunardi be proud of his work. We rely on your continuous support to allow even more community members to step into their power.
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