Pak Karim from Penjalaan Village has been a member of the Chainsaw Buyback program at Health In Harmony's Indonesian affiliate, Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI) since July 3, 2018. On that day, he chose to become a fisherman and leave logging behind. Over the past four years, Pak Karim has been successful in running his sustainable fishing business. When he first started, he had just one boat - now he has two large boats and one small boat.
Pak Karim is a role model in his village, showing his community that he can not only live, but thrive, without cutting down trees. He has since joined the Forest Guardians, working to educate his neighbors about ASRI's programs, with a particular focus on Chainsaw Buyback. Pak Karim has already succeeded in persuading three active loggers to sell their chainsaws to ASRI, and they have each begun pursuing their own alternative livelihoods.
"The money from fishing is not as much as when I cut down trees, but I am grateful because now I can be close to my family, my religion, and my social life. I can support my family gradually and can give them their daily foods every day. I am 100% very grateful and have no regrets joining this program." -- Pak Karim
It is thanks to supporters like you that Health In Harmony and ASRI can continue to invest in community-designed solutions that holistically address the climate crisis. Thank you!
In 2017, Pak Amir was the seventh logger who handed over his chainsaw to HIH’s partner organization, Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI), as a commitment to stop logging.
Pak Amir chose to become a beekeeper as an alternative livelihood to logging because of the support offered through ASRI’s Chainsaw Buyback program, which provides members with investment money and business training.
Over the past five years, Pak Amir has succeeded in developing his beekeeping business from just 20 bee boxes to 91 bee boxes! During the harvest season, his kelulut (stingless) bees can produce 25 bottles of honey per month - each bottle can be sold for 60,000 rupiah. In addition to beekeeping, Pak Amir has been able to start other business ventures including raising chickens and running a small store.
Throughout the pandemic, Pak Amir was also active in sowing tree seedlings, which were then donated to ASRI through the newly-created COVID-19 Rainforest Stimulus Package. He provided ASRI with 500 seedlings - in return he received enough money to invest back into his beekeeping business and buy a new beebox.
Chainsaw Buyback (one of many Just Transition programs at ASRI) has supported over 230 former loggers, saving approximately 74,000 trees since the program began in 2017.
This program and others like it are able to run because of the support of donors like you. Thank you!
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Six goats were recently delivered to women in the Parit Bugis sub village of Gunung Palung National Park for the first time.
The Goats for Widows program was created several years ago in a partnership between communities and Health In Harmony’s affiliate organization Alam Sehat Lestari (ASRI). It has since grown to benefit hundreds of women over the years. It has also expanded geographically, with Health In Harmony planning to distribute goats to fifteen widows in three different subvillages by the end of the year.
Traditionally, in rural Indonesian Borneo, widowed women are left with few options for making a living. The creation of the Goats for Widows program supports these widows and their families as they develop financial independence. The manure produced by the goats can also be sold as a valuable fertilizer, which supports sustainable farming practices that relieve the pressure on rainforests.
It is your generosity that supports women and rainforests through programs like Goats for Widows. Thank you for your support!
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By mid-January, in Indonesia, COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Sukadana remained low at ~62% of individuals having received their first dose and ~36% having received their second dose.
The ASRI Medical Center continues to incentivize and educate individuals on vaccines. By the end of December 2021, daily vaccination numbers had quintupled from 20 individuals per day to 100 individuals per day.
However, due to the still-low vaccination rates, the region around ASRI has been considered a high-risk area where hospitals are likely to be overloaded with severe COVID-19 cases.
We are continuing to support ASRI's medical team and rainforest communities in the region during this time. Thank you for making ASRI's work possible!
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The following is a story from Misnanten who was able to use ASRI Klinik's non-cash payment system to pay for her husband's healthcare after a stroke.
"My name is Misnanten from Sutera Village, Kayong Utara Ragency. I am a mother of three children, and everyday I work as a greengrocer. I was so worried when I found out that my husband had a stroke 8 years ago. How can I help my husband get his medical care?
I am very grateful to be able to get medical treatment with tree seedlings at the ASRI Clinic. Otherwise, I don't know how to earn money for my husband to seek medical treatment.
My husband's stroke and heart disease treatment was helped thanks to the payment system using tree seedlings at the ASRI Clinic. Now my husband's condition is slowly improving and can do light activities."
It is because of you and all of our generous supporters that the ASRI Klinik can continue offering non-cash repayment options for patients and their families.
Thank you for your support!
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