By Devon Schmidt | Marketing Associate Manager
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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