Villagers of Hatu in action towards their dream

[Marlou]

The commitment of farmers, cooperation members and villagers is firm. They will work towards their dream of fair trade for their beloved product Pala (nutmeg). They want to make most out of their trade so that welfare in their villages can increase.

This becomes very clear when, after a three days’ workshop on Community Life Competence facilitation, the participants practice their newly learned skills in the village of Hatu (Ambon, Indonesia). Hatu is one of the five villages participating in the Pala project.

Farmers gather on the beach, women in the street around their houses and the cooperation members in the village hall. They explore their individual dreams – then their common dreams. Welfare for their family and their village is the common denominator. The practices to get to their dream with their own resources vary from inclusion, hard work, variation of products on the market, production chain management and growing the best quality nutmeg.

The conversation is heated after the three groups presented their dreams. Can the farmers learn from the village women when it comes to growing nutmeg? How many meters distance between each tree is best? Can the cooperation do more effort to include small farmers also? And how to decide on what is a fair price for the nutmeg? How do we mobilise the resources needed to get the chain rolling?

The learning starts at the spot when experiences are shared. Ideas sprout like nutmeg trees. And all are eager to jump into renewed action. The voices become louder and louder and can be heard outside where boys start playing volleyball and others are watering newly planted chili plants around the village house. Schoolchildren in red and white uniform come home, a smile appears on their face when they see the enthusiastic crowd. The women need to go back to their families, the farmers want to check their fields.

The facilitation team will soon be back to support the groups when they develop a detailed plan with small and do-able actions so that the dream that may seem far away today comes closer – step by step.

[Bobby Zachariah]

Wow!  What a story Marlou and team!

[Stephanie Caldy]

"Ideas sprout like nutmeg trees." Beautiful, thanks for sharing, this is so inspiring! Go go ! And all the best to the Hatu Village, from the Amitoyens community in Geneva! S.

[Jean-Louis Lamboray]

From La Réunion, where learned-and-shared with "actors" for heath promotion and  experienced, once again that SALT is "adding flavour to every sphere of life". (Autry)

Thank you for this exploration of our common humanity. 

[Marlou]

Thanks Autry and Rituu for encouragements and resonnance!

[Autry Haynes]

Thanks much Marlou, I am now reflecting when I did similar activities with farmers engaged in different commodities and wanted to start small associations to strengthen what they were doing in a more organised way that could contribute to improving their livelihood. SALT truly adding flavour in every sphere of life (^_^). Looking forward to  the "step by step" moving closer to their dream. Please remember this space (^_^)

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Common dream brings the community together, while group dreams bring out the different perspectives. SALT creates an atmosphere where differences in thinking are acknowledged. Thank you Marlou for keeping us updated with the events in Indonesia. I almost feel I was there with you.