THE STRENGTH STARTS FROM THERE....HOW SALT COULD BE SO POWERFUL!!!!!!

[Risya Kori]

Pulooro is the small village in Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi. We have to drive about 1,5 hours from Kendari, the capital city of Southeast Sulawesi province and take a motorbike for about 16 Kms to the area. No school, limited electricity and there is a public health center with also limited services. People mostly working as farmers for their life. No one seems interested to the area where to get in and to get out of the village, motorbike only the mode of transportation since the road to the village was not in a good condition, which is quite expensive for those who live in the village. The rest ….children goes to school by walk outside of the village ….at the beginning they still have the spirit, but some kids dropped out of the school because they were too tired to take this unpleasant journey everyday.

In contrary, the head of the village is living outside, nearby the main street. He has a good life with 2 cars under the roof of his small mansion. He did everything on purpose to hamper anybody to visit the village since he involved in illegall logging of the forest arround the village …… said one of the motorbike driver on our way to the village, one of several stories of how he steal the people’s money. The time, after I was talking about SALT approach with one of my friend from the NGO that works closely with the community members in the area.

We were welcoming by hundred of community members packed in the village meeting room with class setting and the head of the village with his team were sitting in front of the meeting room. We didn’t have enough time to re-setting the place as we arrived in the village almost at the evening time. We should find something to break the ice since the community members were used to be in the “no speak out” situation as the Village Head even assigned someone to be a spoke person of the village to answer all of our questions.

After we were tired of being answered by the “spoke person”, all the sadden my NGO friend, who has close relationship with the village members spoke loudly to the community ….we come here to hear the story from you and to hear your dream of this community! If you dream that your children goes to school, and you can sell your farm’s products outside of the village, the power is in yours, in this community!. After a moment of silent, one lady stood up and started talking about her concern and her dream of the community….her strengths followed by other members as at the end of the visit we were feeling that the room was filled by their power. It was the first time after sometimes they had a chance to tell people about their concern and dream.

It was 6 months after our visit when my friend from the NGO told me …the lady is replacing the Head of the Village after she won the voters and the government is starting to fix the road to the village…..the most beautiful news I have heard from the SALTY approach to those community!

[Risya Kori]

Hi Phil...and hello Rituu. Tks. It is always nice to tell the story to others. Rituu.....I have heard a lot about you from Dewi :) wish to meet you one day! And hope to work together again with you Phil!!!!

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Dear Risya,

Thanks for this beautiful story. SALT approach creates an environment which encourages people to share and speak. Please do convey my appreciation to this lady.

Warmly,

Rituu

[Phil]

Hello Risya,
It is so nice to hear your story.
When people begin to speak to each other, then amazing things can happen.
Well done!
Best regards, phil.