TLM Foundation held inauguration and training of healthy, prosperous and disaster-resilient village cadres.

The inauguration and training which took place in Benlutu village, Kayu Putih District, Wednesday, May 3^rd 2023 was conducted to combat stunting cases which are still a main issue and need serious concern in TTS regency.

The executive Director of TLM Foundation GMIT on this occasion said that the collaboration between TLM Foundation and Benlutu village for the next 3 years will focus on stunting prevention and disaster countermeasure.

“We have been collaborating with Benlutu village government since couple years ago with programs such economy development, pig rising, productive garden and water infrastructure repairmen. However, for the next 3 years we will focus on current issues. In NTT, number of stunting is high and the highest cases happen in TTS. Disaster countermeasure also become our attention,” explained Rozali.

Regarding the stunting prevention, as explained by Rozali, his team will form cadres.

“Later on, we will educate young mother and pregnant mothers and young girls because the first 1.000 days of birth are really important. When the baby is still in the womb, it is necessary to get attention. Every pregnant mother should take vitamin and blood supplement tablets. For that, this socialization is for the mother and young girls. “, he explained.

Not only for pregnant mothers and young girls, Rozali said that TLM also train the elderly.

“We also provide training for elderly group. Next month we will select 5 technical cadres and then train them to add to existing cadres. The more people understand about health, the better,”  he said.

He said that NTT is also a disaster-prone are, so TLM provides training for cadres related to disaster management.

“for the next 3 years, TLM Foundation will work with village government to pay attention to the two main issues,” he said.

Regarding the programs explained by Rozali, some of the fund comes from Mr. Clinton from Amos Aid Australia.

“Hopefully this program is beneficial for all of us. Today is for health and blood check for pregnant women. We also provide aid packet for pregnant women,” he informed.

Meanwhile, transformation division head of TLM Foundation, Ferdy Frans explained that to launch these two strategies, his team has their own strategy.

“Our strategies are to form new cadres to support existing cadres in village. These cadres will work hard for community. For that, TLM Foundation give support like training for them,” explained Ferdy.

“As for stunting, we have several programs. The first is management of family’s healthy kitchen. Regarding this program, each household is expected to manage their land to grow productive plants that can be consumed daily,” Ferdy explained the program.

”then we will train community in each neighborhood association  for Swarga program (Standby Husband) so later the husband know what to do during pregnancy period of their wife, for example; regular health check and other important action,” he added.

Ferdy also said that TLM support village regulation to pay attention to stunting case.

 “We support village regulation to pay attention to stunting prevention. APB Desa should start to consider making program to increase community health.” explained Ferdy. Regarding disaster prevention, Ferdy and his team will do mapping of prone-disaster area.

“For disaster countermeasure, we will do mapping so the village government can mark the prone area. We will train them (the cadres) technically on first aid, disaster signs making, disaster stimulation, reforestation and waste management” said Ferdy.

“Those activities will be conducted for the next 3 years as of this year to 2025. We already signed the MoU with village government.” He added

For the mentioned program implementation, TLM Foundation will assign 3 staff in every village. Ferdy informed that the same activity will be implemented in Oebobo village on Thursday, May 4^th 2023.

“In Oebobo, we will focus on disaster prevention. Tomorrow we will hold training for disaster management team, related to first aid. In this case, if someone get hurt, they will know what to do and other related activity. We chose Oebobo as village target because it is a disaster-prone area.” Ferdy explained.

Benlutu village chief, Obet Fallo, S,Sos in his speech expressed his gratitude to TLM Foundation for paying attention to Benlutu, “We want to express our gratitude for CEO of TLM Foundation who has great concern for people of Benlutu,’ he said.

He explained that the collaboration between TLM Foundation and Benlutu had been established for a long time

“This collaboration of TLM Foundation and Benlutu is not a recent thing; TLM has been assisting Benlutu since 2018. In 2018 TLM were already collaborated with Batu Putih sub-district and with us Benlutu. Benlutu has seen that TLM has helped us in so many aspects including community economy development, BUMDES (village-owned enterprise) and now they help us again for community health,” he explained.

“We also want to thank TLM for the pregnant woman health check today. We are thankful for the intervention in combatting stunting,” he said.

“In 2020, number of stunting in our village is the highest in Batu Putih sub-district. From total 47 stunted children, it had decreased to 18. With the help of TLM and also the village fund intervention, we hope that Benlutu can get out of this stunting problem. That is why we all have to work together,” he said.

“We are greatly helped by the help of TLM. We got milk, eggs and also medicine for pregnant mother. For us, this is a very positive activity. I also had my blood pressure and height checked,” explained Alfrida who is 7 months pregnant.

“The advice from the medical team is that I, as a pregnant mother continue getting myself checked regularly. This is to prevent children from stunting,” she said. “Thank you TLM and Regional Government. This type of activity is so beneficial for us the pregnant mother and the elderly,” said Alfrida.

Banana chips is one of home industry product interested by community, therefore it economy potential to be business product.

In 4 September 2019 TLM Foundation conducted training for people of hamlet 5, Sahraen village, Kupang Regency. This hamlet is selected because of its great potential of water, banana trees and community especially females who have attended training in village level.  Fera Huwae, one of TLM Foundation training staff explained to training participant how to make banana chips as joint venture to increase community’s income. Training was presented with theory and practice. It was started by explaining material of  “Forming Group”, “Marketing Strategy” and “Simple Accounting”.

After studying the theory, group the group immediately practiced making banana chips together. The processed had several stages such; preparing ingredients and tools, slice the banana according to desired size, fry the sliced bananas, leak them then packed.

 

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Aside from provide training, TLM Foundation also provide standard packaging and marketing as well as assisted them to register their product to get license from Government, BPOM (National Agency of Drug and Food Control).

As for the price, 200 gr packaging, group sell it for Rp. 10.000/package

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• Partnering With PMD (Department of Community and Village Development) of Ende Region, Delivered Training for More than 70 Head Villages

• Forming FORKOMDES (Village Communication Forum) in Ende

Within this last two years, Yayasan Tanaoba Lais Manekat GMIT (YTLM GMIT) has assisted and trained village officials and community to improve their capacity in implementing village law Number 6 Year 2014 and village fund management.

TLM Foundation focuses more on village fund that keeps increasing each year that opens the chance for fraud to increase that can lead village heads into jail.

TLM Foundation’s program covers planning, implementation and supervision of village fund so that by a good understanding on work system stipulated by law will automatically minimize the opportunity of fraud that has been going on.

TLM Foundation has successfully facilitated the forming of Village Communication Forum at provincial and regional level in 4 regencies that are TTS (South Central Timor), Kupang, East Sumba and Rote Ndao in 2016 and 2017

In this 2018, TLM Foundation intends to expand its service area to Flores Island. After a quick survey in Manggarai and Ende Regency, TLM with FORKOMDES Provincial level decided to start this program in Ende.

The good intention of TLM Foundation finally got a chance in 30 and 31 July 2017 when the intention was respectfully accepted by regional government of Ende regency through Department of Village and Community Development, cooperated with TLM Foundation to conduct training and socialization on village law number 6 Year 2016 on village and at the same time forming FORKOMDES regency level in Ende.

The training, socialization and forming that conducted for 2 days in Wisma Emaus Hall in Ende town was attended by Ende Regional Government from Department of Village and Community Development, more than 70 village heads who represented each sub-district, 2 village experts, representatives of TLM Foundation, Regional Representative Board Member who at the same time is one of TLM founder members, Ir. Abraham Paul Liyanto, NTT Province Regional House of Representative (DPRD) Chief; Mr. Anwar Pua Geno, SH and several governmental officials.

“Village fund keep increasing year by year. In 2018, even from APBN (State Budget), government allocated no less than 80 trillion and it will increase to 120 trillion in upcoming year. From the great fund, the opportunity for fraud to happen is huge. From about 72 thousand villages in Indonesia, 900 village heads had found committed fraud and put in jail for wrongly used of village fund. So as a social and community empowerment organization, TLM Foundation does not want it to happen to our friends” Said Mr. Rozali as CEO of TLM Foundation in his opening speech. 

Moreover, he stated that there are alreadt 366 village heads of 4 regencies who had joined this forum. He also hoped that the same forum can be formed in Ende with more than 120 village head so that there will be an organization to learn and exchange information among village heads about village establishment.

The training and discussion was officially opened by Head of Village and Community Empowerment Department Head, Mr. Yohanis Nislaka, as a representative of Ende Regent.

In his speech, he thanked TLM Foundation for its good intention to help government in delivering edification for village heads about existing financial/village fund management.

“The training initiated by TLM Foundation is a concern we should appreciate and be grateful. This is helpful for village government, especially our regency, Ende. Especially the socialization about enactment of Permendagri (Regulation of Ministry of Home Affair) Number 20 Year 2017 so that presented village head can understand well then apply it well too. Said Mr. Yohanis Nislaka

TLM Foundation also presented Kebumen FORMATION Presidium Board, Mr. Yusuf Murtiono as a spokesperson in the training.

At the end of the training, the participants and TLM Foundation agreed to form FORKOMDES in Ende Regency level and elected board members will be inaugurated together with FORKOMDES board from 4 regencies in upcoming September.

Improving Farmers Capacity with Comparative Study

Tanaoba Lais Manekat GMIT Foundation (YTLM-GMIT) invited its assisted village community to transform unproductive land into productive to produce foodstuff that later be processed and sold as additional income source.

Currently, productive gardens facilitated by TLM are 8 gardens located in 8 villages, which are Sahraen and Nekmese in Kupang Regency, Enonabuasa and Kiubaat in South East Timor (TTS) Regency, Kolobolon, Maubesi and Lidamanu in Rote Ndao Regency and 1 productive Garden in East Sumba Regency, in Ngaru Kanoru.

The plants grown consist of vegetables and fruits that cultivated organically, make them safe to consume. Aside from productive garden, TLM Foundation also procures water project for productive garden using hydraulic ram technology or well known as hydram pump. The use of hydram pump is because the location of productive garden is higher than water source so a technology to irrigate water to garden for maximal plants care is necessary.

Productive garden has been so profitable for many of village community. Those who previously rarely consumed vegetables and fruits because the lacks of knowledge about land processing are now able to consume the food easily. Productive garden also created job for those who are ready to sell their crops.

To improve farmers’ knowledge and capacity in land processing and proper integrated farming technique that applies modern plant pattern, TLM Foundation provided opportunity for the farmers of new productive garden to conduct comparative study by visiting productive garden in TLM assisted villages that have been successfully developed the integrated productive garden.

Recently, from 10 to 13 July 2018, TLM Foundation gave opportunity to 5 productive garden member of Sahraen village in South Amarasi Sub-district, Kupang Regency with 1 village facilitator to visit Kolobolon and Lidamanu. In this comparative study, TLM Foundation presented 15 productive garden members from Maubesi with its village facilitator.

The comparative study done in 4 days was to provide opportunity for Sahraen and Maubesi productive garden member to directly observe dragon fruits cultivation process and its business concept developed in Kolobolon since 2014.

Organic productive garden of Kolobolon village has been successfully grown dragon fruits with unique flavor and it brought an excellent impact for the garden members of the garden where there are 70 dragon fruit plants that has bore fruits which have helped each member to get additional income from the crops. Until now, Kolobolon garden group has planted 10000 dragon plants and within 1 year, they can enjoy the outcome.

Tuti Aritonang, head of TLM Foundation transformation division stated her expectation of the comparative study, that she wishes the farmer involved in the study can learn and watch directly and can apply what they have learnt; that is holistic farming concept in their village.

“The members of productive garden now can enjoy the benefits of productive garden farming. They have been very successful within these 4 years and been enjoying the result. So they are blessed to bless. They can share their experience with members from other gardens by facilitating them so they can apply integrated farming technique to improve their life standard,” Said Tuti.

There are also other things observed and learnt by Sahraen and Maubesi productive garden members during comparative study such polyculture, seedbed making, plant rotation, organic fertilizer making using burnt straw as substitute of urea fertilizer, dragon fruit land preparation, cutting, nursery, planting, fertilization and plant care.

Moreover, the members were also equipped with post harvest processing, group management, the benefit of individual or group saving in TLM Saving and Loan Cooperative, effective and efficient clean water utilization that not only for productive garden needs but also for clarias catfish cultivation and poultry farm etc.

One of comparative study participant from Sahraen, Leksi Sufmena who are the group leader expressed his happiness of the chance from TLM Foundation so they can directly learn from successful and independent garden and they can become more open-minded in processing their garden effectively and efficiently.

“On behalf of Niwukor and Sahraen, we want to thank TLM Foundation who has invited us to this comparative study. We are so happy with this study. We are truly inspired with the success of Kolobolon and Lidamanu productive garden. Watching directly and closely like this uplifts our passion. With the new knowledge and experience of dragon fruit cultivation, we can try the method in our gardens,” Said Leksi after the comparative study session.

 The Role of TLM – GMIT Foundation in Preventing Human Trafficking

Productive Garden Program that has been implementing by Tanaoba Lais Manekat GMIT since 2014 is a top program who has been invaluable for society of NTT because aside from increasing community’s income, it is helpful for government in providing jobs in village in order to decrease and prevent village community to seek for job outside village which leads to high rate of Human Trafficking in NTT.

Human Trafficking is all form of human trade and exploitation domestically or internationally through mechanism of coercion, thread, abduction, deception and deceit or putting someone in a state of forced labor such forced prostitution, domestic slave, debt incurred or other slavery practices.
According to ION (International Organization for Migration), until the beginning of 2018, there are 8.876 human trafficking victim from Indonesia.

Noticing this problem, TLM Foundation feel called morally to commit GMIT Church diaconia started to think of a solution to help government and society to reduce the high rate of human trafficking. One of the solution offered is to create jobs and income source by utilizing available resource, that is transforming unproductive land into productive garden which produces productive plants with economic values to help society in improving their life standard, whether from health or economy aspect.

Since 2013, TLM Foundation through its village facilitator has been implementing the program in several villages including Kiubaat, South Amanuban, TTS (South Central Timor).

Bildad Tefu is one of productive garden members in Kiubaat Village. He was born in Oeupun, Kiubaat in 16 February 1967. Bildad could only finished primary school because of his family’s economy state. He then worked as a construction worker. Getting bored with his job, he decided to go to Sulawesi in 2003 to work in oil palm plantation. After several years of living in Sulawesi, he went back to Kiubaat and he got married to his beloved wife, Berta Lape. Both are blessed with 2 children.

Economy situation forced him to work hard so he can fulfill his family’s need of food, clothing and house. He planned to join TKI (Indonesian migrant worker) program offered by some factions. But after some times, he met agriculture facilitator of TLM who offered productive garden program.
His family and his neighbor then agreed to form agriculture group, transforming unproductive land owned by his family that finally brought additional income to cover their daily needs, moreover to give good nutrient for his wife and children.

Bildad finally decided not to join TKI program offered to him. Couple of months after, he heard that the program was illegal.

“Praise the Lord, now I have income. I do not have to go abroad just to suffice my family’s need. We can actually earn money in village if we want to be diligent”. Said Bildad

“With TLM Foundation who wants to assist, guide and teach us about modern agriculture technique, we already have crops in 2014. From our sale of chili, tomato, papaya, dragon fruits and others plants, my wife and I could save for our children’s education, daily consumption and we can even build a house. Now I have no desire to go abroad for working”. He continued.