Project Indonesia 2009
When: 28 June – 11 July
Where: Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Executive Summary
The SEALNet team aims to reduce the high incidence of diarrhea and improve the health condition of the population in the Makassar, by working with local students and partner NGOs on the issue of water safety. Over the course of two weeks, the project participants will promote key knowledge as well as instruments necessary for obtaining dependable water source n the selected schools and communities. The project will end with a large festival featuring SEALNet members, local artists, NGOs, and the community. The carnival also marks the beginning of local student activities on regarding the issue.

Challenges of the Local Community

  • The poorer regions of Makassar as well as the villages surrounding the city suffer from high incidence of diarrhea.
  • A significant amount of households are living without access to tap water and thus rely on sources such as rainwater or mineral water for the daily needs.
  • The lack of access to dependable, clean water creates two significant problems:
  • Dirty water creates an increased health risk to the community, especially to the younger population.
  • Boiling and/or buying water are both an environmental and economic burdens for the low-income families.

Local Partners

  1. Aceh and Nias Rehabilitation Program, Water and Sanitation Department
  2. Hasanuddin University, Engineering Architecture Department
  3. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Safe Water Program in Indonesia
  4. Panyingkul!, society of artists in Indonesia.
  5. Department of Heath, City of Makassar

Objectives

—Community:

  • Raise awareness on water sanitation and personal hygiene.
  • Provide knowledge and instrument needed to obtain safer water.

—Local Student Participants:

  • Acquire a sense of connection to the local socio-economic issues.
  • Develop as leaders with skills and passion to serve the local community.
  • Installment of local SEALNet chapter.

—All SEALNet Participants:

  • Be fully engaged in all activities and a good role model for the local students.
  • Acquire a passion for conducting service work though actions.
  • Develop leadership skills through working with students, NGOs, and government agencies.

Approaches

  • Local youth development:

Through action and leadership workshops, we want to inspire and empower the local youths to become leaders in their own community.

  • Service and Outreach in schools and communities:

A combined effort of the SEALNet participants, local student percipients, local partners, and the local community, activities are carried out to promote water safety as well as water disinfectants in selected local high school as well as communities that are deprived of access to clean water.

  • Communication between students, organizations and communities on public health issue, using art and music as medium:

In order to establish a strong sense connection between the students and local socioeconomic issues, the project will work to create and enhance channels of communication between the student and the wider community. The participants will work with artists, active NGOs and their schoolmates to host a festival that is open to the community. The festival will bring an end to the two-week project and kicks off the local student serviceship in Makassar.

Team member responsibilities

  • Facilitate workshops on service leadership for high-school students.
  • Mentor the local high school students on various project activities.
  • Work and play are all part of the project: be ready to spend lots of time with the students and your team members.

Desirable Skills:

  • Musical/artistic talents will be appreciated, but not required.
  • A creative mind and an open heart to accept different opinions are musts.
  • A strong interest in humanitarian work and willingness to work in less developed regions of the world.

Safety:

While Indonesia might still be under the U.S. travel advisory warning, we are working closely with the local government to make sure that we can do whatever is realistic to minimize risk. Additionally, our project will be taking place in a region that has no history of extremism or violence against foreigners. However, we ask the participants be culturally sensitive in dress as well as behavior.

Project Leaders

  • Sarah Wu: sarahwu ‘at’ sealnetonline.org