One of the reflective questions that (should be) passed among social organizations, including non-governmental organizations, is whether their existence truly brings positive impact for the community’s effort to become stronger and sustainable or practically just treat them as commodity.
In this context, what it means by the community is the marginalized groups in every aspect. The question should be answered honestly, without any hyperbolic expressions which are merely aimed to ‘advertise’.
Throughout 2015, we give more rooms to answer the question. During the process with the community, in the program-related interactions as well as the informal interactions, we attempted to hear more and to see more.
We carried out plenty of changes during 2015, starting from the structural to strategic change. We reorganized the basic concept of the program that we have established, such as Village Information System (SID) and citizen journalism, to respond current situation progress.
Equipped with the refreshed concept, we tried to enrich our experience by gathering more initiative and experience through co-operation with our new network, for instance female weaver community in Southwest Sumba. We verified whether innovation of information management that we’ve been developed would be a new inspiration for the community that is very lack of information technology touch, as well as they’ve inspired us.
Likewise, we strengthen our relation with our existing network by collaborating in some new issues, for instance citizen journalists’ protection.
The opportunity to reciprocally learn with many communities, which is not a new thing, has produced something new and fresh in our journey this year. The collaboration between community and MGM Community Radio in establishing a community-based tourism in Borobudur, Central Java, is one of the examples.
This year, several working plans officially came to an end, such as SEATTI-HIVOS. However, for us, the end of this program is a formal marker. Informally, the process of supporting, learning, and assisting the community, the donor, or the same civil society organization still lasts. We will keep continuing sustainable process to keep a good and worthwhile work together.
