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Exceed your capacity: A Training for Community Organizers in Papua

From managing community activities, such as holding meeting for discussions, developing product, to increasing community member’s abilities and potential, community organisers play crucial roles in community. In order to maximize their potential in supporting the community, Samdhana Institute held a training session for community organisers in the Fef district of Tambrauw Regency in Southwest Papua. Provided through our Capacity and Development Programme and supported by the PERMATA Project, 

The Baho Clan: ‘A Model for Indigenous People’s Forests in Papua’

The Marga Baho Indigenous Peoples have sustainably managed their natural resources for generations. Drawing from a well of traditional knowledge, members of the tribe hunt, fish and farm in the forests, rivers, and fields of Maybrat Regency in Southwest Papua Province. Nature also provides them with various herbal remedies; whatever the community needs, the forest provides.

Reviving the dying art of natural dyeing in a Karen village

 

Weaving and natural dyeing is a traditional livelihood among the Pgak'yau or Karen, an indigenous people in Huai EKhang, a forested upland village in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. In addition, they produce rice and depend on forest products.

However, weaving and dyeing as a tradition has waned in many indigenous communities due to easy access to industrial textiles and clothes with affordable prices.

Southeast Asia Women and Environmental Human Rights Defenders Summit 2023

Together with partners, the Samdhana Institute recently organised the Southeast Asia Women Environmental Human Rights Defenders (WEHRDs) Summit 2023. Held from 20-26 May 2023 in Pajinian Village in the West Adonara region of East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), the Summit provided a platform for exchanging ideas, sharing experiences, and gathering information, while also fostering solidarity among women and young leaders.

Samdhana, TAF hold first ever paralegal training for Menuvu women in Southern Bukidnon

For the 30 mostly Menuvu memeritan (women) participants from 10 communities belonging to CADT (Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title) 202 and CADT 206 in Southern Bukidnon, it was their first time to join a training. They shared mixed feelings of joy, excitement, and anxiety for what they considered “talagsaun” or a rare opportunity.

Agroecology training held for partner communities in Mindanao

Many Lumad or Indigenous communities have adopted the “agribusiness mentality,” that is, producing crops for the market and compromising food security, according to Erwin Rayos of Agroeco Philippines and Samdhana Institute’s technical consultant on agroecology.

In the indigenous communities that Samdhana is partnering with, most of the farmers are mainly producing hybrid corn varieties and cash crops, although there are still root crops and vegetables for domestic consumption.

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