Visit the Institut Pendidikan Soe and Kelompok Tani Wanita Desa Fatumnasi
31 August 2023, Van Deventer-Maas Indonesia visited the Institut Pendidikan Soe (IPS). Welcomed by Ared Jonathan Billik, S.T., M.Si (Rector of the Institut Pendidikan Soe) with thanks, there are currently two IPS students who are VDMI grantees for 2023/2024. He hopes that even though they are not yet VDMI partners, IPS students will still have the opportunity to apply for scholarships in 2024/2025. Apart from that, there was also a sharing session from VDMI Alumni who are currently lecturers at IPS: [1] Serlinia Rambu Anawoli (Alumni of Artha Wacana Christian University) and [2] Kostan D.F Mataubenu (Alumni of Nusa Cendana University). VDMI alumni who are lecturers at IPS Infianto Boimau (Alumni of Nusa Cendana University) were unable to attend because they were monitoring students who were doing internships.
After leaving the Institut Pendidikan Soe, the VDMI Team continued their visit to Fatumnasi to meet with Kelompok Tani Wanita Sinar Faenman B. This is one of the women’s communities developed by Serlinia Rambu Anawoli (VDMI Alumni) together with Koalisi Perempuan Indonesia in Kupang. Serli provided assistance to Mama Maria Sanam (Group Leader) along with other mothers at Fatumnasi to dare to express opinions about women’s rights. One of the struggles carried out was the rejection of marble mining by weaving with Mama Aleta Baun (Women Environmental Fighters in Eastern Indonesia). Apart from that, she also sent a letter to the Governor to repair roads in the Fatumnasi area. The Fatumnasi community, especially women, has a passion for protecting nature by caring for the forest. They believe that in the forest there are Metos-metos, namely Saut Kanaf, Hau Kanaf, ritual and sacred places that have been maintained and preserved.
Kelompok Tani Wanita Sinar Faenman B (Fatumnasi Village) also empowers women in the area by growing vegetables (such as cabbage, carrots, spring onions, shallots, garlic and others) and processing agricultural products in the form of snacks made from carrots and sweet potatoes. Apart from that, they also still do weaving as a way to preserve culture and a source of income. Fatumnasi Village weaving has a philosophy starting from the patterns and colors used.
