My name is Adel Mambrasar, a Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) student of Muhammadiyah Education University (UNIMUDA), Sorong, majoring in Elementary School Teacher Education (PGSD). I am from Yenanas village, South Batanta district, Raja Ampat regency, West Papua Province. Yenanas village is located on Batanta Island, one of the four major islands in Raja Ampat. Most people in Yenanas work as farmers, fishermen, laborers, private employees, and state civil servants but some are still unemployed. The women in Yenanas village have a natural talent for making handicrafts, namely making ‘noken’ or bags from knitting yarn and coconut leaf sticks, making plates and flower pots from coconut leaf sticks, making flowers from used bottles and dried betel nut shells, and making tablecloths from wool and straws. The people of Yenanas village are known to be very friendly to anyone who visits. Its tourism spots are Yat Island and Ayem Island. These two tourist attractions are often visited by people around the village of Yenanas and even from Sorong.

My first experience with Stube HEMAT was when Rev. Grace Nanuru held an event in Yenanas to introduce Stube HEMAT activities. She invited several students and youth in Yenanas, including me, to discuss and to talk more about what Stube HEMAT is. We welcomed her effort and initiative which made us so excited to look forward to the event. The event came to a reality when Rev. Grace came to Yenanas and explained what Stube HEMAT is and how it cares for young people and students. She also shared her experience while studying in Yogyakarta and what she did in Raja Ampat. Hearing this, my friends and I were so motivated to get to know Stube HEMAT more, and finally, we joined because Stube HEMAT offers new things and experiences that are not found on campus.

Even recently, my friends and I took a chance for managing a gender discussion held on the Unimuda campus. Besides I got new material and understanding about gender and equality between men and women, I also learned how to manage Stube HEMAT activities, and how to invite students to come for discussions and I found that it was not easy to invite people.

In the exposure to Pam, I learned about women and their support for the family economy, especially women who make VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil), bath soap from VCO, and other products. They are trained by tourism managers by bringing trainers from Bali and Germany and advised to use environmentally friendly materials. Before the pandemic, the sales of VCO, soap, and hand-body were quite good because tourists came to this tourist area, but during the pandemic, no one came, so sales decreased even though there were still buyers from residents and tourist spots. Hopefully, the pandemic coming to an end, and tourism in Pam can be bustling again.

For me, women can help their families, especially to improve the economy with their skills in processing something as long as there is training and assistance like the women in Pam. I can share this experience with the women in my village, the handicrafts can develop and be widely known. It is just a matter of how young people and students do not wait until they are old to learn skills, but from now on, they have to explore skills and the products can be sold so that youth and students can be independent. Thank you, Stube HEMAT.***

By: Yuliana Mambrasar.         

It is nice to meet you, I am Yuliana Mambrasar from Yenanas, an island in South Batanta, Raja Ampat Regency, West Papua. I got to know Stube HEMAT from Rev. Grace Nanuru, the Multiplicator of Stube HEMAT in Raja Ampat when she had a Stube HEMAT activity in Yenanas village. Actually, at that time, my friend, Adel Mambrasar, had invited me to join it, but at that time I was still focusing on the Young Member Fellowship (PAM) of Elim church in Yenanas. I’m worried if I involve in Stube HEMAT, what will happen to the PAM fellowship in the future, because I was an active member of it, whether it is disrupted or not, growing or not. Such worries come from my friends’ opinion if I am no longer involved in or focus, it will interfere with organizational performance and it may setbacks. But I try to convince them that I stay active and continue to help.

Stube HEMAT activities in Raja Ampat help young people and students to develop and it has creative activities that attract young people. There are visits to different villages, promoting arts and helping the community with health issues. I chose Stube HEMAT activity because it accommodates Christian students and youth. I am grateful that Stube HEMAT also involves students and youth in its activities and helps the community, for example with the program of health education and the implementation of health vaccines. It proves that when students and youth have the opportunity to work, they can act well and positively for many people.

The exposure activity on Pam Island (11-13/3/2022) became a fun activity and I was grateful to be able to visit brothers and sisters in Pam. I discovered new things that I did not find in Yenanas, actually, Pam's village is not yet developed and the condition of the population has not fully improved. PAM Island has many potencies that can be optimized and managed as a source of income to improve family's economy.

During our activities on Pam Island, my friends and I met face to face with women who work to make natural bath soap, hand body lotion, Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), and massage oil. I did not know about the products before but they were happy to share their stories and explain how to make them. It turned out that the product is made from ingredients that come from the island of Pam itself, such as coconut and they produce it. On Pam Island I found something I could learn and do, I could share stories and opinions or experiences. Women in Pam work not only in the kitchen and household, but they play an important role in the family economy by making handicrafts and other products for sale.

For friends in Stube HEMAT Raja Ampat, especially women, do not just watch, listen and be silent. However,  what you have learned or learned together, you must do and share it with other people in Raja Ampat and its surroundings so that women can work, be independent and play an important role to support the family economy. We are women, we can do it! ***