In the activity of potential observation, we learned by doing direct observation of all the potential resources in rural area.  The main reason to choose the countryside is because we thought that all points of human living civilization basically started from this smallest area, called a ‘kampong’ which in its development is more often called as a village. A living civilization will develop well and be maintained if human and natural resources are sufficient and qualified.

As the modern era progresses, the level of social and environmental problems will be more complex. In the tourism sector, it is necessary to enjoy life wisely through ecotourism. Ecotourism is currently one of the options to promote a typical natural environment that is still maintained authenticity to be a tourist destination.

One typical ecotourism that can preserve the environment is rural-based ecotourism. Rural Ecotourism is a tourism concept based on the potential of the rural natural environment and the socio-cultural and economic life of local communities. The principle of rural ecotourism expects that visitors to be creative while enjoying rural life by interacting and integrating directly with rural life.

‘Ekowisata’ in Indonesian is from the word of ecotourism (ecological tourism) that is an environmentally minded tourism having priority to the nature conservation aspects, aspects of economic-socio-cultural empowerment for local communities as well as aspects of learning and education (https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekowisata).

The main purpose of ecotourism is to build sustainable tourism by providing ecological and economic benefits, as well as providing social benefits to people's lives. The needs of tourists can also answer the sustainability of socio-cultural life and providing opportunities for the current and future generations to utilize and develop it "Subadra, 2008".

We chose to learn the potential of rural-based ecotourism in Munaseli village, because this place has a lot of interesting potential. The strength of the appeal of this village lies in the history of the kingdom which is still closely related to the kingdom of "Majapahit" and its customs traditions that are still preserved today and completed with heirlooms and some sacred historical places.

Munaseli includes the deep water area of the SAP (Water Sanctuary) of the Pantar Strait and the surrounding sea. The village is home to BUMDes Manusirikoko which manages the village's business and ecotourism activities, as well as Pokmaswas Tanjung Muna as a coastal and marine monitoring community. They actively monitor and report the high destructive fishing activities that occur in the waters of their villages. Moreover, the people have authentic culinary dishes and interesting cultural history to explore.

It is expected that this rural ecotourism activity will enable young intellectual, especially students, to open their minds to act more creatively as the balance of critical thinking and idealism as the purpose of life by looking all the potentials, especially in the village. A lot of potentials, either natural resources or human resources of East Indonesia especially Alor have not been managed well and wisely. It’s a pity that commonly young people prefer just to be spectators and workers of the development in their own area, and rarely have the intention and willingness to be initiator to expand the potential of the existing resources.***

The trip to visit multiplicators on two islands, Alor and Sumba, gave impression to the board members who had the opportunity to meet them. The following are notes and impressions from Pdt. (Emiritus) Bambang Sumbodo, S.Th., M.Min after observing the local area and meeting personally.

This young man has a ferocious face, but he has a tender heart like snow. He is Petrus Maure, a computer graduated from a university in Yogyakarta. His struggle for life and not mind to become a multiplicator and to be himself are not easy because his parents who live in Kupang want him works as a state civil servant. They financed their campus fees to become a state civil servant, but he was not interested and he wanted to do something for children and young people in Alor, so that they will not be left behind to face the future by held English study groups in two different villages. The first was in Naila and the second was in Pasi. The English study group at Naila is called ‘Lakatul’ or ‘nothing is hidden’, facilitated by Miss Marlis Mutiara Maure, a scholar on fisheries. The group in Pasi is facilitated by Yusuf Tande, an English scholar, and it is named Air Mancur.

Petrus is a hardworker, never feeling exhausted as the Javanese has parable ‘wong sing ora duwe udel' (a person who does not have a navel) like a horse with the measure of strength (PK). Besides pioneering an English course with his friends in Alor, Petrus also gathers young people and students to be trained to make creative screen printing and handicraft products made from local materials, and provides a gallery to market them, so that young people who do not have jobs can do productive activities. In addition, there is also a discussion group to discuss what is developing and currently happening in the community such as Pilkada (the regent election), the environment, agriculture, rocky land as well as socio-political and economic conditions, so that young people know and later they do not become victims of ignorance. This discussion group invites speakers who are competent in their specific field including preservation of the cultural heritage.

Hopefully, this initial pilot project that has just started in July 2020 can continue to develop the young generation, especially the church youth to be pioneers of advanced changes, and to proclaim God's love to everyone.

Give young people opportunity to express ideas and  give them space to work on, breakthroughs will occur, because they have enthusiasm and idealism to be implemented to develop their hometown. The 'eagerness' to pay attention to their hometown does not come abruptly in the minds of young people, but it is the result of self-understanding and a continuous process of reflection.

This is part of Stube HEMAT's service with its programs that inspire young people to know the ‘calling’ for  their hometown, as well as provide support and space to express their ideas when they return to their hometowns after completing their studies in Yogyakarta. Stube HEMAT activists made various creations and breakthroughs when they returned to their regions through Multiplication program of Stube HEMAT. One of them was Petrus Maure in Alor, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), with his efforts to optimize the local potency of coconut and bamboo into a variety of handicraft products with the label ‘Alor Creative 100%’. He also built networks with activists from other communities across NTT region, such as joining the NTT Local Leader, a forum for community activists or in the term ‘Active Citizen’, who took action according to their own skills, self-potency, and hobbies in NTT, plus several external networks that care about NTT. The common hope to be achieved is resolving social and environmental problems that exist in a sustainable manner in each community area for a better condition in NTT.

Due to pandemic of Covid-19, the interactions and almost all activity agendas in the community are reduced not only at the local level, also distribution and financial support from sponsors and reduction on volunteer activities as result of Working from Home (WfH). However,  the activities must continue with new concept through virtual meeting in the form of Online Discussions part 5 'Katong Babagi' (= local dialect of Kupang NTT), which means We Share (on Wednesday, 7/10/2020) initiated by Aryz Lauwing Bara, S.Th (Community of Rumah Mentari Maulafa, Kupang) and Randy V. Neonbeni from the ‘Buku Untuk NTT Community’, North Central Timor regency, Kefamenanu), while Petrus Maure from ‘Alor Creative 100%’ Community spoke as resource person who shared his experiences in Alor.

In the discussion, Petrus explained the creative works in 'Alor Creative 100% community' with spirit to foster the changing of social and environmental conditions through the use of local product and processing them to have a higher selling price for the sake of improving the community's economy through the social business system. Some of the Alor Creative 100% products include Vico (virgin coconut oil), accessories for necklaces, earrings, bracelets and others with a variety of Alor unique motifs and shapes. It was a lively discussion participated by social activists such as Trifosa, Dany DW, Abdul MK Djou, Seprianus Adonis, Diana Tumimomor, Antonio Laka, Riky Lazarus, Deri Neonbeni, Usu Tande, Jakobus Mooy, Ariani Narwastujati and Trustha Rembaka. The results of the discussion: 1) Mutually supporting creative work that is social and environmentally friendly by optimizing local potency in a responsible and sustainable manner. 2) Those who work to process local products and handicrafts, get network support for promotion and marketing, and may be involved in exhibition events with other communities. 3) Collaboration among communities, in the form of ideas and virtual events.

As an effort to support Petrus Maure, the Multiplicator of Stube HEMAT in Alor, Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta designs Local Exposure program to Alor in 2021, by sending students to share their experiences and skills with young people and Alor community. Hopefully, through the interaction and collaboration together, the network that is driven by young activists and communities will be able to contribute a better society, especially in NTT. (TRU)

By Petrus Maure, S.Kom.

This activity is carried out with the concept of collaboration of several communities, which have the same vision and mission to empower social life and environmental problems in Alor island. This activity also opens chance of collaboration with NGOs, government and private institutions.

The use of the collaborative concept of social community activists also aims to create atmosphere  for good social life, economic and environmental life. The pessimistic view for various factors of life in terms of social, economic, environmental, political, cultural and human rights, especially in our area, the eastern part of Indonesia, most of them do not support the development of our talents and potencies of young people.

The first activity of the Multiplicators of Stube HEMAT in Alor, still focuses to strengthen the capacity of college students, by prioritizing the principle of 'Why', so that the initiative will not just a ceremony. The main goal of this principle is ‘the rise of sense of anxiety inside themselves and toward their environment."

The feeling of anxiety may wake up their curiosity and thought about social and environmental problems. It would also encourage them to be able to build strength to think and to do action through small or big community, using the principle of "Thinking Globally, Acting Locally of Patrick Geddes". We thought that many young people and intellectuals become apathetic about themselves and their environment because of the unsupportive atmosphere both environment and life.

As mentioned above, there are various factors that have not yet support the development of young people’s potencies or talents. This initial activity faced many obstacles, especially the support from those who have strength to make this good movement. However, all obstacles and any existing factors are great opportunities for us to become agents of change.

The beginning of our activities was held on August 8, 2020, in collaboration with the University of Tribuana, Kalabahi, that enable us to discuss together about human and natural resources development in Alor island. It was a good chance to meet because, so far, many good forces from various elements have not been well connected each other and such condition weaken these positive atmosphere of life.

Our greatest strength to overcome all obstacles to make this good movement is the potency of social community networks. To make this good movement work, for us, social power is very powerful because it relies on the principle of kindness. Although each individual, group, or institution move in their own way, they have one goal for ‘better human life and environment.’