NUSA PENIDA – “Give me 10 young people and I will shake the world.” Excerpt from the statement of the First President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ir. Soekarno is timeless. This is a message that young people can be trusted to change their environment and even the world.

Three brothers I Wayan Kerta, I Made Arnawa, I Komang Suryawan are examples of young people who have high motivation to empower the potential that exists on Nusa Penida Island. The three of them dedicated their experience, knowledge and land to build something that could benefit the community, known as the Bukit Keker Learning House, Nyuh Kukuh Traditional Village, Ped Village.

“When tourism developed, many people abandoned activities on the moor, raising cows and the environment, few cared about this. Now that young people have an idea of caring about the potential of their own island, we initiated this learning place,” said Wayan Karta, who is also the director of the Taksu Tridatu Foundation.

In the last few years, before the Covid-19 pandemic, Nusa Penida became a new favorite for tourism. Almost every day there are 3,000 tourists entering. Nearly all the people in Nusa Penida do not miss the opportunity to make a fortune from tourism. For the sake of tourism, they dare to make sacrifices leaving behind the old culture of seaweed farming, cow riding, gardening, and no longer even care about the dirty environment.

The pandemic conditions that have been running for 8 months have worsened the world of tourism. The community, including young people who work in tourism, have been sent home. Confused about what to do, it turns out that several young people farming is the answer. It is not wrong that we have heard everywhere that the pandemic has called many people back to caring about the environment and remembering the natural potential that they have wasted.

The Nusa Penida Ecologic Program which is organized by the Wisnu Foundation has been running since 2018 with partners namely, PPLH Bali Foundation, Taksu Tridatu Foundation, Kalimajari Foundation, Wisanggeni 91 Community, I Ni Timpal Kopi Community and the Village Ecotourism Network Association as well as the Alam Mesari cepuk weaving group community. , IDEP Selaras Foundation, Seaweed farmer group in Semaya and STT Eka Wana Kelapa, Nyuh Kukuh Traditional Village. Nearly 2 years of participatory work supported by GEF-SGP Indonesia has raised the enthusiasm of the community, especially young people, to care about their potential again.

“Rumah Belajar is a showcase for the Nusa Penida ecologic program. There were 8 villages that were intervened with various activities. Nusa Penida for us is a laboratory, many things can be learned here. Start learning to handle rubbish, seaweed, natural dyes and traditional weaving, dry land farming and animal husbandry, building tourism that supports the environment and society, agriculture and agroforestry, making dry food, clean and renewable energy. If you see the real thing, you have to go to the villages. “This is a small space explaining what is in Nusa Penida,” said Mrs. Denik, Director of the Wisnu Foundation Host Program Ecolocig Nusa Penida.

It is very appropriate for young people to attend the partner meeting and synchronization of the Nusa Penida ecologic program on 26 October 2020 as one of the beneficiaries. Young people can directly see the results of the work of NGOs and communities which also involve young people so that when they return from here they can hopefully replicate it in their respective banjars and villages.

“One message that nature conveys to humans is to protect ourselves by protecting nature. This is the time we wake up, move, pay attention, raise our voices, our actions, and it is time to build better for people and planet earth. Its time for nature. This is the time for nature. Time for us to give nature a chance to repair itself, time for us to help nature repair itself. “Because by improving nature, we improve our own lives,” was a message conveyed by Mrs. Laksmi Damayanti, Coordinator of the GEF SGP National Steering Committee.

Mr. Dr. Ir. Agus Prabowo, M.Eng Head Environment Unit UNDP also emphasized that “the Nusa Penida ecological program is carrying out activities that are in accordance with the 17 global agreement targets, namely SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). The Nusa Penida program at times like this can focus on number 8, namely creating decent jobs.

The community can take advantage of resources from GEF SGP to carry out activities in such a way as to create new jobs. Of course at the site level there is a connection with ecology and tourism. Because there is a tendency for the people of Nusa Penida to move to the city, especially young people, and work in the tourism sector. “Unfortunately, currently hit by a pandemic, it would be very reasonable if now all resources create jobs.”

“The GEF SGP funding support is just working capital, which should be continued by friends, or community groups or stakeholders here. “Collaboration between the community, non-governmental foundations, government, private sector, is really needed for the sustainability of activities,” said Mrs. Dwi Catharina Hastuti as National Coordinator of GEF SGP who was present in the middle of the discussion and synchronization event for the Nusa Penida ecologic program.

The government, represented that day by the Head of Subdistrict, the Secretary of the Head of Subdistrict and the Nusa Penida Waste Management Unit, also appreciated what the Wisnu Foundation and its working partners had done. Of course, according to the Regent’s expectations, all programs in Nusa Penida, both from NGOs and other institutions, must be able to synergize with government programs. The most important thing is that the program must be sustainable, it must not stagnate like previous programs carried out by other parties such as the wind power program, the biogas program, the animal feed program.

“Study houses can be used well, especially equipment that requires knowledge. The activities here can be used as an example in other villages that may not have implemented this. “Because there are so many positive impacts that lead to community empowerment and welfare,” said the Head of Nusa Penida Subdistrict.

Apart from the message to the workers, the message to young people is no less important. “Especially empowering young people to manage waste, I hope PPLH Bali will not stop assisting only in Banjar Nyuh Kukuh. “It should be developed for young people in other villages,” stressed the Secretary of Nusa Penida.

Young people were increasingly motivated in deliberation and synchronization, even though the sun was starting to come to the Learning House that afternoon. They didn’t care because there were 2 musicians Guna Warma (Kupit) Nosstress and Kalego from Nusa Penida present. Very entertaining and through the song motivates young people to continue to be proud of being Nusa Penida children. A flick of Kalego’s song made young people “shocked” and laugh. Likewise, the lyrics of the song Just Plant from Kupit-Nosstress are an expression of anxiety about the barren earth and gardens in front of our house. So, he invited all of us to plant, yes plant, just plant. Because it is our shared responsibility, especially young people. (ecologinp/ctr)

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