Last Update: 24th January 2016
Hello Guys!ย We are here to create a nice project! โย We are located in the jungle near Buntu Nanna Village, South Sulawesi (Kecamatan Ponrang, Kabupaten Luwu) and seek to educate young people in language, art and environmental awareness.ย The project is entirely self-funded and still faces many challenges although the major obstacle of gaining community support has already been overcome and activities are going well.
โVolunteer at a treehouse community project source: Facebook volunteer group
Activities
We are presently building our first of several tree houses that already serve as a school, studio and eventually art gallery.
The building is made entirely of recycled materials (except the nails that are donated to us sporadically).
We believe in the concept of immersive and open-air education where skills are learned in an informal setting with the focus being on building confidence and creativity through direct interactions with people and the
environment.
English language training
Our English language training for example involves our foreign volunteers engaging in planting, building and art activities with the youth while speaking English.
Cooking
Cooking classes for making local dishes are also given by the youth, and for those interested in learning Indonesian, this immersive approach is also available.
Our project is set on 1,5 hectares of land in the jungle, about 30 30-minute walk from the village, where our first tree house is almost finished classes have already started with several volunteers having already enjoyed their experience, and the young people already feeling more comfortable talking with foreigners and showing visible signs of enthusiasm towards the recycling project.
Many adult members of the community have also expressed their support, including the head of the village who is eager to help any way he can, and a police official who is looking to start a mangrove and coral reef conservation effort in conjunction with our project.
โVolunteer at a treehouse community project source: Facebook volunteer group
Our activities include:
- 1) Creative recycling of cigarette butts, sandals, shoes and plastic into sculptures, housing and others.
- 2) Building tree houses with recycled materials from the local environment, particularly wood, bamboo and dried banana leaves. These tree houses are to serve as learning hubs, accommodations an art gallery and the like.
- 3) Organic farming: teaching youngsters about how to plant without using chemicals and focusing on the principles of permaculture.
- 4) Tree planting as a means to help the thinning ozone layer, retain groundwater, and provide shade and oxygen.
- 5) Introducing and teaching traditional cooking techniques to foreigners who volunteer here, specifically dishes from South Sulawesi such as Sinole and Dange (Sago’s palm).
- 6) Teach painting with coffee grinds techniques to village youth
- 7) Create a theatrical “fire war” using coconut leaves and firewalking
- 8) General skill sharing and confidence building leading to self-generated solutions within the community.
Here, we are not only working every day, but we are also can do walk out, camping, fishing, swimming in the river and whatever we would like to do.
If possible, please bring the flag of your country and an English book as a gift and collection for this project.
Looking forward to working together for a brighter future,
big hugs from Padang Sappa Village, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Nice Regards,
Edyanta Sinuaji
CONTACT DETAILS (only Facebook available)ย ๐ง๐
Facebook : Edyanta Sinuaji
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Edy_Art_Studio
โVolunteer at a treehouse community project source: Facebook volunteer group
