Jayapura, July 15, 2022 - The Jayapura Regency Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Office, together with the Ingger Wewal Indigenous Women's Group Association, Sawe Suma Village, and WWF Indonesia Foundation, launched and inaugurated a Field School in Sawe Suma Village, Unurum Guay District, Jayapura Regency, Papua.

The field school will be a non-formal learning place for the Sawe Suma village community, and hopes to become an educational forum at the village level to support conservation efforts at the site level and develop alternative economies through sustainable agricultural, plantation, livestock, and non-timber forest products for the community. This is also a learning tool for the sustainable use of natural resources, because the Sawe Suma community is very dependent on forest products, rivers, gardens, gathering and hunting.

Deputy Regent of Jayapura Regency, Giri Wijayantoro in his speech said, "This field school is a form of commitment of the Jayapura Regency government to support indigenous women in capacity building and the concept of learning for all ages, anyone can participate". Giri continued, "Efforts made by the district government and partners will have a broad impact if they receive support from various elements of society. In addition, the activities carried out are also expected to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development targets (SDGs) in the village."

Women who have an important role in the customary and social order in Sawe Suma village, are important because it is women who have access to sources of livelihood in the forest, women take care of families, educate, and transfer knowledge and culture from their ancestors.

"This field school will be a place of learning for the Sawe Suma community in obtaining information and knowledge about environmental education, product development, and also understanding of their own village culture, so I hope that this field school in the future can be a blessing for many people, especially the next generation of Sawe Suma," said Novilla Aru, Chairperson of the Ingger Wewal Group.

This field school was built on an 8x6m2 land and was a voluntary gift from Sawe Suma villagers. The field school building was done by mutual cooperation and was a contribution from the Sawe Suma village community, the Ingger Wewal group, the Regional Government through the Jayapura Regency Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Office and the WWF Indonesia Foundation in Papua.

Wika Rumbiak, Papua Program Manager of WWF Indonesia Foundation said, "The field school is one of the platforms for the voices of marginalized communities, namely indigenous women, youth, customary leaders, and disabilities to be able to strengthen each other in echoing traditional wisdom in the management of natural resources and environmental services so that literacy, inclusive participation and learning models can be implemented through field schools according to the local context".

The field school provides evidence for indigenous women to develop capacity, economic improvement and self-reliance as well as awareness about conserving natural resources and using them sustainably. So that a synergistic and balanced life between humans and nature can be realized.

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For more information please contact:

- Maryam - Head of Child Empowerment and Protection Office, Jayapura Regency.

HP: 081395876768

- Ros Weyai, Communication Assistant Papua Program WWF Indonesia Foundation

E-mail: [email protected]

HP: 0822-3903-3227