He has the capacity and skills to help….
Marten had always felt the pull to give back to his home village of Lenggora Pantai. It was a small, coastal community that had been struck by poverty and lack of access to modern resources. But the opportunity to change was coming.
He was Marten, a local person from the Lenggora Pantai village who was chosen to attend a training program on off-grid solar power plants, organized by a collaborative initiative of EBTKE the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), and ACCESS UNDP Indonesia. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and Marten jumped at the chance to improve himself and his community. He participated throughout the process from participant selection until official certification by EBTKE MEMR in 2022.
November 2022 arrived, and Marten returned to Lenggora Pantai, brimming with excitement to put his new skills to the test. However, the establishment of the solar power plant in his village was still in progress. It was during this waiting period that Marten met Ferdy, a field staff for MEMR who was visiting the village to assess the distribution of lights assistance from MEMR-PLN. Ferdy is a field staff assigned specifically by MEMR for eastern Indonesia areas. The two men hit it off and as they spent time together, Ferdy offered Marten a unique opportunity.
The Eastern Indonesia regions needed help in establishing On-Grid solar power plants, owned by the state electrical company PLN. Ferdy saw Marten's potential and offered him a job as an assistant in the construction and installation of these plants. Marten would work on several projects, including the installation of 25 KWP solar panels at a senior vocational school in Ternate Maluku, 25 KWP at a transportation service in Ambon City, and 50 KWP at a general hospital in North Maluku Sofifi.
Marten was apprehensive at first, his training was one thing, but experience in the field was another. But his passion and drive won out and he accepted the offer. It was a challenging but fulfilling experience. He learned so much and discovered that he had a real talent for working with these systems.
“It was a challenge at first,” Marten remembered. “I had to familiarize myself with the instruments, the work was not easy. But as the installations took place, I adapted and found my footing, learning the nuances of the job and the mechanisms that needed to be followed. It was a steep learning curve, but I was determined to rise to the occasion and make a difference.”
The assignment will end in January 2023, but Marten's commitment to Lenggora Pantai never
wavered. He has told and agreed with Ferdy that as soon as the solar power plant in his village is finished, he will return to operate and maintain it. Marten was eager to give back to his community and ensure that the residents of Lenggora Pantai had access to reliable, renewable energy.
As Marten looked out over the ocean, he could not help but feel a sense of pride and purpose. He was grateful for the opportunity to grow and develop his skills, but most of all, he was grateful to be able to give back to the village that had always been his home.
“I made a promise to Pak Ferdy, and myself,” Marten declared resolutely. “As soon as the equipment was in place and the work in my village of Lenggora Beach began, I would be there, lending my expertise and working tirelessly to improve the lives of my fellow villagers. It was a commitment I intended to keep, no matter what. The desire to give back and make a positive impact burned bright within me, and I was determined to see it through to the end.” Said Marten, emphasizing that he would love his village to improve in the future.