Welcoming the Light of Renewable Energy From Wangkolabu

"Have you ever fallen in love with a place you've never visited? When you visit a particular place, you feel like you're being welcomed home," Sven Verbeek Wolthuys, a Dutch-born writer and researcher, expressed this sentiment while reminiscing about Tanah Abang in Jakarta during his journey to trace his ancestral roots. Armed with stories from his grandparents, Sven decided to live in Indonesia to research the settlements in the Tanah Abang area. If Sven, born in the Netherlands, ultimately settled in West Java, then Ristifah, a Patriot of the ACCESS Energy Program (PEAP), was born in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and decided to temporarily settle in Southeast Sulawesi. The ACCESS Project itself operates under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and aims to build electricity using renewable energy, namely Solar Power Plants (PLTS) in 23 villages in Indonesia.

"Yes, I feel like I'm being welcomed home in this beautiful village. Its name is Wangkolabu Village, Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi," said Ristifah. The location of Wangkolabu Village can be reached within a two-and-a-half-hour journey from Muna Regency, both by land and by sea. Before her assignment as a PEAP, Ristifah had never visited Wangkolabu Village. However, in 2015, Ristifah went on vacation to Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi. The fast boat carrying Ristifah made a brief stop at Muna Harbor, Muna Regency. At that time, Ristifah said, "Allow me to return to this land one day. Indeed, words are prayers, and now, through the ACCESS project, I am present in Muna Land." Her assignment from September 25, 2021, to April 2023 enables Ristifah to enjoy the natural beauty of Wangkolabu Village and grow together with the local community.

Now, Ristifah has been living with the Bajo and Muna ethnic groups, the native people of Wangkolabu Village, for nearly a year. As a PEAP, Ristifah is responsible for ensuring that the human resources in Wangkolabu Village are prepared to receive PLTS development. "ACCESS supports women to participate in every activity," Ristifah mentioned. During her assignment, there have been both joys and challenges, but Ristifah stated, "There are more joys. I feel at home because I am warmly welcomed and embraced."

In June 2022, one of the ACCESS Project's agendas was a field visit and survey conducted by relevant parties from Jakarta who will carry out the PLTS development. This activity was also accompanied by local operators who would assist in maintaining the infrastructure that had been built. All the village areas were surrounded, the residents were greeted, and questions about the program and development were answered. This made the community even more enthusiastic, as they eagerly awaited electricity from the ACCESS project. Not only were the residents delighted, but Ristifah, as a PEAP, also shared in the joy, saying, "I am happy because it means the community no longer needs to use communal generators at night. Economic activities can also flourish using renewable energy sources."

Sharing session done by local operator. Photo @Ristifah 2022.

Following the survey, they prepared to hold a sharing session led by local operators, Mr. Boni and Mrs. Wulan, who had received training related to PLTS in Jakarta earlier this year. This activity aimed to raise awareness of the importance of understanding the PLTS development program. When the Jakarta team returned, the team in Wangkolabu Village did not stop. "We continue by learning more about PLTS. Local operators who have received training in Jakarta are sharing their knowledge with the local community," Ristifah said.

The sharing session was carried out through a visit to the communal PLTS owned by a neighboring village, Lakarama Village. Ristifah, as a PEAP, also gained a lot of new insights during this visit. "Seeing the PLTS up close and receiving explanations from local operators and PLTS managers in Lakarama Village was very interesting. The PLTS we visited provided valuable lessons for all participants. This activity gave us an idea of how to maintain sustainability in running PLTS. In the future, when PLTS is built in Wangkolabu Village, it is expected to be used to the maximum extent and managed wisely."

Developing electricity access from renewable energy sources is also an effort to combat climate change. Ristifah's assignment will end in April 2023, but she said, "After returning, I still want to contribute using a remote system. I want to maintain long-distance communication. I am also confident that electricity access and the internet will be good after this project is completed."
 

Written by: Ristifah and Elizabeth Gabriela

Edited by: Imas Agustina and Salman Nursiwan