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Lombok is one of the poorest provinces of Indonesia. Much of the poverty is hidden from the visitor's eye, as the areas that need the most support are the areas that gain the least from tourism revenue. Their neglect is largely due to their distance from tourist areas, main roads and city centres.Our Lombok trip focuses on the areas of the island where few other tourists venture. We co-operate with local initiatives in order to lend support to communities in this remote region.
The area of Karangbaru in Central East Lombok consists of 8 "dusun" (small villages). We are working, together with the local Karangbaru administration, to provide a reliable source of water to the three most isolated dusun: Burne, Erot and Tandangolok. Through the construction of an iron pipe network, clean water from further up Rinjani Mountain will be channelled into large concrete tubs, for daily use by these remote villagers. During the Lombok trip we enjoy a spectacular walk near the base of Rinjani that includes a visit to the Burne dusun where the whole community turns out to welcome us. A local representative has been appointed to oversee the construction and ensure that the funds are utilised to the maximum benefit of the village.
The environment is extremely important to us and in Lombok we are sponsoring the production of a local environmental magazine 'Asyik'. This magazine was first published in 1995 but has not been printed for three years due to lack of funding. The reading material comprises letters and other contributions about the environment from local Lombok communities. Given that education plays an integral role in future environmental protection, the magazine is distributed to primary schools throughout the island.
We encourage a local tree-planting initiative in Lombok, through which our travellers can sponsor the plantation of a fruit tree (primarily Avocado, Papaya, Rambutan, Mango and the famous Durian). 'The Green' program concentrates on three locations in Lombok, each chosen for their soil compatibility, climate, sustainability and local needs and each in close proximity to Lombok destinations. Anyone can support 'The Green' by purchasing a seedling, which is then planted in any one of the three locations. Sponsors are given an official certificate and are able to visit 'their' tree at any time.
In addition to the above, we also collect donated clothing and makes distribution drops in Lombok on regular days when people from a wide area converge on certain villages for public health immunisations.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
