Peningkatan Kapasitas

YTS has six major capacity-building goals: good governance, sustainable livelihoods, higher education, community health care, infrastructure, and cultural development.

Good Governance

YTS implements a regional development strategy in the regency of Gunung Mas to improve governance, policy, and linkages between the 24 assisted villages and the local government agencies responsible for the provision of infrastructure, water, education, agricultural extension and other services. This regional development strategy has now been expanded to also include 9 villages in Katingan regency.

Sustainable Livelihoods

The CSR program aims to provide resources and support that will enable every household, especially those that are poorer off, to achieve a sustainable livelihood. YTS therefore provides village-based training programs to improve agricultural livelihoods in areas as diverse as rice and rubber cultivation, vegetable production, poultry-raising, fishpond aquaculture and more. Support is based on participatory analysis of local conditions, capacities, and needs, and is decided by the community itself, on an annual basis. Included are skills training and hands-on coaching, provision of technical literature, and access to micro-credit. 

Higher Education

YTS provides scholarships, training and capacity building. In 2021, the ‘Kalimantan Kids Club’ assisted 100 students from poor households to complete their high school and university education during the 2021 school year. The goal for 2022 is to assist 125 students. More than 735 students have been supported since program inception. 

Community Health Care

Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is the dominant economic livelihood activity in the 24 villages that YTS assists in Gunung Mas regency. Despite the short-term economic benefits derived, ASGM has many negative consequences for human and environmental health. For this reason, YTS has been running a health education program on the dangers of mercury pollution in the regency for many years. YTS has been bringing the negative externalities of ASGM to the attention of governments and affected communities through health awareness-raising and direct interventions to reduce the use of mercury. This public health education and awareness program also promotes a healthy lifestyle, especially with regard to food and diet. 

Infrastructure

YTS supports the development of new social and public facilities and village infrastructure. As a result of the basic administrative skills training provided by the CSR program, village governments now have far greater capacity to manage their village budget allocations and match them with infrastructural needs such as road improvement and drainage, school facilities, health care facilities, water supply, garbage disposal, public markets and facilities for tourism. Importantly, YTS facilitates decision-making on infrastructure development in a democratic and participatory manner, with full involvement from all community members.

Cultural Development 

Empowering the community through support for local language, arts, customs and traditions is important to YTS. There is a rich legacy of traditional beliefs and practices in the development area that is in danger of erosion from external influences. YTS values the perpetuation of indigenous cultural identity and will always support cultural activities that cultivate local language, arts, customs and traditions.