Better Governance to Improve Public Services in North Barito

Since March 2022, Tifa Foundation, with funding from Ford Foundation, has worked with YTS on a project in two villages, Hurung Enep and Beringin Raya, in North Barito Regency. The aim was to raise the capacity of the community and village government for managing the funds they receive from natural resource revenue sharing to increase the minimum service standards. To achieve this, YTS held Community Led Analysis and Planning (CLAP), Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and advocacy training for the village community. A key activity was the Photovoice exhibition, where the community showed through photos the current condition of the public services to the local government and the companies that operate around the village. As an outcome of this project, the community became more involved in the planning of the development of their village. Public services that were enhanced include access to clean water, health centers and preschools among other things. The project came to a close in August 2023, ending with a workshop on the projects’ sustainability in Muara Teweh and a public dialog in Jakarta.

During the Photovoice Exhibition in Hurung Enep, a representative of RT 03 speaks about sandung, an ossuary for a family’s ancestors.