FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nonprofit Begins Work On Tree House For Livelihoods Initiative In Indonesia
Reef Artisan Collaborative International (RACI): Indonesia, in partnership with Tokyo-based Tree House Creations, LLC, breaks ground on inaugural alternative livelihood project in Bunaken National Park.
BUNAKEN ISLAND, INDONESIA, FEBRUARY 13, 2009—Together with Reef Artisan Collaborative Inc. (RACI) Founder and Executive Director Brad Wilcox, a team of four Tree House Creations representatives from Tokyo today trekked through the palm-studded muddy grasslands on the island of Bunaken to survey the more than 3 acres acquired by RACI: Indonesia in December 2009. The team searched intently for the two sturdiest mango trees in which to construct a tree house for the new Bunaken Cultural Arts Center. Incorporated as a nonprofit in Indonesia, RACI: Indonesia is an offshoot of RACI, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C..
RACI’s work in Bunaken National Marine Park (BNMP)—an approximately 340 square mile Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the heart of the Coral Triangle off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia—began in January of 2008 with an exploratory trip that consisted of Wilcox, Creative Director Michael Lawrence, Technical Director Erik Osterholm, and Communications Director Jeff Weintraub. Now on his third trip to BNMP, Wilcox and his team have shaped RACI into a forward thinking NGO poised to implement an alternative livelihoods project as a conservation management tool.
The Center will have a training facility for the local community will have an opportunity to learn how to produce and sell artisan goods at Fair Trade value. In addition, visitors to the island—many of them divers drawn to the pristine coral reefs within BNMP—will have an opportunity to participate in local cooking, art, and dancing classes at the Center. Together with the potential for economic advancement, this cultural exchange empowers the local community through a development model that balances the effects of ecotourism. As the local economy shifts from a reliance on natural resources to alternative livelihoods, the activities of the cultural arts center will help to ensure the continued health of the BNMP ecosystem. Wilcox met the Tree House Creations group by chance while visiting Tokyo in November 2008. He immediately recognized the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership after learning more about the core values of the company and viewing some of its beautiful and wildly imaginative projects. Taka’s book, Treedom: The Road to Freedom has inspired many.
“We couldn’t be more pleased by the partnership RACI: Indonesia now has with Tree House Creations—its core values are very much in line with our own,” reported Wilcox. “After a long flight and strait crossing to Bunaken, the Tree House crew jumped off the ready to get to work in the harsh equatorial heat and humidity—Taka wanted to check out the site immediately.” With sponsors ranging from surf magazines, camera and clothing equipment manufacturers, an Indonesian airline, and even a wind energy firm, Tree House Creations has excelled at developing and promoting the credibility indicators that make possible such sponsorships.
Chartered and documented in Indonesia, RACI (Reef Artisan Collaborative International): Indonesia is an offshoot of RACI, a Washington, D.C. based non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 2007. The organization customizes development strategies to create alternative livelihood opportunities within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) throughout the world.
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