Responding to BNMP’s need for livelihood diversification and enhancement, the Bunaken Artisan Village will produce immediate and long-term opportunities for local residents to supplement their current income through the sale of ethically and locally produced arts and crafts, and demonstrations of skills. RACI helps to provide an interactive, cultural experience for tourists while promoting the preservation of the marine park’s heritage and charm.
Commercial construction on a remote island two degrees in latitude from the equator is no small feat! The project site which RACI has been developing since May 2009 has finally been completed. Situated on 1.3 hectares hilltop overlooking a coconut valley, the chosen location of our site is one hundred meters from the ocean and a short walk from Tarjung Parigi village in the heart of Bunaken. We built two Minahasa style bungalows, four thatched roof workshops, outdoor kitchen, girls and boys bathrooms with shower, and dug a well to pump water from the island’s aquifer. Made of bamboo and local timber under a palm-thatched roof, these structures exemplify traditional architecture of the region. The Minahasa bungalows are multifunctional and will be used for our classroom and youth camp activities, while the open air workshops will serve the artisan program.
Already underway since October 2010, RACI is hosting a free 3 month English course to island residents. The first program graduated sixteen adult participants and the current class, which recently finished, had thirty-one junior high school children. The Director of this program, Bombers, is an English teacher from a language school in Manado, a forty-five minute boat ride off island. With dedication to the cause he makes the trip twice weekly for the class, often staying the night in one of the bungalows. We are thankful for Bomber’s motivation to continue the free language program for the Bunaken community. The class is the talk of the island and, because of its’ success we’re going to try to keep this program alive as long as we can. Interns will be joining RACI in Bunaken in the summer of 2012 to offer support and learn more about running an NGO inside of a marine protected are (MPA) community.
