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Our long term commitment
For the past 10 years, KGC has been closely involved in community and social development in Central Kalimantan. To this end, the company set up a foundation, Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS) in 1997 and has provided management, staffing and support for its work ever since.
By the end of 2007, YTS will be providing social and decision making support to 18 villages surrounding KGC's copper gold project in Central Kalimantan and eventually expects to work with 31 villages in the area. YTS is helping villagers discuss and make decisions on a whole range of issues affecting their daily life, everything from local education to job opportunities and the use of leisure time. The directors of KGC are entirely committed to the community programme, not only to ensure that local communities share in the benefits of any future mining activity but also as part of the company's long term social license to operate. This commitment is recognized by a range of external stakeholders, including Oxiana, KGC's current joint venture partner on the copper gold project.
The YTS approach
The YTS approach can be summed up as follows: "To improve community welfare through managing natural resources in sustainable and responsible ways."
YTS is a foundation established in 1997 by PT Kalimantan Surya Kencana (KSK). The mission of YTS is to facilitate community development in the villages close to the exploration area. This development strengthens the capacity of villagers and village institutions in order to mitigate the impact that future mining development might have on the social, economic and cultural integrity of the community.
YTS staff facilitates community-based needs analysis, using the Participatory Rural Appraisal approach and methodology. This provides a deeper level of understanding of the dynamics in each community, and leads to realistic programs.
Each village develops an annual Community Development Plan. YTS helps the village find the means to implement the plan, including promoting components to government and donor agencies. This approach empowers villagers to improve their situation from within and to find the ways and means to take action on the activities they identify in their plan.
A partnership of interests
In addition to village-based development, YTS has developed a framework for regional development. The idea is to bring together a partnership of interested parties - from government, civil society, business and funding agencies - who work together to build an integrated platform for future development in all sectors in Kalimantan Tengah. This provides a rational basis for investment. Priorities become clear and critical gaps in knowledge, capacity, policy and services can be acted upon. With a framework developed collaboratively, there is common agreement on how to move forward to achieve objectives in the most responsible way. YTS has already collaborated with two United Nations agencies, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), as well as with several non-governmental organizations.
The Global Mercury Project
In addition to its purely regional activities, YTS is managing UNIDO's Global Mercury which started in July 2006 and aims to reduce unsafe mercury handling practices which are endemic in small scale gold mining worldwide. Advice is given to miners on the need to avoid handling mercury, cutting down on the mercury they use as part of gold processing and working in enclosed ponds. YTS also advises on the best methods of sluicing and gives tips on personal hygiene.
Kalimantan Kids Club
The Kalimantan Kids Club was established in 1986 to help Dayak villagers educate their children. In remove areas, schooling is limited to elementary level. Young people have to leave their village in order to complete their basic education and students from poorer families cannot afford this expense.
To date, more than 50 young people have received scholarships to continue their education to higher levels. The scholarships provide a commitment to subsidize school fees, supplies, and living expenses until the students complete their education.
To support the KKC Scholarship Program, please contact bardolf@pacific.net.id
Other Activities
The environment and biodiversity are big issues in exploration & mining today. YTS and KSK are participating in the 'Heart of Borneo' initiative and are collaborating with The Nature Conservancy in a scoping study of 'high conservation value forestry' in our CoW.
Our main objective with both these initiatives is to gain a better understanding on how to integrate conservation thinking into our overall approach.
For over a year, YTS has been supporting community involvement in the government's bottom-up planning mechanism, called 'Musrenbang'. This activity reinforces the community-based participatory planning process that YTS facilitates, by drawing the result - the 'village development plan' - directly into the government arena, where the administration is obliged to respond to the collective needs and demands of villagers. YTS would like to see this approach extended throughout the district and is presenting its proposal to the district leadership.
Contact:
Bardolf Paul
Jl. Teuku Umar No 32A
Palangka Raya 73112, Kalimantan Tengah
Tel: +62 536 3237184 / Fax: +62 536 3229187
Email: bardolf@pacific.net.id
Indonesian only web: http://www.tambuhaksinta.org
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