COPI Foundation-Cooperation Platform Indonesia
Serious about trash
The COPI Foundation (Cooperation Platform Indonesia) is a German non-profit organization currently based in western Java assisting in creating solutions for one of Indonesia’s most serious and fastest growing problems; garbage. The foundation has been active in Kecamatan Sumur, a buffer zone to the Ujung Kulon National Park, since 2001. COPI runs various projects in waste management, organic composting, farming, woman’s programs, sustainable development and education.
COPI Foundation was inspired by Volker Kess, a nature photographer who had spent time researching and photographing the endangered Javanese Rhinoceros in the Ujung Kulon National Park. During his days spent in the jungle, Volker became aware of the very apparent trash problem which intruded into his nature shots. He also quickly became aware that there were no groups of individuals or organizations addressing these trash issues in a nationally preserved park. Volker became pro-active and decided to direct the problems on his own, building relationships with several local foundations in Sumur and establishing COPI as a non-profit foundation in Germany.
The first step was attempting to relieve some of the pressure on the national park by creating means of reducing garbage in the area that also provided jobs, and in raising community awareness towards the increasing presence of trash. In 2002 a public awareness campaign was set up in order to introduce the community to practical methods of waste management. This was a beach cleaning on the south beach of the Ujung Kulon National Park. This event not only restored beauty to the natural environment, it also demonstrated to the community methods of trash management, as trash was collected and transported to a trash dump several hours away. From beach clean-ups, COPI moved quickly into action and in 2003 received support through the German Embassy to establish AGM (Analysis and Garbage Management), a small office and guesthouse in Sumur, to provide household trash pick-up, and a garbage separation facility. COPI also gained support from the Hanns-Seidel Foundation and in 2004 opened ‘Al-Ichsan An-Nawawi’, a woman’s foundation in Sumur for farming, composting, and education.
As COPI projects moved forward with success, another issue emerged. There was now the need for serious composting facilities due to the high traffic of garbage and organic waste now moving through the village. COPI presented this issue to the British Embassy, who is now funding a compost production site and a new farming initiative. COPI now is moving through 2005 with success in maintaining current trash management and waste separation programs.
One of the main obstacles for COPI is trying to encourage community involvement and participation in their projects. Although AGM has become a bit of an institution in Sumur, and Volker has gained the title of ‘the trash man’, it is challenging to get locals enthusiastic about garbage. Other challenges emerge as well, such as corruption, misdirected enthusiasm, and general lack of education towards environmental issues. Some of the ways COPI as managed to overcome these challenges are by creating jobs at the sites, encouraging sales of compost and other organic products, providing support for education programs, and working with key community figures who are concerned for the future of Sumur and the National Park. Such key community figures include Edi J. Bachtiar (project coordinator in Sumur) and Pak Sukri (head of Yayasan PITAL).
In the future, COPI hopes that their efforts will result in locals becoming more aware and participatory in environmental movements, and that they will gain an appreciation for their natural world and environment equal to the appreciation that initially motivated Volker. After all, Indonesia is a naturally stunning country holding many wonders that may cease to exist in the future if more people don’t start caring.
For more information on COPI Foundation, please visit their site at www.copi-foundation.org (you will need a German translator). COPI is always looking for skilled volunteers or interns, especially in the areas of waste management, eco-tourism, and education. Any inquiries concerning volunteering can be sent to balichild@yahoo.com
