Women’s Empowerment with Bamboo

IKA NURMAN DAMAYANTI UNTUK KOMPAS

I Wayan Juliantara and  Kris Ayu Madina

The issue of plastic waste in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, has aroused the concern of I Wayan Juliantara, 27, and Kris Ayu Madina, 24. They are also disturbed by the condition of local women who lack proper welfare. The two have been striving to surmount the problem, “armed” with bamboo.

It all began in 2016 when Juli and Ayu decided to embark on the Gumi Project with its plastic waste recycling program. Dissatisfied with its result, Juli was inspired to utilize bamboo as an environmentally friendly resource. They formed Gumi Bamboo in 2017.

Juli and Ayu later met with Mahuni and Bah, residents of Karang Sidemen village, Central Lombok, to discuss the utilization of bamboo to produce drinking straws in the village. They found many unemployed women in this village. Even though some of them were employed, they worked at illegal stone quarries, as domestic servants, or had the status of former migrant workers.

“Juli and I have been active in social activity since 2014. We were concerned about the environment and learned the condition of women in rural Lombok who had difficulty in education and employment. One of the reasons was the merariq kodeq (underage marriage) culture, forcing women to get married at a very young age and thus leave school,” said Ayu via Skype from Lombok on Tuesday (17/3/2020).

Starting with several people, Gumi Bamboo invited local residents to make bamboo straws in a small gallery owned by Mahuni in Karang Sidemen village. Their effort was fruitful. With right marketing and connections, they could even realize their maiden export of around 200 bamboo straws to Singapore in 2017.

Gradually, residents of the village and its environs began to trust the potential of this business. “Since then, Gumi Bamboo has grown into several groups comprising crafters, sewers, weavers and knitters. Today as many as 50 villagers are working there, made up of 37 women and 13 men,” said Juli.

In 2019, Juli and Ayu decided to diversify their products. They finally produced various other handicrafts from bamboo such as loofas, dining sets, knitted bags and bamboo boxes. Production capacity has also increased rapidly, for instance, bamboo straws have risen in output from 500 per month in 2018 to 30,000 per month at present.

So far Gumi Bamboo’s straw production has indeed been more popular overseas than at home.

They have also started receiving routine orders from a number of countries like Switzerland, Belgium, Britain, Portugal, Peru, Italy, Hong Kong, Holland and the U.S., although sometimes they are hampered by the problem of certification, which is not yet arranged in Indonesia. In 2019, 80.5 percent of Gumi Bamboo’s production was for exports and 19.5 percent for domestic consumption. So far Gumi Bamboo’s straw production has indeed been more popular overseas than at home.

The income of Gumi Bamboo can reach Rp480 million annually. However, as part of social entrepreneurship, 70-80 percent of the income is allotted to the workers and the remainder spent on operational cost.

Quarry workers

Originally, many of the women in Karang Sidemen village involved in Gumi Bamboo were workers at illegal stone quarries so that they were prone to accidents. With a wage of Rp5,000 per sack, they only earned Rp10,000 for two sacks daily.

By collaborating with Mahuni, Gumi Bamboo managed to recruit the women to become craftspeople. They were taught how to make straws directly or through formal training. They could also watch tutorial videos.

“They’re now happier as they can gather and share with peers. They get a place to learn new skills as well as being allowed to spend quality time with their children because they can work from home,” said Juli.

But their involvement in bamboo craftsmanship and new knowledge had made them more self-confident.

Ayu added that two years weren’t yet enough to change the life of the women in Karang Sidemen village and its vicinity. But their involvement in bamboo craftsmanship and new knowledge had made them more self-confident.

“They become more self-confident when meeting newcomers. Some of them even speak English when seeing foreigners. They also understand what the carbon footprint is and the difference between types of waste. One woman is now studying sustainability so that she maintains her own garden. There’s been a behavioral change,” noted Ayu.

According to Ayu, some women can afford to pay debts from their bamboo crafting work. Most workers in Gumi Bamboo normally get their income on the basis of orders. But 15 of them have received a fixed salary of Rp500,000 per month excluding overtime pay.

Juli and Ayu also collaborate with four local farmers in procuring basic materials. Quite often they also buy bamboo from old-age village residents who need money. A bamboo stem three meters long usually costs Rp 1,000.

“Farmers used to regard bamboo as a wild plant and frequently burned it. Now they sell it to us,” Juli pointed out.

This is meant as one of the strategies to safeguard business continuity and lower the cost of production.

They’re attempting to grow bamboo themselves in a communal forest in Karang Sidemen village. This is meant as one of the strategies to safeguard business continuity and lower the cost of production.

Ayu emphasized that what Gumi Bamboo had undertaken was aimed at assisting the village community through sustainable business. “It turns out that overseas customers are keen on this objective,” said Ayu.

I Wayan Juliantara

Born: Ulakan, 22 July 1992

Education: First degree of English language, Mataram University

Occupation:

- Country Manager of PuraWorka, 2018-present

- Co-founder of Gumi Bamboo, 2017-present

Kris Ayu Madina

Born: Bandung, 29 June 1995

Education: First degree of English language, Mataram University

Occupation:

- Staff member of Islamic Relief Child Welfare & Protection, 2017-2018

- Co-founder & Business Development Manager of Gumi Bamboo, 2017-present