Documenting a Project: An Experience in Sulawesi

The pretty landscape of Bantaeng

 Something I wrote for the project's blog. 

The project that I'm currently involved in, operates  in South and Southeast Sulawesi provinces in Indonesia. A few months ago, I was given the chance to revisit the project areas in both provinces. The objective of my trip was to document the accomplishments the project have made. In order to fulfill the task, I was accompanied by two videographers from Jakarta. Together, we drove from Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi for three hours to  Bantaeng, passing through the flat lands of Gowa and Jeneponto districts, traditional stilt houses, shrimp farmings and hectares of paddy fields. The plan was simple: to go to districts and interview first-hand sources such as farmers, representative of government agency and partner organization. Yet apparently, the simple mission may not be as simple as it seemed in the first place.

South by Southeast part 2

Wonuahua, our second village on the list of Southeast sites, is part of Lambuya sub-district. From Unaaha, it takes about 30-40 minutes drive.

The village is divided into several sub-villages, spreading across the terrain.

We met Mr. Ibrahim, the leader of farmers’ group at his stilt house that is located amongst cacao trees.

Mr. Ibrahim lives at sub-village 3, which is miles away from the main road, that it takes another 15-20 minutes passing thru slopes and bunches of cacao farms.


Along the grubby soil path toward sub-village 3, plots of cacao trees with owner’s house usually sited at the back are the only thing that is apparent. In this sub-village, each residential is distant between one to another.

Sub-village 3 is also dominated by migrants from South Sulawesi. Most of local Tolaki people lives in the other side of the sub-village that is closer to the main road.

South by Southeast part 1

Village hopping. That's what I’ve been doing lately and what’s going to occupy me for the next couple of weeks.

Back in the July, my fellow Miss Endri came to my table during a workshop. She put out her idea of conducting village-level communication system research and asked me to co-work with her. I said yes straight away even though I was also a bit nervous, knowing that it’s going to be one tough task.

The research covers 12 villages; 6 in South Sulawesi and 6 in Southeast Sulawesi where my office’s project operates.

Long story short, everything was set, and the pre-test was completed in mid October.

First Trip to Bantaeng, Kendari, and Konawe (Photos)