Great Potentials as a Maritime Country, Aruna Collaborated with Partners to Optimize

Sulawesi, Indonesia – Commemorating the National Maritime Day, Aruna collaborated with Lini Foundation and Rare Conservation to empower local fishers in Central and Southeast Sulawesi. A series of training activities were held on September 15 and 23 involving up to 100 Aruna Fishers. The training revolved around fish processing and socialization related to the implementation of marine ecosystem sustainability.

The first agenda took place in Banggai Laut, Central Sulawesi. It was held on 15 September 2023. The potential catch of Banggai Laut was dominated by puffer fish, but Aruna realized that the people there had not got adequate education regarding puffer fish post-catch processing. In fact, bubbles in puffer fish were rich in collagen and had an excellent selling price and export value. Therefore, for this particular case, Aruna collaborated with Lini Foundation to provide mentoring for coastal communities. 

Muhammad Taufiq, the Field Coordinator of the Banggai Laut Program from Lini Foundation, stated, “Who else will support our fishers and coastal communities if not ourselves? Having an aligned vision, Aruna and Lini Foundation join hands to help empower coastal communities. They must be aware that the potential around them has exquisite economic value, but they must also be the one who takes care of it and benefits from it. It then must certainly be followed by the sustainability of responsible marine ecosystems.”

The second agenda took place in Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi. It was held on 23 September 2023. In collaboration with Rare Conservation, Aruna held a number of training activities covering financial literacy, registration of Social Security Administrator for Employment (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) and Electronic Marine and Fisheries Business Actor Card (e-Kusuka), as well as sustainability implementation through Fisheries Area Access Management. Aruna realized that capacity building from various aspects could help improve the economic management of coastal communities.

Tarlan Subarno, the Program Implementation Associate of Rare Conservation, added, “We understand that being a fisher is definitely a very risky job as they completely are unable to control the forces of nature. On this National Maritime Day, Aruna and Rare Conservation invite BPJS Ketenagakerjaan and e-Kusuka to talk to the coastal communities here. They must also register themselves as official business actors. Thus, they have various beneficial guarantees, such as work accident insurance, even death.”

Utari Octavianty, the Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Aruna, stated, “Beyond education on fundamental matters for fishers and coastal communities, this agenda is also a forum for communication and connection. We can help provide some targeted masses, with whom the local Marine and Fisheries Office and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan can share their programs. We are a maritime country. We must work together to optimize the potential of the ocean and make it a better livelihood for all.”