For the first time in its project history, all partners of the Community-Led Innovation Partnership (CLIP) finally met in person. The CLIP Annual Workshop 2023 was an opportunity for participants from seven different countries to exchange learning experiences, visit local attractions, and build friendships. They met on January 23–27, 2023 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The CLIP project itself is a collaborative partnership of the UK’s Elrha, Start Network, the Asia Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN), the Philippines’ Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP), Guatemala’s la Asociación de Servicios Comunitarios de Salud (ASECSA), and YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU). It is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). CLIP supports the emergence and development of locally-driven solutions to humanitarian problems in the Democratic Republic of Congo (deferred), Guatemala, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

In its first in-person workshop, participants from the organizations in the partnership were joined by colleagues from the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society of India (SEEDS India). In five days full of memorable moments, organizations in the partnership evaluated the 3-year project and plan for the next 2 years.

 

Isabel of Elrha and Ikue of ADRRN trying traditional grilled food

 

Sightseeing and savoring Jogja’s cuisine

As the hosting partner, the YEU team arranged a cultural visit to show a glimpse of Indonesia’s cultural heritage by visiting Keraton Ratu Boko, an ancient Hindu–Buddhist palace compound in the vicinity of the Prambanan temple.

For a week, the CLIP partners stayed at 101 Yogyakarta Tugu Hotel where they could easily go to most touristic areas of Yogyakarta (also known as Jogja). Aside from enjoying the hotel food, they also got to taste some local culinary delights: Western food at Candhari Heaven with its stunning view, an afternoon snack time at Candi Tirto Raharjo with its meditative fishponds, and a taste of Javanese angkringan supper style at Warung Klangenan.

Food was also a highlight of the two field visits planned on the first and fourth days of the meeting. YEU’s innovation partners in the IDEAKSI (short for Idea, Innovation, Action, and Inclusion) program served the participants with very-much liked local fish for lunch in Giriasih Village, Gunungkidul.

At GKJ Ambarrukma, a Christian church in Caturtunggal, Sleman, a typical Javanese menu was served for lunch, also by IDEAKSI innovators. This get-together time with local communities was even merrier with participants trying to play kulintang, a traditional musical instrument, together with kids from the local congregation.

IDEAKSI itself is YEU’s CLIP project in Indonesia. It seeks to find innovative and inclusive solutions to disaster management for most-at-risk groups, including persons with disabilities and the elderly. The project is now in its scale-up (growth) phase.

 

Meeting IDEAKSI innovators at the Caturtunggal Village Office Compound

 

Fruitful visits to IDEAKSI innovators

The CLIP Annual Workshop participants visited two out of four innovation sites in the aforementioned phase, namely the Ngudi Mulya Farmers’ Group in Gunungkidul and GKJ Ambarrukma’s PB Palma (the church’s disaster response and community service unit) in Sleman. Despite visiting only two places, they had the chance to discuss aspects of each CLIP partner’s innovation in groups with all nine IDEAKSI innovators.

During the visit on Monday (23/1) to PB Palma, representatives of eight IDEAKSI innovators got to meet for the first time the CLIP partners from six different countries. Before visiting PB Palma’s early warning system innovation along the Gajahwong River, the participants discussed innovation sustainability, partnership, data collection, governance, and community participation.

Local government officials and farmers attended the second field visit to another IDEAKSI innovation team, Ngudi Mulya, on Thursday (26/1). Before witnessing how their smart mist irrigation system works, the CLIP partners learned how this innovation is led by the community and how delicious their traditional meal is.

 

Samuel of SEEDS India took a picture with a Ngudi Mulya farmer

 

Impressions from IDEAKSI innovators

From the interactions made during the visits, some of the IDEAKSI innovators wrote their impressions and comments below.

 

In the previous CLIP workshop meeting, we learned that every community or area is able to develop a method or medium that is suitable to their own condition in increasing capacity to face disasters. From India, we learned about the uses of the geographic information system (GIS) in modeling and predicting disaster risks. From the Philippines, we learned how to make use of data and disseminate information to create policies. From Guatemala, we learned how to approach and include the community in disaster management activities. And from Indonesia, we learned how to integrate data on vulnerable groups in planning for inclusive development at the regional level. 

 Amin Nurohmah of FPRB Gunungkidul

 

I am extremely happy to be able to meet and discuss [this] in person. What is most interesting to me is the moments in a discussion when meeting hard-headed people. In Indonesia, they will be convinced more easily when leaders are present. But in other countries, they tend to be flexible when there is a feeling of hesitance.

Irfan of FKWA (Winong Asri Communication Forum)

 

From yesterday’s discussions, … we gathered more knowledge. The only difficulty was in communicating with our friends who are deaf. From what they said, only had a few words that I understood, so sometimes I got confused.

Saryono of DIFAGANA DIY

 

Thanks to YEU for inviting us to meet the donors. It was such an honor to be able to meet social workers who really dedicate their lives to others. After meeting the donors, I became more motivated to improve my personal quality and capacity for service to the community. And what impressed me the most was that I could meet the two incredible donors from Japan and we could have a conversation in Japanese. Being unable to speak in Japanese for a long time, I finally could talk in Japanese. It truly felt like living in Japan again.

Japan has taught me so much. Even in this SEKOCI program, I adopted them from my experience living in a homestay program in Japan.

Agus Putranto of SEKOCI