Lambrineu News Update

Projects of the Lambrineu Community Home: growing ginger and chili pepper

By Hans Nijhoff

The Lambrineu Community Home in Lampaya, which was funded by the members of INA and the Rotary Club Brussel Coudenberg, is in full operation. The dental clinic and medical care units, as well as the children’s playing center are all up and running. The Community Home has also helped to restore drinking water supply in the village of Lampaya. Two important projects that the Community Home recently started, are the growing of ginger and chili pepper in the Lhoknga sub-district.

The main source of income in Lhoknga has always been related to agriculture, with rice, ginger, chili pepper and coconut being the main products. Identification by Lambrineu concluded that ginger and chili would provide farmers with the highest income, while farmers have a long tradition and experience with these crops. Farmers are traditionally organized at village level. There is a cooperative present in the area, which is however government owned, does not have the farmers’ benefits at its highest priority, and is by many considered corrupt. Farmers only dealt with it out of security needs and because there was no alternative. Extension services (teaching farmers about production, diseases, markets and prices) in Lhoknga are practically non-existent. [read more]

Press Release on Rumoh Le Guno

Official opening of the “Rumoh Le Guna“ – Multi-Purpose Community Home, on Tuesday 27th of December, in Lhok Nga, Aceh (12 km. south-west of Banda Aceh). The privately funded project was initiated by the Lambrineu Foundation, consisting of Prof. Doctor Syafi’i Ma’arif (former Chairman of Muhammadiyah) as Honorary Chairman, Mr. Hasballah M. Saad (former Minister for Human Rights) as General Chairman, and, among others, Mr. Sabam Siagian and Mr. Sulaiman Abdulmanan, as Special Advisors.

On the 26th of December, the first anniversary of the tsunami will be commemorated. Aceh was the worst-affected region, with reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts still on-going and the Acehnese people trying hard to regain their normal lives. One year after relief operations started, reports in the media draw one main conclusion: the need for better coordination between NGOs and the community. According to aid workers the main lesson learned is that local communities have not been sufficiently consulted and involved from the start of their projects. Including the community from the start would have made projects more sustainable and adaptable throughout the process.  [read more]

Program of the Grand Opening of ‘Rumoh Le Guna’
Lambrineu Foundation, 27 December 2005:

10.00: Arrival of the guests

10.00-10.15: Traditional Acehnese Welcome Dance

10.20: Welcome Speech by Mr. Sulaiman Abdulmanan, Vice Chairman of Lambrineu Foundation

10.25: Speech by Mr. Rio D. Praaning Prawira Adiningrat, Advisor to Lambrineu Foundation and Managing Partner of PA Asia/PA International  [read more]