The word femininity contains an implication of something not aggressive and passive. However, women of the female group at the Semanting Bay Village, Derawan District, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan Province successfully fused their femininity into various innovations to protect nature and their community. By harnessing their experiences, sensibilities, and perspectives as women in a community with a strong sense of culture, this female group successfully merged interests in nature conservation and their community’s economy.
Semanting Bay Village is home to the mangrove ecosystem that extends to approximately 750 hectares. Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), with partners, supported Berau Regency Government in sustainable mangrove ecosystem management. Through Communities Inspiring Action for Change (Aksi Inspiratif Warga untuk Perubahan or SIGAP), a set of female group livelihood development and awareness programs from 2019 to June 2021.
Various discussions ranging from identification results of mangrove biodiversity to mangrove economic value sparked new inspiration among Semanting Bay Village residents. From these discussions, villagers and the female group in Semanting Bay Village agreed to protect the mangrove ecosystem by utilizing it sustainably. They decided to mobilize villagers and the female group to sustain the mangrove ecosystem by developing an alternative livelihood and creative business model.
Semanting Bay Village residents settled on protecting all mangrove ecosystems for ecotourism development. Under the context of livelihood development, the female group in Semanting Bay Village had developed amplang and chips products. Additionally, the female group also tried to develop batik created using natural colorings originating from mangrove leaf and fruit extraction and mangrove coffee. However, in the process, the production of mangrove coffee was halted due to insufficient utilities. Meanwhile, batik production created using natural colorings from mangroves was still trying to be sustained.
Batik training for the written batik (batik tulis) method using mangrove natural colorings was continued via facilitation. Eventually, the method taught was switched to stamped batik (batik cap) method, which was easier but did not eliminate the conservation and economic aspect of the mangrove ecosystem.
At present, Semanting Bay Village female group, which operates under the Family Welfare Movement (Pemberdayaan Kesejahteraan Keluarga or PKK), has been able to produce batik uniforms for Semanting Bay Village officers. In addition to training and technical facilitation, the female group was also trained in financial management, simple business plan formulation, and capacity empowerment in supporting the mangrove ecotourism development. The female group’s products are marketed through the Semanting Bay Village-Owned Enterprises (Badan Usaha Milik Kampung or BUMKam).
The involvement of the Semanting Bay Village female group brought new colors to creating solutions that brought harmony between economic and conservation interests. The touch of these women inscribed new patterns in their efforts to live prosperously along with nature and the community.