In Lahiru, Josef and Sarlota provide frontline care to hundreds of people far from any clinic.
With Erwin’s support, they restock, learn, and serve in East Sumba’s most isolated environment.
Lahiru is one of the most remote villages in East Sumba. It has no electricity, water, or medical post. The nearest health centre is 15 kilometres away in Mahu, accessible only by a dangerous trek over steep paths. In this extreme isolation, Fair Future and Kawan Baik Foundations have built a system of care, one that starts with local people and a backpack.
During a recent two-day mission, Erwin, Fair Future’s MediRider, and Elton reached Lahiru on foot and by scooter. They visited two trained Kawan Sehat health agents: Josef and Rambu Sarlota. These two have served their village since 2022, living in a one-room home with seven family members and providing essential healthcare to hundreds with almost no external support.
Medical care in Lahiru is not delivered in clinics. It takes place outdoors, inside homes, or in fields, wherever people are. Erwin updates Josef and Sarlota on new treatment protocols, restocks their medical backpacks with essentials—fever reducers, antiseptics, dressing kits—and reviews procedures through both the Kawan Sehat app and written reports.
Their Medical Backpacks, once plastic boxes, are now made from recycled fabric and designed for mobility and resilience. With these tools, Josef and Sarlota monitor blood pressure, clean wounds, provide medication, and offer advice to their neighbors. Even during Erwin’s visit, patients continue to arrive—care can’t wait in places where it’s the only lifeline.
This is what decentralised, community-driven healthcare looks like. It’s built on trust, training, and adaptability. Josef and Sarlota are not just volunteers—they are the foundation of survival in Lahiru. Fair Future and Kawan Baik stand with them to ensure that healthcare reaches those who would otherwise be forgotten.
We cordially invite all captivated by this story to explore our photo gallery, witness this extraordinary effort, and further engage with our mission through our Instagram account.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – May the 6th 2025