In Laindatang, Rambu Anggi merges teaching and medical care to safeguard her isolated community.
Armed with a red backpack and medical training, she exemplifies rural resilience in East Sumba.
Accessing medical services is a tremendous challenge in the village of Laindatang, a remote region of East Sumba without electricity or healthcare infrastructure. Yet, one woman, Rambu Anggi, is quietly transforming lives. A schoolteacher and a mother, she is also a newly trained Kawan Sehat Health Agent, serving a village of around 100 families with limited resources but immense resolve.
Her home is a modest wooden structure shared with other teachers. Lacking modern conveniences, her life is shaped by simplicity. Thanks to the Fair Future and Kawan Baik Indonesia Foundations, she now has clean water and sanitation—fundamental improvements for health and dignity, crucial for preventing waterborne diseases like malaria, dengue and dysentery. Today, she is joined by Erwin, Fair Future’s mobile field coordinator, the “MediRider,” who traverses rugged terrain to mentor, resupply, and train local health agents. His role illustrates the importance of mobile health services in reaching isolated communities where geographical barriers hinder traditional healthcare delivery.
Sitting together on ageing chairs, Erwin and Rambu Anggi review her medical supplies, update treatment logs, and reinforce procedures using the Kawan Sehat app. Her bright medical backpack, marked with a Red Cross, holds more than 100 essential medical items—from oral rehydration salts, crucial in treating dehydration from diarrhoea, to dressings and antibiotics critical for wound care and infection control. Though she treats only a few dozen patients monthly, her impact is deeply felt—a testament to how Primary Medical Care at the community level can drastically improve health outcomes.
As a new participant in the Primary Medical Care program, she continues learning and preparing for the next session in Waingapu. These programs enhance her ability to tackle health issues, ensuring public health principles are applied in her community. Beyond her clinical role, Rambu Anggi promotes prevention and education, combining her teaching background with health outreach to foster resilient, informed families. Health education empowers communities to make informed choices about their well-being and reduces preventable diseases.
Her work reflects the ethos of the Fair Future Foundation: care rooted in presence, trust, and community connection. In places the world often overlooks, people like Rambu Anggi remind us that meaningful change begins locally—with knowledge, kindness, and a will to serve.
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 5th 2025
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