We're building dozens of ferrocement tanks in the remote region of East Sumba, each capable of holding over 5,300 litres of clean water. Local families participate in their construction, ensuring long-term sustainability. Access to clean water prevents disease and transforms daily lives. Join us as we develop solutions.



Donate

Improve lives



Glossary

Of Definitions



Quick News

Short Updates

The News

Last articles

We have compiled a list of articles and pages for this topic

The Fair Future Foundation in East Indonesia combats social and medical injustice and aims to ensure everyone has access to healthcare, clean water, and education. Join us in making a difference.

Home News

Latest from the Field

Seeking 30 Android Phones to Equip Rural Kawan Sehat Health Workers

13.11.2025 - We urgently seek a manufacturer willing to donate 30 simple Android phones for our Kawan Sehat health workers. These devices are vital for using our medical app and caring for 1,000 patients monthly. Contact us if you can help.

One School Electrified—Over 100 Still Waiting for Light

07.11.2025 - Electrifying one school may seem small, yet it changes everything. In East Sumba, over 100 schools and villages still live without power. Together, we can bring light, opportunity, and hope to many more.

Solar Electrification Brings Power to SDN Mbajik School in East Sumba

07.11.2025 - Fair Future has powered SDN Mbajik School with solar energy—16 panels, a 14kW battery, and a hybrid inverter now supply electricity to 80 students and teachers. A first step toward sustainable energy and better education.

Fair Future Donates CHF 19,248.96 to Fund 2025/26 Primary Medical Care

07.10.2025 - Fair Future has donated CHF 19,248.96 (IDR 400M) to support the 2025/26 Primary Medical Care program. This vital funding ensures continued medical care, medicines, and support for remote Indonesian communities.

Connecting the Roof to Laindatang’s 115m³ Reservoir for First Rain

01.10.2025 - Today, we connect the roof to the 115m³ reservoir in Laindatang. After two months of drying, the structure is ready. Soon, the next rain will begin filling it. A big step toward sustainable clean water for the village.

Fair Future Allocates CHF 1,500 for Essential Medicines

30.09.2025 - We allocated nearly CHF 1,500 to purchase essential medicines, covering about two months of needs. These supplies are crucial for treating patients in remote communities with limited access to healthcare.

Final Report on the Construction of Eight Ferrocement Tanks in Hambarita

13.09.2025 - The final report on Hambarita’s eight ferrocement reservoirs is now online. These 4,400–5,300L tanks provide vital clean water for 151 residents. Read the full document and see how this project strengthens resilience

Explore Fair Future’s Interactive Map of East Sumba Projects

05.09.25 — Discover our detailed East Sumba map, showing schools, villages, and communities without electricity or clean water. Learn where Fair Future works daily to bring healthcare, water, and light to remote populations.

2024 Accounts Approved: 16 Years of Transparency and Excellence

19.05.25 - Our 2024 accounts are officially approved by our certified Swiss auditor, without remarks, for the 16th year. Please read the full audit report on our documentation page. Accountability is our commitment.

Breaking Menstrual Taboos: Dignity and Health for Every Girl

13.05.25 - Menstruation is not shameful—it’s natural. Yet in ultra-rural Indonesia, girls lack access to hygiene, education, and support. Fair Future works to restore dignity and health. Please read our full article to understand and act.

Healthy Food

Promoting access to healthy food to prevent malnutrition and improve child development.

Launch of a vital project for children in Laindatatang

by Alex | Jan 10, 2024 | Child Health, Laindatang 23/25, Water Connections

Fair Future is on a mission to transform the lives of the rural community in Laindatang, Indonesia, through a groundbreaking project. Led by its dedicated Founder and President, Alex Wettstein, the foundation is tackling the pressing issues of clean water access, malaria, and primary medical care. With over a year of on-site work, the foundation is making remarkable progress in creating a brighter future for the people of Laindatang.

Fair Future’s 2023 Impact: Health, Hope in Rural Areas

by Alex | Dec 21, 2023 | Education & Social, Emergencies, Health and medicine, Laindatang 23/25, Our Communication

Greetings from Rumah Kambera, East Sumba! I am thrilled to share with you the remarkable 2023 milestones of the Fair Future Foundation in remote Indonesian regions. Our dedicated volunteers have been instrumental in transforming health and well-being, from effectively eradicating malaria to providing water connections. As we approach our 15th anniversary, I urge you to join us in celebrating these phenomenal achievements and discover how your support can continue to make a real and lasting difference in these dynamic communities.

Transforming Lives – Deep Drilling for Clean Water in East Sumba

by Alex | Oct 26, 2023 | Health preservation, Mbinudita, Water Connections

In East Sumba, a 60-meter deep drilling project stands as a beacon of transformation. This gargantuan endeavor by Fair Future and Kawan Baik is not just about providing clean water; it’s a comprehensive approach to improve public health, education, and quality of life for over 2,000 people. This is where the battle against diseases like malaria takes a new turn, a testament to human resilience.

Matawai: Fair Future’s Eye-Opening Documentary on East Indonesia’s Water Crisis

by Alex | Sep 26, 2023 | Environment, Laindatang 23/25, Water Connections

Matawai’ serves as a profound wakeup call to the global community about the water crisis in Eastern Indonesia. Produced by Fair Future Foundation, this compelling documentary vividly portrays the day-to-day struggles of rural families. Through this film, you’ll also witness the groundbreaking initiatives we’ve implemented to transform access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education. We invite you to join Fair Future in advocating for universal access to these basic human needs.

Urgent Donation Appeal: Save Lives with Fair Future’s Critical Humanitarian Programs

by Alex | Sep 21, 2023 | Education & Social, Health and medicine, Urgent Needs

Fair Future Foundation faces a critical situation that threatens the continuation of our lifesaving programs in Indonesia. With only 4000 francs left, we urgently require your support to sustain our medical and social initiatives. Your donation will help us purchase essential medical equipment, provide clean water and nutritious food, and fight diseases like Malaria and Tuberculosis. This is a dire call to humanity—every donation counts. Help us ensure a brighter tomorrow for those who need it most

Awesome! The first loaded truck arrives at Laindatang

by Alex | Jul 9, 2023 | Laindatang 23/25, Picture of the day, Water Connections

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you the truck climbing the steep slope that leads to the village of Laindatang, which is ultra isolated, where a hundred families live without electricity, water, and very little food. This first truck transports construction materials and healthy sanitary facilities, which our teams have manufactured at the Rumah Kambera base camp.

We're excited to announce a significant milestone in our mission to create a positive impact! Despite facing difficult conditions and encountering broken promises, our unwavering dedication to improving the lives of impoverished villagers has prevailed. After days of arduous road repairs, we are proud to share that a truck laden with essential construction materials has finally reached the remote village of Laindatang. This remarkable achievement, made possible through the unwavering support and resilience of the villagers, marks a crucial step in providing vital resources and support to a community lacking necessities.

The road to the village presented numerous challenges, with its treacherous slopes and slippery terrain. Our team, armed with determination and their bare hands, overcame these obstacles with unwavering resolve. Though we encountered setbacks, including a failed attempt and broken bolts, our determination never wavered.

Two months ago, we were promised assistance by the department responsible for road infrastructure, but regrettably, their support never materialized. Nevertheless, we refused to be deterred from our mission of bringing essential resources and support to the impoverished villagers, who live in extreme poverty, deprived of electricity, clean water, and sanitation facilities – Ref: Water Connections Program here.

Yesterday, as the truck conquered the treacherous slopes, an overwhelming sense of joy and accomplishment washed over us. It was a moment that infused hope and happiness into the previously isolated village of Laindatang. I was moved to tears, knowing that I had dedicated nearly a year of my life to bringing this project to fruition.

Water and sanitation are crucial in the fight against malaria

by Alex | Jun 5, 2023 | Kawan Against Malaria, Laindatang 23/25, Picture of the day

Check out the latest addition to our "Photo of the Day" collection featuring our colleague Kawean Essi. In the village of Mbinudita (East Sumba), Kawan Essi teaches a hundred villagers of all ages, including children, about the importance of clean and safe water and how it can lead to a healthier life. The "Water Connections" program is a practical approach to fight against various infectious diseases, such as malaria.

In the fight against malaria, it's essential to acknowledge the progress made. However, we must also recognize the crucial role of hygiene, clean water, and sanitation in eliminating this disease. This is why the Water Connections program exists – to provide access to these necessities.

At Fair Future, we understand that improving these fundamental aspects of daily life can significantly prevent malaria transmission and ultimately save lives. Addressing issues such as hygiene, water, and sanitation is crucial in the fight against malaria because they directly impact mosquito breeding, access to clean water, hygiene practices, and vector management.

We prioritize these issues in all our activities, particularly in implementing the "Malaria Prevention Initiative Sumba Timur 2023" program, which we aim to start as soon as possible as part of the PMC, Primary Medical Care program.

Together, we can dramatically reduce malaria transmission and improve the health and well-being of affected communities. We must prioritize these efforts to save lives, prevent unnecessary suffering, and move towards a significant decrease in malaria cases, especially here in Sumba, where we currently are.

Empowering Health and Transforming Lives of Children

by Alex | Jun 4, 2023 | Child Health, Kawan Against Malaria, Picture of the day

This new "Picture of the Day" displays a gathering of children in one of the homes in the remote village of Mbatapuhu, East Sumba. Our dedicated socio-medical team educates them on the importance of self-care, utilizing the "Kawan Sehat" guidebook. This village is situated in a challenging location with no access to electricity, clean water, or sanitation facilities. The nearest medical centre is over two hours away by motorbike or a gruelling six-hour walk. The villagers rely on nature for their restroom needs. Unfortunately, due to poor hygiene practices, malaria has become a significant issue. Additionally, malnutrition is a primary concern in this impoverished and rural community.

In the remote villages of East Sumba, the Fair Future Foundation conducts information sessions for children under the "Kawan Sehat" program during every visit. We collaborate with members of these rural communities to disseminate crucial information on maintaining good health, accessing better healthcare, and protecting oneself from diseases like malaria and dengue fever. These sessions, which are both informative and fun, equip children with the knowledge they need to lead healthier, more promising lives.

Malaria and dengue fever are grave illnesses that frequently afflict the rural areas of East Sumba. Through these sessions, we educate children on preventive measures such as using insecticide-treated bed nets, eliminating stagnant water and seeking medical assistance immediately upon experiencing symptoms. Through promoting this knowledge, we hope to significantly reduce the incidence of these diseases and safeguard children's health. The "Malaria Prevention Initiative Sumba Timur 2023" program was launched to combat malaria.

These sessions are not limited to specific illnesses but also cover topics such as personal hygiene, balanced nutrition, and healthy lifestyles. Children are encouraged to adopt positive habits like handwashing, consuming nutritious foods, and exercising. By incorporating such practices into their daily lives, they can develop more robust, healthier, and resilient bodies.

The Fair Future and Kawan Baik teams empower children and strengthen entire communities by providing vital information on disease prevention and healthy habits.

A healthier life thanks to the Water Connections program

by Alex | May 29, 2023 | Learning, Picture of the day, Water Connections

This new "Picture of the Day" shows a delighted father who can now provide daily showers for his children, thanks to the newly installed water supply. Previously, they could only shower sporadically, sometimes only once a month. Additionally, the photo showcases the new sanitation facilities constructed in Mbinudita. The Water Connections project has successfully installed over forty reservoirs, thirty sanitary installations, three deep boreholes, and more than 15000 meters of HDPE pipes.

Water scarcity can be a significant source of stress for some regions, and various factors can cause it. Arid climates, low rainfall and prolonged droughts are just a few conditions that can contribute to water scarcity. Poor water resource management and a lack of knowledge can also exacerbate this problem, making it even more difficult for everyone to access the water they need to thrive.
Despite these challenges, Fair Future is working hard to address water scarcity and ensure people have access to this vital resource. That is why we have developed the Water Program Connections.

Fair Future and Kawan Baik have noticed a significant improvement in the behaviour of families who have benefited from the "Water Connections" initiative. This program has enabled people to grow gardens, consume healthier food, enjoy life more, reduce stress, and boost energy levels. As a result, there has been a marked decrease in illnesses.

Witnessing these positive changes fills us with joy and reinforces our conviction in our decisions. Fair Future and Kawan Baik Foundation have always aimed to improve individual health, and providing access to safe drinking water is a beautiful way to accomplish this objective. As a Medical Foundation, Fair Future Foundation understands clean water's significance for maintaining good health. Drinking enough clean and healthy water is crucial for various physiological processes, including body hydration, proper organ function, digestion, and elimination of toxins.

Access to clean and safe water prevents dehydration-related illnesses, such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and constipation. It also significantly prevents dehydration, particularly in hot areas where sweating and water loss through respiration are common. While water is necessary for maintaining good health, we understand better than anyone else that certain medical conditions may require alternative treatments.

Happy to have water without going far to get it

by Alex | May 14, 2023 | Environment, Mbinudita, Picture of the day

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you a 12-year-old kid named Yaspan. He was born in a tiny village in East Sumba where Fair Future and Kawan Baik have worked for over four years. We built a new school for him a few years ago, #sdmbinudita, and now he and his family have clean water reaching his house, which was not the case before. Yaspan and all his friends from the Village of Mbinudita are lucky because children struggle to get water everywhere else. They have to find it very far on foot; to do this, they miss school, get injured, and fall ill.

There's something inexplicably satisfying about the heavy rains in ultra-rural East Sumba, especially when you live in a water-scarce area: The sound of raindrops hitting the roof is soothing, and the smell of wet earth is refreshing; plus, you feel good because you know that this rain will help the family. When it rains a lot, kids and families here can't help but be happy knowing that their water tanks will be filled and they won't have to worry about running out of water for a moment.

"-It's a small blessing for which I am grateful, and I always make sure to take advantage of the rain while it lasts…" a friend from the village told me last month.

Heavy rains like the ones we experienced last month in one of the ultra-rural villages in East Sumba, where we work with Fair Future and Kawan Baik Indonesia foundations, are also an opportunity to celebrate as these kids wade through the water. They are the first to be happy because they won't have to walk for hours to fetch water far from home.

With those heavy rains comes plenty of water and the relief of much-needed hydration. The floods will provide much-needed food for crops, wash livestock and provide villagers with general water and sanitation assistance. With the bonus of increased economic activity and improved social well-being from the new abundance of water, these small floods are becoming the opportunity of a lifetime for the villages of Sumba. With increased water storage, a healthier environment and better living conditions, small floods caused by heavy rains are the perfect way to improve the lives of villagers in these areas where water is absent.

It's interesting to consider that what may be a challenge for many of us is a helpful solution for these families.

Kullup is a hole in the rock to collect rainwater

by Alex | May 10, 2023 | Laindatang 23/25, Picture of the day, Water Connections

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you kids from the village of Laidatang, who fetch water far from home in the "Kullup" of the village. Elthon, responsible for documentation (with the black t-shirt), and Alex, from the medical staff, are also present in this photo. With the kids and one or two adults accompanying us, we walk more than an hour to reach this place in the middle of a high hill. You must descend a steep path to access these hand-dug holes in the rock. In 30 minutes, we will have to go up the hill and walk back. But this time, loaded with several jerrycans filled to the brim.

The Fair Future and Kawan Baik teams spend two days with the families of the ultra-rural and isolated village of Laindatang to get to know them even better. In this village, we have the project to create a #WaterConnections project. I let you read here the articles related to this project and here to see what your want to do to save their lives,

In Laindatang, families only have access to rainwater. It's for everything: eating, drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes, drinking water, caring for children, sick people or watering animals. Therefore, one of the ways for women and young girls to have water at home to live on is to walk several kilometres to find the "Kullup".

Kullup, what is it? These are small stone basins, directly dug into the rock by the villagers, used to collect and store rainwater in rural areas. When it rains, the water seeps into the ground at the top of the hill and then is filtered through the earth and the basements. It flows drop by drop in these stone basins, the "Kullup". Then the villagers come to fill their jerrycans with five or ten litres.

The "Kuluk" are an essential water source for the local communities. But the quality of stored water can be affected by bacterial contamination, chemicals, animal waste or debris. Therefore, regularly cleaning these small holes in the rock is essential to maintain water quality. It is important to note that the "kuluk" is only a temporary solution to the water crisis in areas with limited access to drinking water. Indeed, the "kuluks" cannot fill up correctly without rain. They dry out about ten days after the last rains and remain dry for almost nine months. To find water, young girls, women and children, sometimes under five, will have to walk even further and longer.

Our two organizations work with local communities to implement longer-term solutions, such as constructing water supply networks using deep boreholes and sealed and healthy rainwater cisterns. The Water Connections program offers innovative and sustainable solutions. It includes promoting water conservation practices with “Kawan Sehat” and self-sustaining access to Primary Medical Care through the PMC program.

Helping ultra-rural families to have a healthier life

by Alex | May 9, 2023 | Education & Social, Health and medicine, Picture of the day

This new "Picture of the Day" features Kawan Ino, one of the Fair Future team members in Sumba (Rumah Kambera Leader), talking to health workers and the village community of Kabanda. To do this, he uses the "Kawan Sehat" book we produced at the end of 2022 for children in these regions. This book is an integral part of the program of access to primary medical care for children in ultra-rural areas.

We spend two days here, and you can read what we have done in Kabanda. This village is genuinely one of the most isolated I have ever seen. Getting it is difficult, even dangerous, at times. No road leads to this village; only extremely steep or steep stony paths allow us to go there. Kawan Ino explains how to have a healthier life thanks to implementing specific things in everyday life. This includes physical and mental health, body and home hygiene, daily habits and women empowerment.

Thanks to the Kawan Sehat program, we see a significant improvement in the health and well-being of rural populations. It is truly heartening to see healthy habits being encouraged and access to health care increasing. It is vital that everyone has access to quality health care, and we are happy that this program allows more people to receive the care they need.

Here, when a person is sick or injured while a woman is due to give birth, one of the only ways for her to receive medical attention is to carry her on people's backs for several hours or even a whole day until the nearest health centre. This person also does not know if he will arrive in time at the medical centre, called "Puskesmas or Pustu", as we have seen on several occasions.

This is why this book is necessary: “Kawan Sehat” is intended for schools and teachers. It's an amazing teaching aid for them, and kids love it. Nothing is done here to give children the means to learn from an early age how to wash themselves, eat healthier, use soap, and learn not to pollute or brush their teeth etc… In the classrooms here in East Sumba, the book“Kawan Sehat” is the only one available for children; there are no others.

The Zero Malaria Spot Radio

Interactive East Sumba map