Lives in Progress…

Scientific medical studies underway

Every action counts—support us today
Select Page

Donate

Improve lives

Glossary

Of Definitions

Quick News

Short Updates

The News

Last articles

Latest from the Field

Fair Future Foundation Transforms Healthcare in Mahu with Clean Water Access

Fair Future Foundation Transforms Healthcare in Mahu with Clean Water Access

In the heart of East Sumba, Fair Future Foundation’s relentless efforts have brought a significant transformation to healthcare. Access to clean water, a basic necessity, has been restored at the Mahu health center (Puskesmas), benefiting over 20,000 individuals. The absence of clean water in healthcare has dire consequences, affecting hygiene, patient care, and overall operations. Fair Future invested nearly $10,000 to rectify this crisis, installing pipes, tanks, pumps, and more. This monumental achievement is a lifeline for ultra-rural communities, but challenges persist, including minimal access to water and high malaria rates. Fair Future remains dedicated through programs like Zero Malaria.

read more
Transforming Lives in East Sumba: Rotary Australia’s Vital Partnership

Transforming Lives in East Sumba: Rotary Australia’s Vital Partnership

The partnership between Rotary Australia and Fair Future aims to make a positive impact on vulnerable communities in East Sumba. Through a joint effort, we are dedicated to providing clean water access and disease control, which will help bring hope and a brighter future to these communities. Our collaboration highlights the importance of friendship and teamwork in achieving these life-changing initiatives. Explore the transformative results of our revolutionary programs and witness the strength of our commitment to making a difference.

read more
Bringing Sanitation to an Underserved Village in East Sumba

Bringing Sanitation to an Underserved Village in East Sumba

The image illustrates our ongoing project: the excavation of a septic tank. This is the very first step towards the installation of the first-ever sanitation infrastructure in the village's history. Our goal is to reinforce the health and well-being of the families in this community. In closely associating ourselves with the villagers, a core principle in our approach, we work hand in hand to provide them vital access to water and sanitation facilities, despite their isolation in the eastern part of Sumba.

For several months now, our organizations – Fair Future and Kawan Baik – have favored constructing lightweight steel facilities. This decision is based on hygiene, maintenance, and construction efficiency grounds. The entire structure (in this case, two toilet – shower stalls) is constructed at the Fair Future Foundation’s base camp in Waingapu, called Rumah Kambera. We then transport the dismantled structure to the site of installation. It takes about a week for our team to operationalize an installation like this, followed by one to two weeks dedicated to finishing and aesthetic touch-ups.

In this underprivileged environment, families lack access to basic services, needs such as access to water or electricity are non-existent. During the dry season, when rainwater tanks are almost empty, they must travel miles to collect just a few litres of often unsuitable water. See the related #waterconnections posts here.

In the village of Laindatang, inhabitants have never had the privilege of a working shower or toilet. The enthusiasm and joy are palpable as they witness the construction of these new facilities, bringing them a simple feeling of happiness.

This installation will also contribute to reducing infectious diseases caused by the absence of adequate sanitation facilities in the village. This will likely lead to an increase in the quality of life for the villagers, a reduction in the time spent gathering water, and promote overall community health and well-being. This initiative is more than just building sanitation facilities. It symbolizes the start of a new chapter for Laindatang, signifying change and development towards a healthier community.

Thus, the work of Fair Future and Kawan Baik extends beyond physical construction, promoting progress, health, and hope for the future.

read more
The #WaterConnections project in Laindatang has started!

The #WaterConnections project in Laindatang has started!

In this new "Picture of the Day", we witness the difficulties faced by young children in East Sumba as they search for clean water. These children must travel quite a distance from their homes to reach the kullups (small stone basins dug directly into the rocky terrain by villagers to collect and hold rainwater in rural areas). Unfortunately, it is unlikely to rain for the next nine months, and the children must walk over ten kilometres to obtain just a few litres of water to sustain themselves; kullups are dry now.

Presently, families in Laindatang endure arduous journeys, spanning miles and lasting over 10 hours, to obtain meagre quantities of drinking water. With a daily allocation of fewer than 2 litres per person, individuals must make profound sacrifices as this limited supply must accommodate drinking, eating, personal hygiene, and sanitation needs.

Malaria ravages the village, exacerbating the adverse effects of infectious diseases, particularly among children under five. The urgency of the health crisis necessitates immediate intervention. In collaboration with Kawan Baik and local authorities, Fair Future is committed to launching a comprehensive Water Connections project, addressing the pressing need for clean water in the village with utmost urgency.

Commencing at the end of June 2023, Fair Future embarks on an extraordinary #waterconnections project in Laindatang. This initiative heralds a transformative change and instils immense pride within our organization. 

Laindatang residents rely on rainwater collection during the rainy season to meet their clean water requirements. However, limited knowledge and resources impede this method, significantly contaminating water reservoirs. During the dry season, their options are limited to accessing water from the Kuluban artificial pool nestled within a rock formation—or purchasing tank water from a select few companies.

Regrettably, accessing water becomes increasingly challenging throughout the year, with only a handful of companies willing to deliver to the village. Transport obstacles frequently result in spilt water, further diminishing the already scarce supply upon arrival in Laindatang.

For the villagers, access to clean water is a matter of survival. They currently store rainwater in unclean, contaminated, and hazardous tanks. Though this remaining water sustains them for drinking, eating, and survival, it will be depleted within weeks as the dry season commences. Tragically, this water is tainted, infected, and carries life-threatening diseases such as Malaria, Cholera, Dengue, Typhoid fever, Hepatitis A, and Guinea worm disease. Additionally, prevalent diarrheal diseases like E. coli and rotavirus, caused by contaminated water, pose a severe risk, particularly to children, leading to dehydration and even death.

You have the power to help us realize this vital project, which is indispensable for hundreds of families. If you desire, your generous donation dedicated to the #waterconnections project in the village of Laindatang would be warmly welcomed. We extend our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all those willing to contribute. With your support, we can bring love, hope, and clean water to the deserving community of Laindatang.

To access information about our implementation, you can download and read the presentation in PDF format by clicking this link.

read more
The Truck of Life wants to go everywhere

The Truck of Life wants to go everywhere

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you the "Truck of Life", driven by Alex, the founder of Fair Future Foundation, which is active in the field almost permanently. In this image, we visit the Water Connections program sites in East Sumba, Mbinudita village. This is to realize the importance of having clean water and sanitation facilities in families. Indeed, it is in these villages that from now on, the "Truck of Life" gives a minimum of medical care because people are in much better health. Water is the cheapest and most effective medicine.

The "Truck of Life" is a unique and innovative Fair Future initiative. This vehicle provides medical care to the ultra-rural areas of Sumba; it saves lives and allows you to go anywhere where almost no one ever goes. With the help of this truck, medical teams can travel to remote areas and provide health services to those who otherwise would not have access; it is also used to bring medical equipment to participants in the PMC program (Primary Medical Care Program). One of the key benefits of the Truck of Life is that it can reach people in remote areas who would not otherwise have access to healthcare services. The team on board the truck can provide a wide range of services, including primary medical check-ups, vaccinations, maternal and child health services, and treatment for common illnesses.

The Truck of Life is an innovative approach to addressing the healthcare challenges faced by people living in remote and rural areas of Indonesia. By bringing medical care and health education to these communities, the Fair Future Foundation is helping to improve the health and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable people in the country. It represents the foundation of what it wants to be on a daily basis: Close to people in rural areas. 

To ensure the "Truck of Life" successfully reaches those in need, working closely with the local community and building a solid relationship with them is essential. This is achieved by engaging with community actors and local health workers and conducting outreach programs in the villages where Fair Future and Kawan Baik work so hard to educate people on the importance of health care. In addition to providing health services, the Truck of Life also promotes health education and awareness in its communities. This is achieved through community outreach programs, where medical professionals engage with local people and provide them with information on staying healthy and preventing disease.

Another essential aspect to consider is the sustainability of the program. The "Truck of Life" is designed to operate efficiently and profitably over the long term, with a plan for maintenance, repairs and replenishment of medical supplies. The "Truck of Life" is a valuable initiative that significantly changes people's lives in Sumba's ultra-rural areas. With careful planning, collaboration with local communities and a commitment to sustainability, it has the potential to bring essential health services to those who need them most in the following years. 

read more
Fighting Malaria in Eastern Indonesia

Fighting Malaria in Eastern Indonesia

East Sumba, where we work at the time of writing this article, was experiencing a dramatic malaria epidemic. In the first quarter of 2023, there were more than 28,000 cases of Malaria, a significant increase from the previous year. A few months ago, Fair Future declared this life-threatening emergency. Despite our best efforts, Malaria cases are increasing. Here, when a child has a fever, it is more than 80% of the time a question of Malaria. We conduct health education campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of malaria prevention and early detection. Efforts to control the epidemic should include the distribution of mosquito nets, the provision of essential antimalarial drugs, as well as rapid diagnostic tests.

read more
Giving life to the village of Laindatang

Giving life to the village of Laindatang

The current priority in this village is to give them clean, safe water and sanitation. Here, families must walk for miles, sometimes more than 10 hours, to bring a few litres of clean water home. People here have less than 2 litres per day and a person to drink, eat, go to the toilets, and wash. So you have to make sacrifices. Malaria is taking its toll here, just like infectious diseases that considerably weaken families' health, especially those of children under five. This is a critical situation for us on a health level. Still, on a social level, Fair Future and Kawan Baik, in collaboration with the local authorities, wish to start a simple Water Connections project in this village as soon as possible.

read more
What do the sanitary facilities we build look like?

What do the sanitary facilities we build look like?

This new "Picture of the Day" shows you an example of construction that we carry out in the poorest villages of Indonesia and Asia. Here the families before did not have access to clean water and toilets. Fair Future and Kawan Baik Foundations have been changing this for years, and noticeable changes are being seen.

Access to drinking water and toilets is a fundamental human right. Still, unfortunately, in the regions where we are, nearly 90% of families in ultra-rural areas do not have access to these necessities. Here are some steps that can be taken to provide access to clean water and toilets in the regions that do not have access:

The first step is to identify the areas most needing these facilities. Fair Future and Kawan Baik proceed through research, surveys, and working with our local partners and authorities. Once regions that do not have access to clean water and toilets have been identified, we develop plans to provide these services. This takes into account the specific needs of each community. To do this, we have several ways to provide access to clean water, such as drilling deep wells, installing water filtration systems and collecting rainwater. The method used will depend on the specific needs of the community.

Access to toilets is also essential to reduce the rate of infectious diseases such as Cholera, Dengue, hepatitis A, and Malaria. In this photo, two sanitary facilities have been built using the Ferro-Cement method, with a tank for collecting dirty water and clean water for watering.

Fair Future also considers it essential to educate the community on the importance of hygiene and sanitation practices to prevent the spread of disease. We do this through the #waterconnections and #kawansehat and #primarymedicalcare programs.

One of our missions is also to monitor and maintain these new facilities. This requires the training of local community members who will carry out essential maintenance and repairs.

read more
Kids here have to fetch water from the age of five!

Kids here have to fetch water from the age of five!

This "Picture of the Day" shows you a five-year-old girl who, twice a day, descends the hill, steep and stony, without shoes to fetch water. She runs to go to the source, 500m away. Sometimes she falls, hurts herself, and comes back up with difficulty carrying a 5-litre jerrycan of not-so-clean water, which she and her friends have been looking for at the source.

In this village, like in many others here, people can only wash once a month, are all sick and don't have enough to eat and drink. Without access to this clean water, families – especially children – suffer from severe malnutrition, chronic respiratory and joint diseases and other illnesses linked to the consumption of dirty water and the absence of sanitation facilities. The fight against malaria, dengue fever and infectious diarrhoea also requires access to clean water and healthy water tanks. And to water that does not stagnate but circulates between the installations.

As we have already said, East Sumba is the poorest province in Southeast Asia, the region with the highest child malnutrition and associated mortality. Fait Future, therefore, wishes to act for these hundreds of people and give them access to clean and healthy water for their health.

read more
East Sumba, a village without clean water!

East Sumba, a village without clean water!

This "Picture of the Day" shows you a thrilled woman because when we last visited the "Water Connections – Laindatang" Project site, we brought – thanks to the Truck of Life – several jerry cans filled with drinking water, or about one hundred litres. So everyone is scrambling to get a little. We shared this water with the villagers.

The Water Connections project, Laindatang Site, is one for which we also seek help. Laindatang is a village without drinking water. People only wash once a month, are sick and don't have enough to eat and drink. All children are underweight, and so are adults. We must act for these hundreds of people and give them access to drinking water. The project consists of drilling a deep borehole, building healthy sanitary facilities and two clean water storage tanks, of the ferro-cement type, with a capacity of 6,500 litres each.

Here Malaria, Dengue fever and infectious diarrhoea linked to the problems of contaminated water are wreaking havoc. After carrying out the feasibility studies, we are now ready to implement this project this month. Indeed, we are on the site now and would like to start this necessary project for the hundreds of people suffering from a lack of water in the region.

read more
Water Connections project in Laindatang

Water Connections project in Laindatang

The Water Connections project, Laindatang Site, is our current top priority. Laindatang is a village without water. Everyone is sick and does not have enough to eat and drink. Children are underweight, and so are adults. We must act for these hundreds of people and give them access to clean water. Here, malaria, dengue fever and infectious diarrhoea linked to contaminated water problems are taking their toll. After completing the feasibility studies, we are ready to implement this project this month. Indeed, we are there now and wish to start this necessary project for the hundreds of people suffering from the lack of water in the region.

read more
Learning how to live healthier in rural areas

Learning how to live healthier in rural areas

Thanks to the Fair Future & Kawan Baik teams on site and the various publications that our two foundations have produced for them, we share a few hours in each group of houses, in each village where Fair Future and Kawan Baik have carried out one or more projects related to access to drinking water and to toilets and other sanitary facilities. Together, we learn the means available to the villagers to have a healthier life, with fewer illnesses, to eat and drink better, to wash more, to take care of themselves and one’s families.

read more
×