Asia Expats Forum

rtc.senggigi · Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 5 Location:

Gunung (Mount) Rinjani on the island of Lombok stands at 3726m a.s.l. Its summit is considered by both Balinese and Sasaks as sacred, and the thermal hot pools that flow from its volcanic center are said to have immense healing properties. The mountain is surrounded by a National Park, with varying ecologies including savannah, rain forests and high altitude cloud forests. Because of these attractions, the Rinjani National Park attracts approximately 1000 foreign visitors plus thousands more Indonesians each year. Many of these visitors solicit the help of local porters to carry their backpacks and other luggage through the park.

These porters are all male, ranging in age from 15 to 55 years. As the treks into the park are seasonal, most work as porters on a part time basis, supplementing the money they earn being farmers and laborers. They are usually the main, if not, sole bread winner in the family with a great deal of responsibility placed on their shoulders.

Unfortunately, most porters are unable to afford warm clothing to protect themselves from the cold, wind and rain. While some are provided with warm clothing by their employers, many are not. The result of which is a high number return to their homes, their land and families too ill to contribute to what is already a difficult life.

In consultation with the park Board, we ( No Roads Expedition - Rinjani Trekking Club )are establishing Indonesia's first Clothing Bank. The Bank will provide all porters with warm, wind proof and rain resistant jackets. The Bank will loan these jackets out to Porters who will be working in the Park and these jackets will be returned to the Bank at the completion of their trek. Returned jackets will be examined and cleaned before they are put back into service for the next Porter. The Porters will not pay for the jackets. They will simply provide their name and contact details and how long they will need the jackets for. The system is based on honesty and the belief in human nature.

There will be two Banks established; one in Senaru on the northern slopes of the Park and the second will be based in Lawang on the eastern side of the Park. The establishment of these outlets assures that Porters do not need to return the jacket to where they borrowed it. Lawang and Senaru represent the two major entry and exit points to the Park and are thus natural places to situate the Banks.

The administration of the Bank will be undertaken by the Gunung Rinjani National Park Board, which is headquartered in Mataram, Lombok's capitol and with regional offices in Senaru and Lawang. The Board has worked in recent years with NZ Aid, to incorporate local communities into the tourism aspects of the Park. Their work has helped the Rinjani National Park win the recent National Geographic/ World Legacy Best Stewardship Award.

No Roads Expeditions along with the Rinjani Trekking Club take clients into the National Park. We work closely with local Porters and Guides as well as community groups and relevant Guest Houses. Through our network of contacts and exposure to an International Clientele, we are the vehicles through which people can donate jackets.

What can you do?
No Roads and the Rinjani Trekking Club are collecting jackets for the Bank. If you have a wind proof and warm jacket such as a polar fleece/ gortex wind breaker or anything equivalent that is in good order then you can donate that jacket to the Bank.

If you are in Lombok you can drop your jacket in at:
Rinjani Trekking Club office at:
Jl. Raya Senggigi Km 08 - Mataram - Lombok NTB - Indonesia.
Phone; 62 370 693202
www.info2lombok.com
mail : rtc.senggigi@gmail.com

For anywhere else, you can send the jacket to:
No Roads Expeditions
P.O Box 109 Southland Centre,
Cheltenham, VIC Australia 3192 ( peter@noroads.com.au )
_________________
Rinjani Trekking Club
www.info2lombok.com
JL. Raya Senggigi Km. 08, senggigi 83355
lombok - Indonesia , Phone: 62370693202