By Marlon Tohatta
This is the story of Daniel Kinamde, a young man from Alatep Village, Okaba District, Merauke. From a young age, Daniel has had a deep passion for gardening and farming. It feels as though it is his true calling.
For most of his life, Daniel lived as a wanderer, seeking opportunities in various places. His most recent job was working on a fishing boat. Due to the nature of his work, he often had to move from place to place. Yet, this did not diminish his love for cultivating the land.
“Even though I frequently changed where I lived, wherever it was, I always tried to create and maintain a garden, no matter how small the space,” Daniel shared.
I first met Daniel when he was not yet 23 years old. At that time, he had already left his job on the fishing boat and decided to return to his home village in Alatep. He began participating in youth training programs and workshops held by YP3SP. He showed great enthusiasm and was open to learning new things. He then began to apply the knowledge he had gained to his daily life.
Daniel’s passion for gardening grew even stronger. Alongside his siblings, he began cultivating a wide variety of local crops and vegetables. They enjoyed the harvest together. Whenever there was a surplus, Daniel would sometimes share it with others in the village.
I was curious to hear Daniel’s thoughts on his experience with YP3SP. He told me,
“I’m happy to have met the YP3SP team. I’ve gained a lot of new knowledge. Now I understand what it means to live peacefully in my own village, without always feeling the need to look for a livelihood elsewhere. Having and caring for a garden here in Alatep brings me great satisfaction. I no longer worry if there’s no rice — I simply go to the garden and harvest cassava or sweet potatoes to eat.”
Today, at 25 years old, Daniel has recently started a family. Every time I see him, his happiness and self-confidence shine through.
Contact us
Yayasan Pengembangan Pelatihan untuk Perubahan Sosial di Tanah Papua
(YP3SP)
Jalan Karya Tanah Hitam Permai
Abepura Jayapura
Papua
Email: info@papuatransformation.org
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