INDONESIA, Benteng Dewa Village, Flores Island - May 2009
Community health clinic to help children in support of approximately 14,826 acres of no-take forest reserve
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Benteng Dewa, located on the southwest coast of Flores Island, was formally established in 2004 and has a population of 1,580 people in 300 households. The villagers are almost exclusively farmers, tending to rice, corn, sweet potatoes and coconut. The spirit of community volunteer work and traditional law is still strong in this village. Bentang Dewa is one of 27 villages located around the 63,738-acre Mbeliling Forest. The village is situated about a 30-minute drive from the nearest town and is separated by a river located about 1.8 miles from the village, which is impassable by vehicle. Sometimes the villagers cannot access medical care because of this obstacle. Furthermore, malaria is common and health care for children and pre-natal women is severely lacking. The village places health improvement as its highest priority, but a request to the government for medical facilities has been turned down. Seacology will fund a community health clinic in support of 14,826 acres of forest (includes about 618 acres of savannah) as a strict no-take zone for a minimum of 10 years. Birdlife Indonesia is currently drafting a Nature Protection agreement with the involvement of all 27 villages around the Mbeliling Forest in their local dialect that will encompass rules and sanctions of the protected forest. *
UPDATE November 2009 - As of November 2009 field representative Arnaz Mehta reports that construction on the health clinic to this point has included building the brick walls with concrete reinforcements, door and window frame installation, digging latrines, buying zinc roofing and wood procurement for the roof. Construction of the clinic began a bit later than planned due to the fasting month and Lebaran holiday (most of the builders are Moslem so they could not work full time). The 2nd phase of development activities will be focused on the roof assembly, installation of zinc roofing, ceiling manufacture, installation of windows and doors, installation of ceramic tiles, plastering walls, painting, electrical installation and finally handover to the District Government. The Indonesian Department of Health has provided Seacology with a letter stating that they confirm their support for the health clinic in Benteng Dewa and will provide medics and supplies when it is completed. Conservation efforts continue to be encouraged in the form of a village tree farm and regular patrol of the forest. The village tree farm is located outside of the protected area and is focused on multi-use trees that can be used for the construction of houses for food, such as durian trees. This is in anticipation of the villagers not being able to use trees in the protected area for at least 10 years. The village will plant 2,500 seedlings of local plants and more are planned in the future. Additionally, true to their commitment not to interfere with the timber forest, coconut wood will be used in the village health clinic building.
UPDATE June 2010 - As of June 2010 Arnaz reports that the health clinic was completed and handed over to the government of West Manggarai regency on January 17, 2010. On this occasion the Head of Public Health confirmed that they will place 1-2 medics at the clinic along with medicinal supplies. The village has also planted 5,000 mahogany seedlings and 2,500 teak seedlings in the village tree farm area. Volunteer villagers as well as the Department of Forestry conduct patrols every three months in the Mbeliling Forest reserve. During the last patrol in May, no disruptive activities were reported other than several small landslides. The village has also contained their livestock so they do not roam freely around the forest.
*Support for asterisked projects is provided fully or in part by: 
