Community Empowerment of Coastal Village, Banggai Laut Regency

This activity was part of the Employment and Livelihood project funded by the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund (COVID-19 MPTF). Implemented by four UN agencies: International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Development Program (UNDP), Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), this project aimed to assist vulnerable groups in skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.

Junaedi (35), is one of the participants of the Long Shaft Tails Machine Maintenance and Repair Training (Ketinting Machine Training) representing fishermen from Mansalean Village, Banggai Laut Regency. Mintok as he is usually called, is a fisherman. To go to sea, Mintok uses an old wooden boat with one ketinting engine. The current condition of his wooden boat seemed to be unfit for use, but he had no other choice. He had to catch fish to support himself, his wife and their child.

To improve his life, Mintok has submitted several times proposals to the Department of Fisheries, but so far his request has not been realized. During a pandemic like this, it becomes increasingly difficult to meet the needs of him and his family. Currently the average income of fishermen per month is approximately Rp100,000/day. Before the pandemic period they usually could get Rp200,000 to Rp300,000/day. In addition, the ketinting machine that he has is often broken, so he has to pay for repairs of approximately Rp150,000 – 300,000. This amount of expenditure can be greater if you have to replace the cost of equipment that has been damaged.

A few months ago he heard about a small marine motor mechanic training from the village head of Mansalean. With the help of the local village head, Mintok and other people registered as participants in the training.

The training was conducted for one day in Banggai Laut. In this training, participants were given the opportunity to practice disassembling the ketinting machine equipment into small parts and reassembling the equipment until the machine could be turned on again. The participants were provided with the correct way to install and move the machine after use. “During the training, the organizing committee was very kind and friendly to all participants without exception. We have gained a lot of knowledge so that I will use this new knowledge and experience to increase my expertise in repairing ketinting machines,” explained Mintok.

"After the training, the participants are expected to be able to repair the boat engine independently, reduce operational costs, and ultimately help increase their income," said Navitri Putri Guillaume, ILO National Project Officer in Jakarta.

The experience gained during this training made Mintok more confident to repair his ketinting machine. When he went to sea and there was damage in the middle of the sea, he was able to repair it himself with makeshift equipment.

Mintok really hopes that other trainings like this can continue. The training participants hope that with this motor mechanic training there will be assistance from fibre boats and supporting equipment. So that in the future they can open a ketinting machine workshop business in Mansalean Village. In addition, it is hoped that the training does not stop at training on repairing the ketinting machine, but also support for the preparation of workshop tools. With the support of workshop equipment, training participants who already have knowledge can continue to start new businesses.