Community education

In order to improve basic education in the village of Politcioman, SCP is engaged in renovating the public school building and in providing supplementary teaching equipment and personnel. In addition, SCP has set up its own community education centre where a variety of subjects including English, natural history and the environment are taught and local traditions revived.

Health and hygiene

At present Politcioman lacks electricity as well as a dispensary and organized hygiene measures. Consequently, contagious diseases are widespread and mortality rates, especially among children under 5 years of age, are high. SCP is working to improve living standards, public health and hygiene in the following ways:

Agroforestry and Marketing

SCP is actively working with the local community to support the marketing of agroforestry products. Some of our studies (see “Biological Research” section) are helping us to select local products with high economic potential and low ecological impact in order to ensure sustainability.

Controlled ecotourism

North Siberut, where the rainforests meet peaceful sandy beaches and fascinating coral reefs, has enormous potential for eco-tourism-related activities. SCP is working to develop an infrastructure to enable ecotourism to become a locally operated enterprise for generating income. In this way we can give monetary value to intact ecosystems and help provide a sustainable economy for the region.

Improved transportation

Due to the lack of roads, all transportation on Siberut, either on rivers or along the coast, depends on boats. By providing transport services and small engines for canoes, SCP is improving regional travel, facilitating access to educational and medical facilities as well as supporting the marketing of local products.

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