Photo

PhotoVoice: Insufficient Income from Crops

“This is our village. Our sea, it is rich with various marine products such as fish, snails, seaweed, etc. Our land, we can plant anything coconut, cashew, teak and sandalwood. These are examples of long term crops. We can plant short-term crops such as corn, beans and potatoes. But why most of our people had to leave the village to improve their lives by working abroad. Because the income from the works in the village is considered insufficient for them.” 

Photographer:

Suryani Lamanepa, or Peni, born Ambon-Maluku. Currently, she is the Posyandu leader in her village, Beutaran Village, Ile Ape District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. She is also active as the group leader of a migrant worker group called Gleri. She loves swimming in the sea.

About PhotoVoice: voices of women through photographs

This is  one of 48 photos taken by 21 former women migrant workers, their family members and supporters, who live in six villages in Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara/NTB) and Lembata (East Nusa Tenggara/NTT).  The story of the photo and the photographer profile is available in the image displayed.

Through photos, they voice their concerns, needs and achievements.  They also use these photos to record changes in their lives and the lives of people around them and to communicate the challenges faced in their daily lives.

Their photos were exhibited in two national events: the National Conference of Women of Women Inspiring Change (May 2015, in Jakarta) and the National Jamboree of Migrant Workers (November 2015, in Jember, East Java). A story about them is written by a journalist from Kompas, Meidiana, and published in Kompas printed newspaper on Sunday, December 13, 2015. The trainings were done by a consultant from London, UK, named PhotoVoice.