Astra committed to supporting village transformation based on local potential
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Astra’s President Director, Djony Bunarto Tjondro, has emphasised the company’s commitment to supporting village transformations based on local potentials, such as the development of sustainable eco-tourism in Desa Sejahtera Astra Nyarai.
“Astra is committed to continuing to support village transformations based on local potentials,” Djony stated in his remarks received in Malang, East Java, on Thursday.
Djony explained that the development of sustainable eco-tourism in Desa Sejahtera Astra Nyarai serves as an example that environmental preservation and strengthening community economies can go hand in hand.
When communities gain access to training, capacity building, and the right ecosystem support, Djony believes they not only have more stable and secure livelihoods but also actively participate in sustainably maintaining the area’s preservation.
Looking ahead, Djony said the development of Desa Sejahtera Astra Nyarai is expected to further strengthen a tourism-based economy focused on sustainable natural tourism and become a model for managing local potentials in harmony with environmental preservation efforts.
On the other hand, Ritno Kurniawan, a key figure in Desa Sejahtera Astra Nyarai, stated that before the village transformation, the majority of villagers earned income from logging, with earnings of around Rp100,000 per load, averaging three times a week.
Such activities carried high safety risks and had the potential to damage the protected Bukit Barisan area.
Following the implementation of the Desa Sejahtera Astra programme, Ritno noted that some community members who previously worked as loggers have now transitioned to becoming certified tour guides.
“With consistent support, the community has started to open up and gain confidence as tour guides, with average weekly earnings reaching Rp400–500,000,” Ritno said.
Currently, Ritno records 45 rafting guides and more than 100 villagers involved in tourism area management, with 25 people serving as core administrators.