International Report 2024-25
International Report 2024-25
Director: Andrew Little
Committee: Peter Stanton, Tony Makin, Tony Coote, Sandra White, Robyn Hain, Martin Collins
Background:
- Our club continues to engage with Nusa Tenggara Association (NTA) over the past 8 years, as our principal in-country international partner.
- NTA programmes are authentic and meet the criteria we had set for a sustainable relationship and our requirements for strong governance and to ensure our Rotary profile is displayed and acknowledged.
- NTA takes a grassroots approach to supporting the well-being of the people of East Nusa Tenggara.
NTA receive capped funding from DFAT (Australian Aid) on a matching contribution basis, ANCP and DAP and rely on the generous support from a number of Rotary clubs and other benefactors.
- NTA programs builds on a 30+ year history in Flores and West Timor, providing small-scale funding and loans to local farming collectives, schools, and families to invest in:
- Agriculture
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Training.
- Education & Schooling resources
- Women empowerment through income based on Weaving.
These projects improve the quality of life and ensure that the essentials of clean water, better schools and productive agriculture are possible for everyone.
Priorities:
Global Grant: Following ongoing club support and two district grants in Flores, we applied for and were successful in being granted the US$50,000 (A$76,000) International Grant (G2347745) for the WASH program to assist in funding 70 water tanks and 70 squat style toilets in Ian Tena village in Flores, Indonesia.
For Toilets, Rotary contributes 46% of the total cost, individual families contribute 33% and the village/Government 21%.
For Tanks, Rotary contributes 37% of the total cost, individual families contribute 46% and the village/Government 17%. The contribution from families also includes payment in kind as they source rocks & sand and also provide the construction labour.
The total cost for a water tank is A$380 and the toilet is A$524, making a total of A$904 for both, per family.
Construction Status – as at May 2025
- WASH PROJECT. The WASH project is on budget and on time. NTA have provided cashflow requirements for the completion of the Global Grant funding. The projected three final tranches (at this stage) are A$9,500 for 12 Water Tanks & 4 Toilets in the June, A$8,500 for 6 water tanks and 16 toilets on 10 July and A$7,000 in October for 0 water tanks and 13 toilets. These 3 tranches total A$25,000 and bring the total projected expenditure to A$72,898. Note that the A$9,500 in June will be sourced from the contingency account, as the balance of GG funds are in a term deposit maturing on 9 July 2025. This will then bring the total GG funding of 70 Water Tanks & 70 Toilets to a close. The staging of the water tank and toilet construction has and still is mainly dependent on the release of the village/government share of funding to each of the beneficiaries.
- Toilet Completion. The NTAI team is aiming to complete all the toilets before the end of this year. Hence, all funds will be distributed by the end of the year. However, some toilet construction may not be completed until the following March/April 2026 (after wet season ends).
- The total Rotary GG funds transferred to date is A$50,000. The original GG amount was A$74,627 (0.67 original ex rate). To date (11 May 25), A$47,898 has been disbursed from the Rotary NTAI bank account, which funded 52 tanks & 37 toilets. Please note that some of these are still under construction. The final three tranches to cover construction costs total A$25,000 and will fund the final 18 water tanks and 33 toilets (as per a. above).
- Funds left over from the GG and the contingency account will be used to fund a final hygiene training session with the villagers and school children. This will help reinforce hygiene requirements that aim to stop the spread of infection. Rotary International have consistently emphasised the need for this type of training to change the hygiene culture of the villagers. Any additional funds after this will be used to build a few more water tanks and toilets, depending on the amount left in the WASH bank account.
- 2025 Donor’s visit. At this stage there will be no one from our club going on this year’s donor visit in October. We intend to go on next year’s visit either in usual October period, or in May to coincide with the donor’s visit to Semau (West Timor) and then travel to Maumere (Flores) and complete a final visit/inspection of the water tanks and toilet construction in Ian Tena village. This will then close of the WASH global grant project.
Training Modules
Hygiene training has been completed, following a meeting with the Government Health Clinic. This resulted in a formal agreement for hygiene training support and implementation. A follow-up refresher hygiene training course will be held in early 2026 and will involve all villagers and school pupils at each of the schools in the village.
Hence by doing this, it will strengthen the commitment of hygiene standards as we influence a behaviour change within the community, from school children to family and village. Training Materials have been provided at the village and school levels and includes manuals, posters and other handouts.
Donors Trip October 2024. (Fifth annual surveillance trip)
Peter Stanton, Sandra White, Robyn Hain and Andrew Little attended the NTA Donors trip in October 2024.
Members of the Rotary Club of Bali Seminyak, the Host Rotary Club for the grant joined us on the Donors trip. These representatives were:
Anita Lococo (GG contact) Indra Butschka (President) Joseph Curtin (Treasurer)
They were all pleasantly surprised at the quality of the construction work, both with the water tanks and the toilets, as well as the reception that the villagers gave us.
Indra said “ I very much hope that we can continue coordinating our efforts to helping people in need in the NTA area! The journey was an eye opener and a very precious journey!
Thus, anything we - as the Rotary Club Seminyak or as a private person- can do to help with your endeavours there, please let me know!”
Hence the relationship our club has with Bali Seminyak is very solid.
We visited Ian Tena village, the WASH program location, to view the water tanks and toilets that had been constructed by that time. The toilets appeared to be well built and to our “Rotary specification” with tiling 1m up the wall, floor sloped to drain any water quickly to a drain to the back of the building, small veranda at the front to provide some shelter during the monsoon season and a grab handle to assist elderly people and pregnant women in getting up from the squat toilet.
Each family was also given a bucket and toilet accessories consisting of a bucket - to hold water for pour flushing, a water scoop, hanging basket, clothes and towel hooks and a toilet brush.
The participants of the WASH program chose the tiles for their toilets, which have very vibrant colours and patterns. Some toilets have even been fitted with electric lights.
We had several meetings with the Ian Tena village head (Baobatung Tomas Alva Edison along with other villagers. They are very appreciative of what we (Rotary) are helping them to achieve and expressed their thanks to us.
There are 24 Farmer groups participating in the Global Grant and the community group consists of 230 households led by 160 women and 70 men.
Each family was also given a bucket and toilet accessories consisting of a bucket - to hold water for pour flushing, a water scoop, hanging basket, clothes and towel hooks and a toilet brush.
The participants of the WASH program chose the tiles for their toilets, which have very vibrant colours and patterns. Some toilets have even been fitted with electric lights.
We had several meetings with the Ian Tena village head (Baobatung Tomas Alva Edison along with other villagers. They are very appreciative of what we (Rotary) are helping them to achieve and expressed their thanks to us.
There are 24 Farmer groups participating in the Global Grant and the community group consists of 230 households led by 160 women and 70 men.
One of the main features of the visit was the annual NTA school festival. Twenty-three schools performed to a crowd of over 800 people in traditional clothing and demonstrated their skills with local music, songs and dancing. It was a fantastic day with a lot of excited school students. Most importantly it plays a significant role in promoting school pride through maintaining local culture.
The opportunity to see, discuss and experience the culture of Flores & West Timor on a Donors trip is extremely important. There is no substitute for the personal experiences gained from this trip.
The opportunity to see, discuss and experience the culture of Flores & West Timor on a Donors trip is extremely important. There is no substitute for the personal experiences gained from this trip.
It is important that future International Directors make this commitment.
NTA/NTAI – WASH Program Partner
We have established a very solid relationship with NTA, our WASH program partner. They have a very thorough, well established management system and the reporting of the WASH project progress reports, from a construction and financial perspective, have been very detailed. Laura Kola, Program Manager with NTA is doing an excellent job in this respect, along with Phil Domaschenz, Operations Manager NTA.
Operations personnel at NTA-Indonesia
The new Field Officers based in Indonesia, Simon Field- Program Coordinator and Laura Kola- Program Manager are a major asset to the relationship with NTA & NTAI. Laura is based in a village called Moni in central Flores. Laura is the key contact for the WASH project and is fluent in Bahasa. Living as a local in Flores for many years, she understands the local culture and hence is very familiar with Ian Tena village, where the WASH program is located.
Financial Auditing
Dedicated Bank Accounts for tracking the funds were established at the start of the WASH Project by our club, RC Bali Seminyak (in Bali) and NTAI (in Kupang). We send funds in agreed tranches in AUD, based on project progress reports and Annual field visits, to RC Bali-Seminyak who then release funds in Indonesian Rupiah to NTAI.
Teacher in a Box (TIB)
We have established a very solid relationship with NTA, our WASH program partner. They have a very thorough, well established management system and the reporting of the WASH project progress reports, from a construction and financial perspective, have been very detailed. Laura Kola, Program Manager with NTA is doing an excellent job in this respect, along with Phil Domaschenz, Operations Manager NTA.
Operations personnel at NTA-Indonesia
The new Field Officers based in Indonesia, Simon Field- Program Coordinator and Laura Kola- Program Manager are a major asset to the relationship with NTA & NTAI. Laura is based in a village called Moni in central Flores. Laura is the key contact for the WASH project and is fluent in Bahasa. Living as a local in Flores for many years, she understands the local culture and hence is very familiar with Ian Tena village, where the WASH program is located.
Financial Auditing
Dedicated Bank Accounts for tracking the funds were established at the start of the WASH Project by our club, RC Bali Seminyak (in Bali) and NTAI (in Kupang). We send funds in agreed tranches in AUD, based on project progress reports and Annual field visits, to RC Bali-Seminyak who then release funds in Indonesian Rupiah to NTAI.
Teacher in a Box (TIB)
This programme is ongoing, with the assistance of NTAI. There is a major effort to increase the library of Indonesian language resources which includes 908 PDF curriculum textbooks, 305 non curriculum textbooks and 1,820 audio books, as well as around 300 children’s story books in Bahasa.
Most schools in Flores & West Timor don’t have internet accessibility and have very few textbooks, as both are too expensive for them. Hence a TIB unit provides the whole curriculum, plus a considerable quantity of other educational material in English that they can use to learn English as a second language.
We are continuing to add additional copyright free content in Bahasa Indonesia.
Most schools in Flores & West Timor don’t have internet accessibility and have very few textbooks, as both are too expensive for them. Hence a TIB unit provides the whole curriculum, plus a considerable quantity of other educational material in English that they can use to learn English as a second language.
We are continuing to add additional copyright free content in Bahasa Indonesia.
17 TIB’s have been installed to date:
2022 1 Flores
2023 2 Flores & 2 West Timor
2024 4 Flores, 5 West Timor & 3 in Bali (Bali Children Foundation)
We would like to develop a larger project to roll-out TIB to many more schools. However, the requirement to hand carry (on board aircraft) TIB laptops means that we deploy a lot less laptops, on an annual basis, than we would wish.
Unfortunately, Indonesian import laws restrict the importation of second-hand laptops via normal freight.
Summary
The Global Grant WASH project continues to be on time and budget and will continue to require detailed project management. We will also continue to try and find a method to transport laptops to Indonesia without having to hand carry them.
I wish to acknowledge the valued support from the International committee members - Peter Stanton, Tony Makin, Tony Coote, Sandra White, Robyn Hain and Martin Collins (recently joined).
Regards
Andrew Little
International Service Director.
2024-2025
2022 1 Flores
2023 2 Flores & 2 West Timor
2024 4 Flores, 5 West Timor & 3 in Bali (Bali Children Foundation)
We would like to develop a larger project to roll-out TIB to many more schools. However, the requirement to hand carry (on board aircraft) TIB laptops means that we deploy a lot less laptops, on an annual basis, than we would wish.
Unfortunately, Indonesian import laws restrict the importation of second-hand laptops via normal freight.
Summary
The Global Grant WASH project continues to be on time and budget and will continue to require detailed project management. We will also continue to try and find a method to transport laptops to Indonesia without having to hand carry them.
I wish to acknowledge the valued support from the International committee members - Peter Stanton, Tony Makin, Tony Coote, Sandra White, Robyn Hain and Martin Collins (recently joined).
Regards
Andrew Little
International Service Director.
2024-2025
