Green Empowerment

Green Empowerment International Representative, Banie Lasimbang, Wins the Seacology Prize

Congratulations to GE International Representative in Borneo, Adrian (Banie) Lasimbang of Partners of Community Organizations (PACOS) for winning the 2004 Seacology Prize. The Prize "recognizes heroic achievement by people who seldom receive any publicity: indigenous leaders who risk their own lives and wellbeing to protect their island's ecosystems and culture." Banie was instrumental in completing the Long Lawen micro-hydro project and is now working to bring renewable energy to many more indigenous communities on the island. Read more about why Banie was chosen for the award on the Seacology website.

Green Empowerment and PACOS work on Borneo

With help from supporters like you , Green Empowerment has been working in Borneo since 2000 with partners like the Borneo Project, Seacology, and Partners of Community Organizations to bring micro hydro technology to villagers in Borneo.

The island of Borneo is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. It is the third largest island in the world with arguably the oldest rainforests. The island’s ecosystem has experienced extensive environmental degradation since the 1960s due to excessive logging and oil palm plantation establishment. Through this period the indigenous people have struggled to maintain their traditional self-sufficient way of life while adjusting to their changing environment.

The Borneo Project has been working with these indigenous communities for the past ten years. Now Green Empowerment has partnered with them to assist in the development of small-scale renewable energy systems. As part of our Asia Network initiative, we facilitated a regional training workshop

that promote self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability.

On Thursday, April 27, 2002, the 70 families living in the village of Long Lawen, Sarawak, Borneo officially celebrated their newly operational micro hydro system that now provides them with electricity. Members of Parliament, international journalists, NGO representatives and many individuals from other villages in the area joined the community of Long Lawen for a tour of the power house, a dedication ceremony, several speeches and feasting long into the night…with lights, microphones and a sound system powered by their new electrical system.

Green Empowerment and The Borneo Project partnered together with SAM and PACOS to help the 350 indigenous Kenyah people of Long Lawen design and build their own micro hydro power system.

Long Lawen was a resistance community, having refused to re-locate to a government settlement village when the building of the massive Bakun Dam flooded their lands. About 10,000 people from 13 communities were moved to the Asap/Koian resettlement area. Half of the displaced Long Ghang Community chose to move back to their ancestral lands in Long Lawen, deep in the rainforests of Borneo, where they re-established their village and are working to protect their lands from deforestation and oil palm plantation creation.

The new community-owned micro hydro system replaces the polluting, inefficient, and unhealthy diesel generators and kerosene used previously for lights and power. A new rice-milling machine that is mechanically connected to the turbine saves the villagers significant time and money when processing this cash crop. Washing machines, freezers and other electrical appliances increase their standard of living. Most importantly, the newly adopted rate structure for the community’s electrical power not only covers the costs of operation and maintenance - it also generates revenue that can be used to fund and build a new school, clinic and community center as well as pay for maintaining their roads and potable water system themselves. This new community owned, alternative energy system gives the village of Long Lawen the opportunity to be more self-sufficient and autonomous and supports their efforts to determine and manage their own future.

Adrian Lasimbang of Partners of Community Organizations (PACOS), a local community development organization from Sabah Borneo, provided valuable support surveying the community, helping them develop productive end uses, a sustainable rate structure, and during the power house construction and house wiring work. We have also worked closely with Kus Raharjo and his company, PT Heksa Prakarsa Tenik. Kus not only manufactured the turbine and generator set, but also helped train the community of Long Lawen in construction and maintenance of the system. A local NGO called Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia or SAM) provided initial local project coordination and support. The self-sufficiency offered by local management of the system will serve as a catalyst for both empowering indigenous communities and protecting the rainforests.

A multi-phase training program empowers the community to gain the knowledge and skills to make informed assessments of the suitability of hydropower technology for their community, install, operate, troubleshoot, maintain and manage the electric system. The community contributed local materials and many volunteer hours of labor. Today they own operate and maintain their own power system. With your help we can continue our support for projects like this.