Extraordinary .........

This title or surprised ................. It is a read only, would be the title that I use this as the opening and would be surprised at the time surprised my discussions with the management of federation in the two villages (Fafinesu B and C Fafinesu) in the district of Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) Province East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Recently, on 17 June 2008, I together with the National Coordinator PIDRA Ir. Djadi Purnomo, MM and Microfinance Expert from National NGO Yans Koliham, SP and the level of District Manager PIDRA TTU Ir Benjamin Ulumeak and NGO Coordinating Agency Ir. Vincent Nurak opportunity to visit two villages mentioned above. There we had discussions with the Federation Tamlile Tebes (happy Correct) Fafinesu B Village and Natal Federation in the Fafinesu C Village.

Discussions we run very good, smooth, familiar, open and trusting atmosphere around the main one. They tell all their activities federation especially in joint marketing efforts that they have come in the last two years. They were so vibrant deliver the results that they have achieved, among others, I assume that they are very proud of our more and more proud, namely:

1. Their role to help fellow farmers so that can get a decent price, among others, told them about selling peanuts this year they can get a selling price of Rp. 9.000/kg peanut without skin on the previous highest price ever they sell only Rp. 7.000/kg even lower than the previous it. Why now because they have not united to sell directly to the traders/ middleman, but all must sell through the Federation, even when this is not a member of the group/federation has been selling through the federation.
2. Their role to help fellow farmers, so now they are not cheated or disadvantaged by traders/ wholesaler in weighing. During this trader/ wholesaler buying come with scales and weight is usually trick to become more severe. Currently at federation they weigh scales using a federation that is calibration by related institutions, a new take on the traders.
3. Their role to help fellow farmers that now farmers in the village do not need to sell to the city, do not need to pay expensive freight and do not need to pay the costs of restribusi expensive and in many trips to the city district or to other districts because they only sell to the federation cadres, cadres through marketing the spread in every village. For example, in the village of Fafinesu B are three cadres in the village of marketing and Fafinesu C are four cadres of marketing. Kader cadres in this particular point in the village so that farmers can sell to the nearest cadres from their homes.
4. Cadre role of marketing is that residents in the village and other farmers are also weighing commodities, commodity quality standard check and pay direct / cash to the seller (for specific commodities outside the Cow). Cadre is very proud of the role that farmers and the community is very grateful to the role of the cadres.
5. Cattle are not special to be paid in cash because the number of transactions usually very large (up to hundreds of millions of rupiah) and not in the direct pay / cash by traders, but the transfer through the NGO's bank account and then divided into whole new seller by the amount of heavy cattle in the sale. This is done because the fraud had occurred, namely counterfeit money. They are proud of the role of NGOs so that they help.
6. In addition, for members of groups other than their federation to get the high price they also get a fee of 2% of total sales, cadres get 28% fee, federation get 68% fee, and get the association fee of 2% if the funding comes from the Federation. But if the funding comes from the Association of the association fee, 68% and 2% fee, while the federation fee for the seller and cadres remain the same. For non-members seller does not get a fee. Special TTU in each districts joined in a federation of associations that are funded by NGOs. Managers' association are also members of the community.
7. The role of the association is to negositon with traders / buyers to get the best price and to provide information to the traders / buyers about the availability of the commodity to be carried. Besides, the association also provides funds to buy a commodity when the federation of lack of funds.
8. Natal Federation in the Fafinesu C Villages besides their marketing efforts also develop Saving and Loans (UBSP / USP). At the time we visit coincides with the monthly meeting of the Federation to attend by representatives of the group. Extraordinary ....... New for the first time I served in PIDRA I find the cash that so many are around eight million rupiahs remaining from 16 millions rupiahs in loans because it has been by the members. Now I became convinced that the money is there in the group and the federation not only of cash note in a book or report on the program only. It's real ...... in poor and remote that they now have to manage that much money. This means they have towards the improvement of welfare, from time to time.
9. In the Federation, there are also other things outside the normal ...... Some time ago there are visits from community groups internship Oekusi - Timor-Leste (neighboring countries of Indonesia) from the results of visits to the Natal federation, they are very interested and follow up the Federation Treasurer Mr. Sanam His job now is the training of administrative groups in this country Neighbors. How extraordinary is not ...... Sanam Yulius a community of farmers in remote villages who only finished primary school may be a coach in other countries ........ It's extraordinary. They are proud of our more proud again.
10. We also ask them, if ever knew PIDRA program will end in December 2008 is this? Answer them: Yes we know. Then we asked whether, if the program ended, the PIDRA this group, the LPD and the Federation of existing this will also end (fall)? I try to write the answers from Mama Balandina Naekmuni, marketing cadres from the village Fafinesu B = "WE WILL NOT disband. WE WILL WORK WITH GROUP, LPD FEDERATION AND ONLY WHEN WE OFF (DEATH) World. " We feel now is far more better than the last time before we participate in the program PIDRA and we realize that this way of life and ways of working correctly, so we will continue working with this and we will continue to improve our various businesses so that we can more hidu better and more prosperous again.

Not much is something unusual ........ Once again, the poor are not only weak need assistance to strengthen them and they can not because there is impossible if we want to get started.