Products after TSUNAMI in Indonesia

AMI is the brand name given to small-scale business products manufactured by community groups living in coastal villages of North Sumatra badly affected by December 2004 tsunami. For generation, collecting shrimps, fish and oysters has provided income to the coastal communities. This way of life was severely altered after the disaster, which left many families helpless after ecosystems supporting them were destroyed.

The creation of AMI Products was facilitated by local foundation, YAGASU (Yayasan Gajah Sumatra). This Foundation committed to species and forests conservation, environmental restoration and community development. After the tsunami, YAGASU focused on the rehabilitation of coastal ecosystem along the East coast of Northern Sumatra and on helping in inhabitants to achieve a-long-term and environment-friendly sustainable development.

Within the so-called “Coastal Carbon Corridor” stretching along 670 km from Banda Aceh to Pantai Labu, and with support from NGOs (PLANETE URGENCE, ISLAMIC RELIEF, MUSLIM AID), private companies (NEWMONT), international and national governmental institutions (BRR NAD-Nias, UNESCO) and many other donor fundings, YAGASU has provided the local communities with small business training, production process, marketing and product promotions. Since its induction, AMI has fast expanded and now contributes to the livelihood improvement of hundreds of villagers.

Some specific objectives of AMI products are give a prominent economic role to women in the community, and to bring the villagers to interact with each other. It also improves the confidence and sense of responsibility of everyone involved. With the tsunami, many women have seen their family destroyed with the loss of their husbands and children. Psychological reconstruction is also important : “When I am home, I am alone, when I came to work, I have friends.” says Minda, an employee of AMI Products.

AMI products consist of traditional handcrafts, homemade food processing, chocolates, a wide variety of coconut products, traditional designs of garment and embordery, and meubelair available for sale of at the AMI Products stores in the Banda Aceh airport, in Medan, in Jakarta and several supermarkets.

Two AMI Galleries, one in Jakarta and one in Bali have been established, providing extra jobs as well as a very good opportunity for the local communities to demonstrate their skills to a broader audience. The AMI Gallery will specialize in high quality handicrafts and garments, and will provide space for the exhibition art and music.

Thanks to funding from the NEWMONT company, the Community Learning Center in Kampung Jawa, Banda Aceh, is having its grand opening in May 2008. This Center will house the manufacturing and packaging handicrafts, traditional design of garments and food products, as well as training courses. Training courses will be provided to other communities in natural disaster affected areas, to gain skill in handicrafts creation and food production.

Creation People and photos by Asli Made in Indonesia

Be Straight at All Times and Speak the Truth

Rule 97

“I have found the being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front, tell people what you’re trying to accomplish and what you’re willing to sacrifice to accomplish it.”
Lee Iacocca, President of Ford and of Chrysler

The rule follows right on from the previous Rule. Obviously if you think your boss is an idiot you don’t go and tell them - that’s taking honesty just a shade too far. But don’t lie, or cheat, or steal, or abuse, or defraud, or take advantage, or con, or trick, or swindle, or hinder, or worsen.

As a manager you have been given a privileged position – one of trust and honour. You are responsible for human lives – no, really, real human lives. You screw up and people get hurt. When they go home after working for you all day they carry on living and breathing, feeling and loving, hurting and dreaming and hoping. You upset them or offend them or abuse them or lie to them and they take that home and it affects their close family and friends and relatives. You must speak truth to them at all times. If you can’t say anything nice, say nothing, but don’t lie.

Don’t lie your bosses. They don’t employ you to do that. They employ you to be straight and to tell the truth. If you’re not going to make your figures, don’t fudge the issue – tell them. They can then take measures to help you or take action because your not making your figures might have knock-on effects. They might be let down but they will be grateful for the warning. Better to know, than to hope and be disappointed.

Don’t lie to customers. Obviously in all this there is measure for artistic truth telling. If a customer asks if your products are superior to your competitors you don’t have to lie because they are – or you’d be working for the competition, wouldn’t you? But if they ask if certain products have been successful and they haven’t you are entitled to creative truth telling. Say, ‘We have been somewhat surprised by sales so far but there is always room for improvement’, rather than. ‘These really bombed but we’re hoping you’ll take a load off our hands’.

“Managing Yourself
The rules of Management by Richard Templar”
Photo by Microsoft