Deliveries to Pisang island in the Banda Sea

: Pulau Pisang - with the volcano Gunung Api in the background.

: The locals call Sjahrir Island Pulau Pisang - meaning ‘banana Island’.

: Shortly after independence the island was renamed after Sutan Sjahrir, an Indonesian Independence leader.

: This tiny island has a population of about 100 people. This is the village mosque.

: The school opened recently and there are only 2 classrooms. We meet the headmaster and one teacher. Both employed on a honorary base. The monthly salary honorary teachers receive is about 200 000 IDR, how they survive with so little we can not comprehend.

: School supplies for the Kids.

: We brought Maps and sports equipment for the school, but no footballs since the school location is on top of a steep sided hill. Pisang is an island of stairs and foot paths. The climb from beach to village has eighty-seven steps laboriously carved in stone.

: We also delivered reading glasses.

: Many people can have their vision restored with a simple pair of reading glasses, but most of them do not have access to them.

: The next place where reading glasses are available would be Ambon. One and half days journy by boat, and many of the older people do not leave the island any more.

: Simple trial using needle and thread to determine if glasses are well fitted. The eye tests where carried out by Uta & Maga. Thank you guys 🙂

: he ability to see clearly has a direct impact on peoples lives, enabling them to again become productive members of their community.

: Pisang island is exceptional among the Banda islands. There is no plastic waste and the reason is Pak Yasir who on a regular basis motivates the community to clean up the island and surrounding beaches. He then takes the plastic waste to Banda Neira with his small boat. Nowadays a lot garbage is floating in the sea and even reaching such remote areas as the Banda islands. The beaches are polluted with waste from big Indonesian cities and local ferry boats.

: Surviving on nutmeg and coconut cultivation Pisang resembles a park crossed by paths through refreshing shadows. There is no electricity and people depend on rain for their fresh water supply.

: For holy days traditional wafers are baked. Some of these wafer irons are antique heirlooms passed on from generation to generation.

: The baskets on this Jack fruit tree protect ripe fruit from the big bats who raid fruit trees in the night.

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