TSA Mulawarman Materializes Community’s Dream of Having Clean Water

Clean water is a basic need that must be provided in the community. Considering the importance of clean water, Tanoto Foundation scholarship recipients, who are members of Tanoto Scholars Association of Mulawarman University in Samarinda take the initiative to help the people of Desa Muang Dalam RT 34, Lempake.

Desa Muang is a village facilitated by Mulawarman TSA, which is far from the center of Samarinda city. “All this time, the people have always used tap water,” said Bapak Ismanu, Head of RT (Neighborhood Group) 34, Desa Muang Dalam.

The water that is yellow, dirty, and smelly has caused the Tanoto Scholars to help create a solution with simple water filters. This activity receives enthusiastic response from the residents. With this solution, the residents have hope and opportunity to gain a better living quality.

The water filters are provided free of charge to approximately 20 family heads, and are also installed at places of worship and posyandu (family planning and health service center) located in the village. In addition, the Tanoto Scholars share information on how to make the water filter. It is hoped that the community can be self-supporting in assembling or maintaining the equipments, and as such when there are problems, the people will be able to correct them.

The construction of the equipment is very easy and cheap. One equipment is estimated to cost Rp100,000. By using simple water filters, the people are already able to create a solution to a problem they have experienced all this time.

“Insha Allah (Lord willing), the equipment is very useful, because it can be directly used by the residents”, said Mr. Ismanu in his closing remark.

Implementing the knowledge gained from university studies is one of the reasons why Tanoto Scholars organize this work program. In addition, the Scholars realize that a good work program is a work program that starts from the community itself.

Thanks to Tanoto Foundation for giving better living quality to the community of RT 34 Desa muang Dalam, Samarinda, and giving an opportunity to Tanoto Scholars to realize their dream and share with the surrounding community.

Written by Magdalena Maristia, Tanoto Scholar from Mulawarman University of Samarinda.