The 2023 Anugerah Pewarta Astra Roadshow arrived in Makassar in September, attracting attendees near and far. Bringing a series of events and workshops to South Sulawesi, each activity had the underlying theme of enthusiasm for the Indonesia of today, towards brighter days in the future.
Headlining the workshops are two forces of change; the 2017 SATU Indonesia Awards (SIA) Appreciation Recipient, Jamaluddin, and the Rammang-rammang Kampung Berseri Astra (KBA) Driving Figure, Zainal Abidin.
From his hometown of Kanreapia Village, Kuncio Pao District, in the Gowa Regency, Jamaluddin shared his story to attendees at Bikin-Bikin Nipah Mall in Makassar about his journey of building a newspaper house for his community, Rumah Koran Community.
Transforming a former duck cage building, Jamaluddin got to work by renovating and plastering the unused infrastructure with newspapers to encourage locals to educate themselves by reading.
Meanwhile, another inspirational story came from Rammang-rammang Tourism Village in the Maros Regency. Zainal Abidin helped visitors see the beauty of Pier 3 of the KBA through his eyes.
With a background of luscious green, clear blue skies, and calm waters, the area seems untouched by the rest of the world, a secluded spot where trees and nature thrive, coexisting with the people of the village. Living up to its name — rammang means mist in its local language — the haze surrounding the village seems aglow.
Nestled in the island of Sulawesi, locals found it hard to access education and healthcare, whether it’s about the environment or entrepreneurship. Zainal is a rare breed, becoming the first person to successfully leave to pursue an education up to a doctoral program from the village.
To magnify the beauty of his hometown, he invited people to upload photos, including stories, on social media. The idea seemed to have paid off. Today, the area has gained recognition as a haven for tourists from all parts of the world.
Rammang-rammang is the main area of the Karst Maros-Pangkep area, which has been designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The KBA is a part of Astra’s Sustainable Social Contribution program, receiving a grant by the company to launch activities to increase safety from a regional security perspective as well as build resilience from a disaster mitigation and management perspective.
Marie Sheena Suparman 