Story about local environment preservation program in Babakan Asih, Bandung - Indonesia.

1. BABAKAN ASIH STORY

2. Located at the south part of Bandung formely known an area called Blok Tempe. In
the past, this area is wellknown as the center for tempe production in Bandung. Later
on, this area also called as kampung baru (babakan), a new village that are inhabited
by few hundred people. Currently this area known as Babakan Asih and located at
Bojongloa Kaler district.

3. This area is in a very strategic location since it is near by the center of
economic activity in Bandung. The central city square can be reached within
10 minutes walk. Pasar Anyar (new market) that was develop in around
1970’s is only about 100 meter from Babakan Asih. This area is also located
around 1 km from Leuwi Panjang central terminal and only around 200
meter from Tegalega recreation center. The access to highway gateway is
can also be reach less than 5 km. Besides all, Babakan Asih is also located
near by Immanuel Hospital, which attract many interest for a lot of people to
stay in this area.

4. The environmental preservation program in Babakan Asih was formely a pilot project
that was initiated by Babakan Asih local residence for the last 10 years. Started as a
local community development project, they started to collaborate with Common
Room Networks Foundation (Common Room) in 2008 as part of a program called
“Sustainable Bandung”. This program is basically a regular discussion and
brainstorming session to recognice and develop an alternative solution in order to
improve ecological condition in Bandung.

5. This program was also part of follow up activities after we organized Nu-Substance
Festival in 2008. The idea was being developed after having a conversation with Rob
van Kranenburg during media & creativity discussion at Common Room. Sustainable
Bandung Project aims to utilitize knowledge and technology in order to enhance
creativity and inovation among civil society. This project is also an effort to develop
ideas and vision on sustainable development for Bandung, trough series of
brainstorming, discussion, research, and projects, including knowledge production
and dissemination towards existing network and multidisciplinary collaboration that
embraces local community, artist, designer, architect, urban planner, etc.

6. Later on this project was started trough a series of collaborative activity, were local
community is developing their own GPS map to identified location and geographical
contour of their neigborhood and designing a structure for well system that can
prevent flood in the area. This project is also initiated a regular program that is
focused to improve environmental condition in Babakan Asih. Beside working closely
with Common Room and PT. URBANE Indonesia, Babakan Asih community is also
collaborating with some other artist collective in Bandung, including F.A.B. and
Otonomedia.

15. What has been achieved so far...

16. Around 17 wells that could absorb water has been built by local
community in Babakan Asih at the moment. Sometime, if heavy
rain comes, the flood still happen. But usually no longer than 30
minutes. Before they built the system, sometime the flood can
happen for almost 7 days. Local community in Babakan Asih can
also use the well to grow catfish during rain season. The fish
could eat mosquito larva, so it also prevent malaria and dengue
fever. If the fish is big enough, they can also sell the fish to the
market nearby.

17. Hatur Nuhun.Thank You.Terimakasih!
www.commonroom.info