Journalist Markus Makur looks closer at how women in Manggarai turn to family farming and entrepreneurship to survive thair flailing economy, following large scale social distancing regulation put in place by the local government, to curb the spread of the Novel Corona virus.

By Markus Makur

Maria Sedis was picking ripe chilies grown on a plot of land belonging to Santo Robertus Bellarminus Tilir Parish in the East Manggarai regency of East Nusa Tenggara. Her friends, Fantiana Jemina and Kristiana Anu from Kampung Tilir were helping her harvest the popular ingredient to sell in the neighborhood.

“We also have sellers from the Ruteng and Mukun markets, who had called Father Rusmiadin,” Maria told The Jakarta Post earlier this month. The Catholic priest helps them market their produce through social media, especially WhatsApp groups.

Read the full story here.

This article was originally published by thejakartapost.com with the title “Build back better: Manggarai women turn to family farming to put food on table” on 30 November 2020.

Markus Makur is one of the recipients of the Build Back Better workshop and fellowship program organized by the World Resources Institute Indonesia and the Society of Indonesian Environmental Journalists (SIEJ). This article is funded by the fellowship.