Category: Cibening

Today, all guardians received their salary and for pak Ana, it was the last time he received his salary, because starting November he will stay and work in Jakarta. He wants to try the city job like an office boy or a food vendor.

Living in a city and in a village is big different, the challenge is different, the problem is different, only the opportunity is the same. Some of the guardians believe when they can not reach their dream now, their children will make it someday in the future. What they need is to work hard.

Since SD Cibeureum has received a series of consultancy from Goldteak staff, teachers and principal have an agenda to discuss many things about the development of the school programs and the children themselves. To motivate school children who live in a small village like Cibening is not easy, the progress can not be expected high.

After 6 months giving a communicative approach to the school’s staff and the children now they start to be open and responsive. Teachers gave a regular report about everything they have in school, even now they have a list of school facilities that they need to support their activities. Goldteak has given the children many books, every time the book/s came they read together, no wonder the condition of the books are not proper to be read again although the books have been copied several pieces, but it is good, it means that the need of knowledge is becoming bigger now among the children. Probably Goldteak should find some partners to work together to supply the books (new or used ones).

Caterpillars are gone and the trees are safe now, the crushed leaves will dry and young leaves will grow. In some part of the plantation, weed is still growing although it has been destroyed and cut. We have to cut or destroyed it regularly, if nor it will take the soil nutrition.

Standing in front of the 6 meters teak tree, we feel short and small and we can see trunk and leaves are strong and green. The trees moved gently when the wind blew and it looks beautiful.

For the young trees which planted in February, they are seven months old now, and about 6 or 7 meters tall, but for the young trees which planted at the end of March they are about 2 or 3 meters tall. The shortest trees are the trees which replanted at the end of April, because they did not survived from teak decease or hot weather. In 2 or 3 years, the shortest trees will be as tall as the tallest ones. In a growing period the trunk will be bigger and taller and the root become stronger, especially for a “Solomon” type where the tree will grow high with less leaves. Small branches will disturb the growing of the trunk, so unnecessary branches should be cut.

It is necessary to look after the soil, it should be free from gulma or weed around the tree, this will give the tree and its root receive enough nutrition and sunrise.

All trees, teak, acacia, mahogany, durian, mango and durian will receive the same treatments, giving insecticide, fungicide or fertilizer if necessary. Water is also important, although teak is a strong tree but during the growing period it needs a lot of water.

Who does all of those things? Off course Guardians, do they live as well as the trees do? Pak Parid is one of two supervisors in Goldteak plantation. He and his family have been living in plantation since Goldteak opened the first 20 ha teak plantation in Cibening more than 4 years ago. He is a role model of a good, active, diligent and responsible guardian, more than that he also started to be entrepreneur. When he moved to the plantation, he did not bring anything but his wife and 5 from 8 children they have. Goldteak provided him with a bamboo house and small yard around the house. Every day, when he has a break time of after finishing the job he takes care his goats, chicken and his yard, now he has 3 goat houses with more than 5 goats and lambs, he has more than 30 chicken and a yard full with fruit and vegetable. Two of his sons, Kusnadi and Dede P, have followed his step and become entrepreneurs too, they also have several goats. Before Lebaran, Dede P sold his goats and bought a second hand motor bike.

Some of the guardians have tried to follow pak Parid’s way, but will they be like pak Parid? We have to be optimist because all teachers at SD Cibeureum and Goldteak will help the guardians and all children in Cibening village to have a good future.

At the end of September, the weather is very hot with strong wind. It had been rained for 3 days and it has helped the land to get water. People in Cibening collected the rain water and put it in containers, the water resource has filled up with water. It is expected that the water can be used until the next rain falls.

For the trees, rain water can be good or bad. It is good because the trees get water and make them grow well, but it also creates problem, caterpillars come and attack the trees. Fortunately, we have prepared insecticide to kill the caterpillars, in 3 days the caterpillars has gone. In hot season, there is a teak decease attack the top of the trees and make them dry. We have to cut it as soon as possible to make the young leaf grow again. Rain makes the trees grow fast and young branches appear, to make the trunk big all braches should be cut.

Teak trees will still grow well without fertilizer but not maximal, for commercial trees they should be treated carefully, giving fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide and pruning branches regularly is necessary. The trees will grow faster and they will have better trunk and the quality of the wood will be the best, it means the price of the wood will be high.

The Earthquake happened in West Java on September 2nd, also damage several houses in Cibening village. Earthquake also damaged pak Oni’s house, the kitchen is damaged badly and the room has small damages. Now guardians try to help him by fixing the kitchen.

At the end of September, the weather was very hot, guardians work hard to give water to trees which start to dry. Guardians also still do regular activities like cutting small branches, and cut the grass or just cleaning the soil around the trees.

Durian trees start fruiting, normally durians will produce the fruit after they are 4-5 years old, but for durians from vegetative seed, they will start to produce fruit when they are 2-3 years old. Usually at the beginning they learnt to produce the first fruit and the fruit taste is not good enough, but after that the fruit will be good with soft meat, juicy, sweet and smell strong.

Some guardians fix the road which is from the village goes to the plantation. They also make terrace on the hill.

At the old trees, they start to prune. The land is not cool anymore but it means the teak trees grow wellbecause sunrise will help them to grow the trunk and the root as well.

Eid ul-Fitr was on September 20th, some of the guardians go to visit their family but the rest still stay at the plantation. They celebrate the Lebaran with their family, relatives and neighbors. This is a good time for the guardians to take arrest after fasting a month and hard work, they stay at home with their wives and their children.

Lebaran holiday was celebrated on Sunday 20th September 2009. All guardians were happy because they all received THR or “Lebaran Bonus” as much as one month salary.

“Holiday Bonus” is a bonus given to the workers who celebrate the Holidays like Eid ul- Fitr for Muslim, Christmas for Christians and Waisak for Budhis. The policy of “Holiday Bonus” was applied since 1994, it is an obligation for the company to pay their workers one month salary especially to the workers who already been working for the company more than half year.

Goldteak Guardians received “Lebaran Bonus” because all of them are Muslim, and this time “Lebaran Bonus” is paid on September 12th, so the guardians still have time to buy their Lebaran needs (clothes for the children and food for the Lebaran days). Traditionally Indonesian people celebrate Lebaran by visiting family or relatives and serve food and drink for the guests, sometimes they have to visit the family or relative in different village, so they need an extra expenditure for transportation. For people who have life stocks like cows, goats or chicken they will sell them to have an extra income, if they do not have cow or goat, they will cut their chicken for the Lebaran lunch. Pak Parid and pak Abah sold their roasters this year to make an extra income. Both of them have a big family and relatives and this year the children of pak Abah came to Cibening to celebrate the Lebaran together. This year Goldteak also gave a lebaran gift to SD Cibeureum, cookies for the school principal and 4 teachers, they were very happy and appreciated.

September and October will be very hot in Cibening, guardians still work during fasting month (Ramadan) and sometimes they prepare the fasting break together (they make a fruit juice or fruit coctails) pak Zaini bought the fruit and syrup for them.

All guardians were expecting the rain, because they have very little water for the trees and for their family. The fasting day without water was very hard. But they are lucky because after receiving the lebaran bonus it rained hard for several hours, they still hoped that it would rain for several days so they would have enough water until the hot season ends.

There was a land checking for acacia and mahagony which were burnt last August. From the picture we can see that the black area is large, it is because Goldteak land is side by side the neighbour’s land with 6 meter border, actually there is about 441 m2 for 46 acacia trees and 990 m2 for 113 mahogany trees.

There are some teak trees given the fertilizer and now they are about 6 meter tall with bigger trunk comparing with other trees without fertilizer. The ones with fertilizer grow faster, healthier, bigger and stronger.

There are some trees got a sprout deceases, the top should be cut and the new leaf will grow again.

One of pak Zaini son had been circumcised and the celebration will be held on November. In Indonesia circumcision is done more for religion recognition, usually baby girl will have circumcision before she is 1 year old but for a boy he will have circumcision when he is between 1 to 9 years old.

“ Happy Eid ul-Fitri 1430 H, May Allah bless us and our family, give us happiness, prosperity and good health today and in the future, Amiin…”

On August 14th, there was a fire on acacia and mahogany area. There were 46 acacia trees and 113 mahogany trees burnt, the fire came from the neighbor’s land which was burnt for rice farming.

On the other side of the burnt land, acacia and mahogany trees are healthy and grow well. 
The border between Goldteak plantation and neighbor’s land is 6 meters wide, actually the fire can not reach Goldteak plantation, because the wind was strong and flew the cinder and created fire.

At this time, guardians do regular activities in maintaining the young trees like cutting the grass, cleaning the ground, watering the trees, cutting small branches and cutting the dry trees or bamboo which will disturb the young trees.

Some guardians have a duty to take care the fruit trees, durian, mango and oranges also need attention. Dry season is not goof for the trees, so guardians should give water every day at least every two days. So far the fruit trees survive during this hot season.

To take care the land and the trees, guardians should climb the hill or walk on the rocky, pebbly and dusty land. The guardian should walk carefully because they also bring water or any equipments. Supervisor, Budi, should check the guardians work on the land about 20 ha is not easy, so now the guardians make a road for the motorbike.

To prepare rainy season, guardians start to make or compartment or clean the soil around the tree. They will put fertilizer manure at the end of the hot season, so when the it rains, the water will bring it in the soil.

Some trees were attacked by the leaf decease, guardians should cut the top trees so young leaves will grow again, but when the trees does not get enough water, the trees will dry and die. Others trees grow very well and look healthy, even for the latest planting in March 2009

At the other area, the old trees start pruning, because supervisor, Parid, does not have many guardians to help him cleaning the ground so he also makes sure that nobody smoke or make fire around the plantation.

The other trees look healthy and grow well, they are getting tall and bigger and stronger.

Guardians always take a break at gazebos or house, during Ramadan they do not have lunch, so sometime after they have mid day pray they take a nap or just have a chat with other friend or family.

The hot season has been 3 months already, end August and early September the weather is still hot. The temperature is between 37 to 39 º C in the new plantation, but in the 2 year trees area, the temperature is about 35 to 36 º C. The wind blows harder in the morning and afternoon. To help the trees from the heat, guardians give water every morning.

The Acacia and Mahogany will be planted in December, when the land is wet and has enough water. The guardians will open the land in October and start to maintain the land in November.

The guardians do regular activities every day, spaying the trees with insecticide and fungicide. It is to protect the trees from trunk and root decease. In hot season, coconut beetles, grasshoppers and hairy caterpillars still attack the trees.

Most of the area has been clean from wild grass, but there is still small part that still has grass, guardians cut the grass manually by cutting knives or by spraying.

Other activity that guardians still do is making compartment around the trees, it is to give the land receives more UV to grow the root well. The land also will get more oxygen.

He two year and eight month trees grow well, now they prune by themselves, the leafs fall and naturally it helps the UV reaches the ground. All trees are healthy and strong.

Last year Goldteak gave scholarship program to 10 students who graduated from SD Cibeureum and continue study to SMP PGRI (secondary school). This year Goldteak continued the program to these 10 students and add 17 new students who just graduated from SD Cibeureum this year, so total students received the scholarship are 27 students.

Each student received one pair of school shoes/socks, one hat, one school bag, one pair skirt/shirt and pants/shirt, ruler, sharpener, eraser and pencil case. All Goldteak guardians’ children also receive the scholarship and donation.

This year, PT Petrolink’s employees also participated and supported this program, they donated 15 packages of writing books, 22 dozens of pencils, 4 packages erasers, 2 table sharpeners and 2 pictures of Indonesian Hero for the school. The donation was given to the SD and SMP students.

This hot season, guardians are still clearing the wild grass with round up or cutting by knives. They also give water to the trees, they take the water from the 2 year teak plantation. Some of them collect dried leafs or give fungiside/insecticide or pruning the the 2 years old teak trees.

There are three guardians will be at the plantation every Friday to keep watching the situation during hot season. Up to now, there are still several fire spots at rice field area in Cibening but far away from the plantation.

August 17th is Indonesian Independence Day, SD Cibeureum students and Cibening people celebrated on August 15. All people came together to SD Cibeureum school to see the games, there were several traditional games like climbing betel nut tree to get presents, running by using rice sack, taking coin on the fruit, putting the chalk into bottles, and all students got presents. Goldteak supported all the presents for the games and the school arranged the games. The site manager, Zaini, and her wife also donate the snacks and drink separately.

So this year, people in Cibening celebrated the Independence Day together with SD Cibeureum and Goldteak, now they life is better than before and even better in the future. The parents have Goldteak plantation to work with, the children have government and Madrasah schools to study and develop their knowledge, balanced spiritual and intellectual.

There was a fire on August 14th, 2009 at Goldteak Plantation on Acacia and Mahogany area, there were 46 acacia and 113 mahogany burnt. The source of the fire was from the rice field next to it. Fortunately no teak trees are burnt.

Every year, when farmer start to open the area for farming, they usually burn the land. The farmers don’t have money to pay the workers to open their land so they burn it, after that they use the hoes to open the land, and early rainy season they can start to plant the rice. This is one of problems in plantation or farming area. Sometimes, the fire can not be controlled because there is hard wind or no water supply available. The other problem is because the area of farming and plantation huge and there is not enough people to handle. All trees are burnt will be replanted in December in rainy season.

Regular activities are still been doing, like measuring, watering and maintaining the trees. Fasting month “Ramadhan” starts on August 22nd, all workers work like usual, but they will go to land and go home earlier and they have a mid day break.

The young teak trees are already about 3,10 meter high, they look healthy and strong.

The growing trees need more sun rise and good soil, the land should clean from the wild grass to keep important nutrition. For better maintaining, after the land is clean from the wild grass, we can put fertilizer around the tree. But let the sun rise touches the ground is already makes the soil good and healthy.

Too much sun rise makes the young trees look yellow, but it is temporary. The young trees have strong roots, so we do not worry the trees will die. It will survive with good maintaining and water. Measuring trees will be started soon and the measurements are already bought.

To create the good environment, Goldteak builds houses with bathrooms and toilets. In the field, gazebos were build without toilets but now Goldteak is making one toilet at the two year trees area near the water pond/resource to help workers and family to take a bath and wash. Although the septic tank is not deep enough but it is appropriate to use.

Most of the workers live in the plantation, their house has electricity, but the roads in the plantation does not have lights, the workers should bring/use flash lights to walk at night.

The small mosque has been completed and ready to be used by Cibening people. The capacity is for about 30 people. People will start to use it on 19th August to 19th September for praying during fasting month, every day and night. After Lebaran (Idil Fitri) people still use it for daily pray. This small mosque is a personal donation from Mr. Zaini and his family.

Cibening is a small village with population about 500 people, all people are muslim. Beside having a government elementary school, they also have an Islam elementary school called Madrasah. The students study at government school in the morning and at Madrasah in the afternoon. They study Islam and read holly Koran. The Madrasah is supported by private sometimes by personal donators.