Listening from Kwau: Growing Hope Through Coffee

The Udohotma Bentara Papua team once again met and held a dialogue with the community of Kwau Village, Mokwam District. The meeting was attended by the Head of Kwau Village, Mr. Yustinus Mandacan; the Kwau Village Agriculture Treasurer, Mr. Apolos Wonggor; and local coffee advisor Narson Mandacan.

The meeting took place under circumstances that were not entirely expected. Due to limitations in communicating the invitation, some community members were in town or working in their gardens and were unable to attend. Even so, the gathering remained an important space to listen to the community’s stories, potential, and aspirations.

Language also played an important role in the conversation. As some community members are more comfortable communicating in their mother tongue than in Indonesian, Village Head Yustinus Mandacan helped translate the discussion so that everyone present could understand the purpose of the visit.

At the meeting, the women of Kwau responded with a simple but meaningful message:

“We also welcome it, and we want our village to progress even further.”

Their hopes are closely connected to a coffee initiative that began several years ago.

In 2020 and 2022, Rudi, the former Head of Udohotma Station, together with other members of the Bentara Papua team, conducted an initial coffee extension and awareness program in Kwau Village.

In December 2020, the Bentara Papua team returned to Kwau Village to provide training on coffee seedling propagation using two varieties: 3,000 Sigarar Utang seedlings and 2,000 Komasti seedlings. The seedlings were propagated at two locations, namely the homestays owned by Mr. Hans Mandacan and Mr. Samuel Mandacan.

Over time, however, many of the seedlings were damaged due to heavy rainfall. Therefore, in 2022, Bentara Papua returned to Kwau and collaborated with the Provincial Agriculture Office of West Papua to procure 10,000 Sigarar Utang coffee seeds.

At the same time, Bentara Papua provided assistance in maintaining the coffee plants, which were planted simultaneously with the then Regent of Manokwari, Hermus Indou, S.IP., M.H.

Today, the community continues to express its hope for further assistance in developing their coffee, from seedling production and cultivation to harvesting.

For Bentara Papua, this meeting was a reminder that meaningful collaboration is not simply about bringing a program to a community. It begins by coming, listening, understanding, and creating space for communities to shape the future they want for their own village.

And from Kwau, that hope was voiced together:

“Kampung Kwau, BISA!”