Students Bandung Gardening at KAIL House

By: Any Sulistyowati

Thursday afternoon before iftar, June 16, 2016, several dozen students filled holiday in KAIL House. They volunteered gardening at Home KAIL. In this gardening activity, their role was to prepare a bed named "bed student". Unlike the daily activities on campus were using paper and pen, in this day they worked with hoes and sickles. Joy showed in their faces when plowing and hauling the soil, filling the beds with fertile soil, forage and manure.

 KAIL’s garden is designed using the principles of permaculture. Following these principles, the garden is divided into several zones, ranging from zone 0 and 1 which is closest to the house up to zone 5 at the riverside of the most distant from the house. Zone 0 and 1 contain plants that are commonly used, such as vegetables, spices and flowers, while zone 5 contains hardwood and bamboo plants that serve to greening, firewood and barriers to erosion. Among these zones, there are zones 2, 3 and 4, which contains fruit trees, fish pond and ducks.

Before gardening, the volunteers got an explanation of the principles of permaculture. In addition to learning about the zoning, they learnt about healthy agriculture, maintaining the balance of nature and promote local biodiversity. Included in it were free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They also learnt about the stages of preparation of the land to be conducted in their bed.

They worked vigorously while joking. According to the plan, this bed would be planted after the Eid. Hopefully by then forages and manure would have decomposed into fertile soil. Happy were their faces when they finally finished bed before sunset. Activities ended with group photo. Thanks for the students.

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Salted Eggs Feast in KAIL House

By: Any Sulistyowati

Salted Eggs

On Sunday, June 12, 2016 afternoon, KAIL House was filled with sixteen children. Most of them were from Kampung Cigarugak, the village where KAIL House is located. They came to attend Children's Day Learning (Hari Belajar Anak, HBA). HBA activities held regularly every month in KAIL House, the children learn all sorts of interesting and useful things for their lives. This month HBA was a feast of salted eggs. The eggs were made by the children themselves in HBA event last May. After three weeks stored, the salted eggs were ready. Due to coincide with Ramadan, the feast was held as Iftar.

In this activity, children cooked their own salted eggs. They can choose to fry or to boil the salted eggs. The small children were helped by volunteers of KAIL. They cooked alternately in an orderly manner.

Salted eggs are most delicious eaten with rice. For this Iftar, kids can select one or more options of rice, which is the usual is white rice, green beans rice, red rice and corn rice. There were also stir-fried vegetables cooked by Kak Fine, a volunteer of KAIL. Hmmm ... delicious!

The children cooked their salted eggs

Iftar would certainly be more complete with iced fruit cocktail dessert. In this activity, children prepared together their fruit cocktail. Some cut papaya, melon and watermelon and other scraped coconuts. Then, ice was added. Thus, the iced fruit cocktail is fresh and healthy. In order for the whole process of making the cocktail and of cooking salted eggs running smoothly and orderly, the children were divided into four groups. Each group sat around a table and get specific tasks, such as cutting papaya, cut melon, coconut curry etc.

Preparing fruit cocktail for Iftar

Before the cooking, kids could play giant board game together on the lawn. It was a very exciting game. In this game, they were divided into two groups. Each group determined their representation to become the pawns, the ones to jump on the checkered board game. In addition to playing board games, they also listened to Kak Debby telling the story of Bandung from-time-to-time. HBA cannot be possible without the support of KAIL staff and volunteers. Thanks for Kak Fine and Kak Kukuh who were willing to volunteer HBA this time. Also thanks to Kak Debby and Kak Deta who are faithful to accompany the children in each event of HBA. Also Mrs. Melly, coordinator of KAIL House who took time to attend this HBA.

Board game

Hopefully by time HBA events get more and more popular among children and bring benefits to their lives.

Translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Let’s Systems Thinking!

By: Umiazh

Triangle Idol Games

KAIL held a training of Systems Thinking Techniques (STT) on Saturday, June 4, 2016 in KAIL House. The event started at nine in the morning and lasted for approximately nine hours. Participants of this training came from a variety of backgrounds, including psychology UNIBI, ASF-ID, Energi Persada, Sadagori and Literature Rim ITB. Participants follow a series of STT materials hosted alternately by the facilitators of KAIL.

In the training, participants created groups based on the same background. Furthermore, in a group, participants were taught by each mentor to describe the vision and mission for the next five years based on their organization. Participants assisted with the tools used in ST, such as indicators, Behavior Over Time (BOT), Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) and leverage points.

Materials included logic of cause and effect, indicators that can intervene and composing strategy plan. Participants also did a simulation game that was of course related to the material

Causal Loop Diagram

being studied. One interesting simulation game was a game idol. This game was about simulating interplay indicators and existing loop, anyone who could intervene were to give effect into the loop.

It was expected that after the training participants can apply Systems Thinking Techniques not only in their organizations, but also to apply it in all aspects of life.

The participants and the facilitators

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

IBEKA Training on Systems Thinking

By: Pute

Training on Systems Thinking

On May 24-25, 2016, KAIL was invited by IBEKA to train Systems Thinking Techniques (STT). The training was conducted in Panaruban, filling the day 28th and 29th of IBEKA Camp and was attended by 85 participants. For two days, participants followed a series of materials of STT provided by KAIL. The materials were delivered alternately by the staff of KAIL. Behavior Over Time (BOT) by Melly Amalia.

Participants created groups, each contained 14-15 people. In the group, participants were invited to describe a vision based on case studies and were introduced to the tools of systems thinking such as indicators, Behavior Over Time (BOT), Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) and leverage points. Participants were also given the material on the logic of cause and effect. The training was not only through presentations by speakers and group discussions, but also through games such as a triangle idol and a living loop.

All participants were very enthusiastic. Many questions have arisen from the minds of the participants. During the training, many discussions echoed in all corners of the hall of the mosque where the training was held. Two days was fairly not enough to explore and to deepen the understanding of systems thinking. Participants were expected to take advantage of the systems thinking.

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Making own cleaning products with Botanina

By: Kukuh Samudra

On Sunday, May the 8th, 2016 Kail House received guests from Botanina. Botanina develops homecare and skincare products from natural ingredients. Guided by Botanina, Kail staff with participants coming from various backgrounds intended to create their own cleaning products. The workshop participants were more than 10 people. At the time of introduction, they admitted how curious they were to create their own cleaning products.

In the beginning, Kak Tina and Kak Olva of Botanina explained the initial formation of their organization. Kak Tina, as the founder, had the thought of making home cleaning and baby care products when she was pregnant.

Tina thinks that typically people do not understand the process and materials used to make cleaning and baby care products on the market and the fact that these products actually contain synthetic ingredients that have negative side effects for health in the long term.

According to Tina, nature actually has given everything to us. She admitted to have wept when applying her self-made natural Telon oil to her baby. "Thank you universe, you have protected my baby," she said. There are two types of products developed by Botanina, namely household cleaning products and body care products. Currently the focus is on developing household care products, because there are already many other organizations that develop body care products. Tina added that nowadays many of us pay more attention to the aesthetics of the body rather than the health of the family.

Botanina began in developing their products since five years ago, but the marketing started about two years ago. The products they develop are diverse, ranging from soaps, oral hygiene products, natural pesticides and air freshener.

In the workshop at Kail House participants made some cleaning products, ranging from toothpaste, mouthwash, furniture cleaners and natural pesticides.

To make toothpaste ingredient needed were salt, baking soda, cacao, charcoal (powder), honey and coconut oil. These materials are full recipe and can be simplified according to availability. The main property of toothpaste is abrasive, ability to help the process of tooth remineralization and in paste form for easy use. "The foam effect on the toothpaste is actually only a suggestive of a cleaning effect," said Olva.

Botanina colleagues added that we often obsessed with very clean teeth so clean that kills all the bacteria in the body. The main purpose of a cleaning product is not to kill all the bacteria but to create a balance of ecosystems in the mouth so that the beneficial bacteria can stay alive.

Charcoal powder and baking soda both are examples of abrasive ingredients, so they can be interchanged or complementary. Cacao and salt both are needed for tooth remineralization process. Lastly, the coconut oil is used to dissolve the ingredients and honey to make the taste more palatable.

The next product is mouthwash. The materials used were simple and often encountered as spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Boil all materials together. Once cool, add salt and a little baking soda as cleaning agent.

Moving to make furniture cleaner, an important point to note is that knowledge of material properties and functions. To make glass or metal furniture cleaner, we need the alkaline material. We dissolve baking soda with water and a bit of vinegar.

To repel insects and pests, Botanina introduces a mix of 10 essential oils. Every insect or pest has its own fears to a certain flora. For example, mice are fear of coffee, while mosquitoes are afraid to lavender. To make natural pesticides, we can use a mixture of essential oils dissolved in water in a spray bottle. Instead of camphor, a few drops of the mixture on a piece of flannel fabric can be hung in a closet. Needed to understand is that essential oils are extracts of plant oils processed by distillation technique to have similar concentrations of 50-fold.

Making own cleaning products is pretty easy as long as we recognize the nature and function of materials to be utilized as well as the process of making safe and natural.

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Let's Create Your Own Cleaning Products

By: Tien Widiyaningrum

A housewife would not want to come in contact with various cleaning products every day, ranging from detergents, dishwashing soap, toothpaste, floor cleaning soap and so forth. But, did you know that regular cleaning products we buy in the shops nearby were not all safe?

Cleaning products were initially created to ease daily activities. But, many of us do not realize the danger of the impact of commercial chemical-based products, ranging from long-term effects for the health of the family and environmental pollution caused by production processes and waste. Because of this concern Botanina and Kail House did a cooperation to conduct a workshop on how to make household cleaning products with a base material easy enough we encounter every day.

The workshop was held in Kail House on Sunday, May 8, 2016. The event began at 10:00 and finished at 13:00. It was attended by 24 participants from different regions and backgrounds, ranging from students to housewives. This time, Olva and Tina from Botanina took turns telling how to make toothpaste, mouthwash, all-purpose cleaner (liquid and powdered versions), pest and germ control, wood cleaners, and floor cleaning soap. Not only that, Olva and Tina also explained in details the functions of each of the base material used in making these cleaning products.

Participants were enthusiastic. Many of them asked interesting questions, animated the atmosphere in the workshop. There was also one of the participants whose children were particularly sensitive to commercial cleaning products so she was so excited in participating in the workshop. Some other participants hoped that they can figure out how to make natural soap, but unfortunately Botanina could not do that due to the fact that soap making process is complicated and lengthy. Perhaps at another time Kail House can have another chance to hold a workshop specifically to make natural soap for the participants who are still curious. We'll wait.

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Kail Learning Day (HBK) : Homemade Fermentation: Kombucha and Kimchi

By: Perswina Alaili 

Opening, by Melly Amalia (KAIL) and Dhila Baharuddin (Tepian Collective)

KAIL (Kuncup Padang Ilalang) held Kail Learning Day (KLD) on Sunday, March 6 Maret, 2016, with theme of Homemade Fermentation: Kombucha and Kimchi, with Dhila Baharudin (Tepian Collective) as resource person.

The weather at the time was cloudy, a little drizzle and windy. Participants started gathering at 09:00 and the event started around 10:00. The participants were divided into three groups. Participants KLD this time consisted of children ages 9 years and the mothers/housewives. Dhila opened the event with a history-making kimchi in Korea.

Making Kimchi

Kimchi is a vegetable with a mixture of various spices preserved by fermentation methods. It is usually consumed as a side dish, can be consumed directly or can be cooked into soups, as sautéed greens, and others. Kimchi is generally made of a type of vegetable chicory, but in its native it is made from various kinds of vegetables that available locally. It can be stored for a long time and is useful to meet their daily food needs.

Fermented kimchi is done by using biological agents such as bacteria to decompose various substances in foods to be more easily digested by the body. The event of making kimchi together called "kimjan" and can be done in spare time while hanging out with family.

Dhila explained about ingredients needed to make kimchi (left and right) 

Kimchi is typically made from various types of vegetables, but the most popular is of cabbage, carrots, and cucumber. In Korea, the whole kimchi is sliced before being presented as complementary foods (side dish) at the dinner table. It can also be cooked again as a mixture of sautéed beef, chicken, pork, and other vegetables, or even made as flavored spicy and sour soup. Eating kimchi can nourish the digestive tract since we consume good bacteria when eating kimchi. Fibers and nutrient contents in vegetables are also more easily digested by the body because it has been through the process of fermentation by bacteria. Kimchi can also be sprinkled with sesame seeds to add delicacy. In addition to soup and vegetables, kimchi can be made into pancake mix, fried rice, or kimbap (rice rolls Korean style)

The materials and equipment needed has been provided on the tables (see pictures above). They include chicory, carrots, cucumber and spices that are needed such as chives, celery, garlic, ginger, onions, and soy sauce.

At the workshop, participants stored kimchi sheets in plastic food boxes. These sheets are arranged stacked in the solid state. Kimchi can be directly consumed or saved. In 2 days, the sealed boxes are to be inflated so you need to be careful when creating and storing kimchi that you have made.

Making Kombucha

Furthermore, Dhila also has prepared materials for making kombucha tea. Kombucha is a drink that contains very little alcohol. This drink is also made by fermentation. Biological agents used are colonies of bacteria and fungus called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) shaped in the form of sheets, similar to Nata de Coco. Scoby is a mixture of bacteria Acetobacter with yeast that is generally the species Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii.

The principle of making kombucha is to make sugar solution, give enough Scoby seeds and fermented for more than 7 days. Yeast will change nutrients and sugar into alcohol (very small quantities). The bacteria will break down the bonds of sugars and nutrients contained in the solution so it is more easily digested by the body. This is the reason why kombucha is safe for consumption by diabetics, as glucose or fructose has been converted into a type of sugar that is easily digested by the body.

Dhila explained components needed to make kombucha (upper),
Scoby seeds (middle) and tea mixed with sugar (lower)

Kombucha can also be used as vinegar by way of keeping it longer until it reaches high acidity. This vinegar can be used for cooking and also for cleaning agent. In addition to kombucha and vinegar, if you like sour candies or pickles, you can also soak the fruits (or other ingredients such as orange peel, ginger pieces, etc.) that you like in a solution of kombucha. Then, they can be consumed and served with sugar so they taste sweeter.

Kail Learning Day was closed with a lunch with menu kimchi and vegetables that have been made by previous participants. Although quite short with very affordable/cheap registration fee, participants get a lot of benefits in the form of knowledge and happiness to share with other participants. See you at the next edition of KAIL Learning Day!