THE HEAVEN BEHIND THE CLOUD OF DUST

The temperature is hot and dry. Dust flew into the air as we travelled through the path. It's a totally different world. It's like entering the world of enigma where silence and tranqulity are another names for mysteries. Once in a while, we saw traditional houses and the local people sat in front of their porch. We must have been some among the few strangers that enter this area. Their eyes were fixed on us as they followed us with their head until we vanished into the cloud of dust.

Upon entering the gateway of Desa Tanjung Bunga, Ilepadung, we felt a complete change. The green Cashew trees were standing neatly in rows. From a distance they look like a velvety carpet that directs us to a palace. The crystal clear blue water greeted us with jolted joy and shiny splashy look. A sense of relief occupied our mind. It had been a-6-hour-journey from Maumere to Ilepadung, travelling through the winding and dusty roads.

We stopped at the center and were greeted with a warm welcome by the Kepala Desa. He explained the processing of cashews. The entire backyard of the building was occupied with raw cashew nuts. They were drying them up on the cemented area and depended heavily on the sun. Once the cashew shells are dried enough to be processed further, they will be taken to another area. This area are dominated by males, they are in charge of cracking the hard shell. The interior of the shells contains a caustic resin, known as cashew balm, which must be carefully removed before they are fit for consumption. They use the traditional Kacip to crack the shells and take the nuts with the soft skin. The room where they work look more like a dungeon, it is dark and somber.

Girls, children and female were wearing bandana sitting in a clean room with proper ventilation and lights. They worked and smiled shyly as we posed some questions. To one of the girls I asked her being there instead of at school. She said, I have finished my elementary levels and have decided to work. In this area they clean the soft skin of dried cashews and packed them. The cashews were ready to be exported.

Ilepadung has a great potential to produce organic cashews. However, poverty drives them away from efforts to develop themselves economically. Those raw cashews are sometimes sold cheaply because they are in need of cash. According to an international institution who has been assisting them with cashew farming, the traditional people sometimes ignore their commitment to the international buyers simply because they are in need of cash.

They have the resources, both human and natural resources. They also receive assistants from international organization in terms of cashew production. What they need now is an integrated assistance to bail them out of poverty. Here we come.... another Desa Kita.