Listen to the story of Papua, easternmost province of Indonesia. Papua is an overwhelming country. It is unprecedented in beauty and diversity. The natural resources are inexhaustible. The Papuans live in harmonious connection with their village, community and ancestors. They take your heart forever.
But the natural balance between humans and their habitat is disturbed by changes from the outside and inside. Transmigrants from elsewhere displace the indigenous population from the labour market. The Papuans are marginalised and their voices are not heard. The appeal of modern times threatens the survival of traditional societies. Hapin listens to the Papuans and helps them to keep the road to the future open.
Featured project
On January 6th, the Jayapura region was ravaged by heavy rainfall, causing widespread flooding and landslides. At least eight people have died. More than 500 people have been evacuated to safer areas. At the moment there is a great need for food, clean water, beds, blankets, medicines, mouth masks and cleaning products. Will you help?
Papua
Papua is one of the largest islands in the world. The island stretches from the eternal snow fields on top of the Puncak Jaya to the tropical beaches of Raja Ampat. Enriched by deep valleys, special animal species and a diverse culture.
Hapin was founded in 1972 by Dutchmen and Papuans who feel connected to the fate of the original population of the former Dutch New Guinea.
A scholarship for Yeri Dawu: student agricultural studies
Earlier this year Nova and Irma, Hapin consultants in Papua, visited an asrama (student house) in Jayapura. There witnessed a distressing situation: several Asmat students living here had great difficulty financing their studies. In order to be able to pay their tuition fees, they saved on their daily food, among other things. One of the students that Nova and Irma met here is Yeremias (Yeri) Dawu. Yeri was in big trouble at the time. Not only could he not pay the tuition fees for the new semester, he also had debts for previous years of study.
Hapin-student: meet Alda
Teaching geography to primary school students: that is Alda Saroy's big dream. Initially, it was her mother who urged Alda to study to become a teacher. But now she's got a taste for it herself. She is studying geography at UNCEN University in Abepura and enjoys attending lectures, acquiring knowledge, doing an internship and interacting with fellow students.
Realised projects
For 45 years we have been supporting students, entrepreneurs, mothers, children and schools in Papua.
Hapin has granted scholarships to at least 2,000 students. Already we have provided 160 microcredits and supported 1,200 projects.
View the projects and students we have supported over the years.
About Hapin
Listen to the story of Papua. Province of Indonesia. The land of the Papuans. Snowy high mountains and meandering rivers. In one of the largest rainforests in the world, the bird of paradise shows off her feathers, the queen among the birds. Papua, with its fantastic diversity of peoples, cultures, languages, traditions and stories. So colorful, so unique, so rich. The Papuan, get to know him, and you’ll never forget him again. Friendly and gentle.
But a tragedy looms. The familiar environment of the Papuans is at risk from large-scale logging and mining. Their precious ancestral land is no longer safe for the interests of the multinationals and greedy army officers. Economically, people from outside push the Papuans to the margin. Education and health care are substandard. Resistance and protest against this discrimination is forcibly suppressed. Papua Support Foundation (Hapin) wants the voice of the Papuan people to be heard and stands next to them in their struggle to direct their own future. Since 1972.
Hapin and Rotaryclub Amsterdam-Sloterdijk join forces
RC Amsterdam-Sloterdijk will enter into a partnership with Hapin in 2022. The choice to support the Papuans is an obvious one here. One of the club members has roots in Papua herself. But the other members also feel involved with the population of the former Dutch New Guinea.
On my birthday I wanted to give something back to the Papuans
Aliene Bruinink was born in 1967 in Kouh, in the inlands of Papua. This year she decided on her birthday that she wanted to give something back to the Papuans. Instead of birthday gifts, she asked her family and friends to donate to Hapin. With good result!
COVID-19: Papua in lockdown
Theo van den Broek (74), Hapin advisor and civil society consultant in Papua, lives and works in Jayapura. He tells firsthand how COVID-19 is currently spreading.
Sewing class for Asmat-mothers: meet Ursula
Ursula is the youngest in the sewing class. She has just completed her SMP (similar to junior high school). This story is part of a series that introduces you to six Asmat women who take a sewing class in Merauke.