[Activity Report] Asian Rural Institute Conducts 'Life-Shaking' Indonesia Study Tour 2026: 10 Days Learning Sustainable Society and Diversity through Exchange with Rural Leaders
From February 19 to March 1, 2026, the Asian Rural Institute conducted a study tour in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Twelve participants visited ARI graduates to experience sustainable farming and community-based disability support.
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- 📰 Published: March 27, 2026 at 23:44
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (22h 15m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 09:32 (635h 32m after Collected)
Between February 19 and March 1, 2026, the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) conducted a study tour in North Sumatra, Indonesia, under the theme 'Experience! The Lives and Ways of Rural Leaders.' A total of 12 people (10 participants and 2 staff members) visited ARI graduates active in the region to experience firsthand the front lines of community development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.
### Tour Highlights
#### 1. Living in Harmony with Nature at 'Kenny's Farm' (Siborongborong)
The first stay was at 'Kenny's Farm,' managed by graduates Feny and Kengo Ishida. Within a 'Food Forest' where the entire forest serves as a supermarket, participants touched the soil and worked together on farming. Through cooking local ingredients themselves, they experienced the daily reality that 'to eat is to live,' fostering gratitude for life.
#### 2. Overwhelming Enthusiasm: 'Seed to Cup' Coffee Production and Rural Homestay (Nagasaribu)
Next, the group visited the base of graduates Gani and Lampita, who lead a producer association as coffee farmers. They learned about the production process of a single cup of coffee and the challenges faced by producers. Participants also experienced a two-night homestay in local households. Despite challenges such as language barriers and differences in sanitation (like bucket baths), they enjoyed warm hospitality and meaningful cross-cultural exchange.
#### 3. Disability Empowerment Across Generations (Hephata)
The group inspected the activities of 'Hephata,' the disability support department of the HKBP, the largest Protestant denomination in Indonesia. They learned about community-based rehabilitation (CBR) activities that have been passed down from senior graduate Osten to his junior Junpeter, now expanding to six regions. Witnessing Lampita's dedication to supporting families with diverse disabilities and the cacao seedling distribution project for recovery from the December floods, participants saw a society where no one is left behind.
### Tour Highlights
#### 1. Living in Harmony with Nature at 'Kenny's Farm' (Siborongborong)
The first stay was at 'Kenny's Farm,' managed by graduates Feny and Kengo Ishida. Within a 'Food Forest' where the entire forest serves as a supermarket, participants touched the soil and worked together on farming. Through cooking local ingredients themselves, they experienced the daily reality that 'to eat is to live,' fostering gratitude for life.
#### 2. Overwhelming Enthusiasm: 'Seed to Cup' Coffee Production and Rural Homestay (Nagasaribu)
Next, the group visited the base of graduates Gani and Lampita, who lead a producer association as coffee farmers. They learned about the production process of a single cup of coffee and the challenges faced by producers. Participants also experienced a two-night homestay in local households. Despite challenges such as language barriers and differences in sanitation (like bucket baths), they enjoyed warm hospitality and meaningful cross-cultural exchange.
#### 3. Disability Empowerment Across Generations (Hephata)
The group inspected the activities of 'Hephata,' the disability support department of the HKBP, the largest Protestant denomination in Indonesia. They learned about community-based rehabilitation (CBR) activities that have been passed down from senior graduate Osten to his junior Junpeter, now expanding to six regions. Witnessing Lampita's dedication to supporting families with diverse disabilities and the cacao seedling distribution project for recovery from the December floods, participants saw a society where no one is left behind.