When the Sea Becomes the Way Forward

In the shadow of the luxury resort of Labuan Bajo, a group of women from Soknar Village, Golo Mori, have quietly built their livelihood on the edge of the waves.

Finding Hidden Beaches

When our team first visited Pasir Panjang, our driver even had to ask for directions twice. There is no signage, no entrance gate, and of course no ticket counter. Just a narrow dirt road cutting through the tall grass, leading to a quiet stretch of sand.

A foreign tourist stopped his motorbike nearby, holding his cell phone up to look for a signal. He didn’t realize that behind the trees, just a few meters away, there was one of the most beautiful beaches around Labuan Bajo.

Pasir Panjang is only about forty minutes from the city center, but feels far from the hustle and bustle of hotels and tourist boats. Over the years, most of the nearby beaches have been fenced off or turned into private resorts. Local residents say it is now almost impossible to find a free beach. This one remains open not because it is managed, but because it was almost forgotten.

The Woman Behind the Market

During our visit to the village, we met around twenty women who run small, informal businesses. Every morning, around nine or ten, women from Soknar (a coastal area in Golo Mori village) walk almost two kilometers in 29 to 32 degree sunlight to reach the beach. They carried baskets filled with fish and small seafood catches from the previous night. Some sell grilled fish, others sell coconuts and snacks.

There are several buyers. Almost every day, they come home with almost all of their stock unsold. “Sometimes we just share what’s left,” said Sri, one of the women who comes almost every day. “It’s better than letting it break.”

Like many other people, Sri married a fisherman. When his catch is small, he sells the rest of his catch to help meet household needs.

When we first talked to them, some of the women admitted they didn’t really understand how to sell their products. “Everyone here sells the same things,” said Leni, another member. “When tourists pass by, we don’t know how to offer it. Sometimes we just write the price in the sand so they understand.” They also expressed a desire to learn how to process fish more effectively or improve their products so they could stand out and reach more buyers outside the village.

Small Steps Toward Confidence and Change

Through the Glorious Golo Mori project, women began attending a series of workshops focused on business skills and product development. They learn how to make simple fish-based products with the guidance of local chefs, explore the importance of adding nutritional value to the products they make, and discuss basic marketing strategies. Through these sessions, they also practice using locally available resources to develop new products and learn some basic English phrases to help them communicate better with visitors. Many of them have never thought about these things before, branding, packaging, or even how to talk about their products with confidence.

Leni, a mother of three, admitted that she had always thought that business was only for people with high education or capital. “Before, I thought we would never be able to compete with those who had restaurants or shops in town,” he said. “But now, I understand that what we do is important too. We just need to learn how to make it better.”

When Courage Finds Its Voice in Golo Mori

A few weeks later, something extraordinary happened. As part of the program activities, women were invited to present their products at a small exhibition at Golo Mori. The event brought together representatives from the Maybank Foundation, ASEAN Foundation, Golo Mori Convention Center, hotel owners, and several local entrepreneurs.

For many of them, this was their first time stepping into what they called a “hotel.” They were amazed by the air conditioning, polished floors and round tables covered with white cloth. However, when their turn came, they stood proudly behind their displays, displaying fish balls, dried anchovies, fish floss and homemade chips.

Then we remember that the first day we met them, these women could barely answer questions or make eye contact. In one workshop, not a single word came out when they were asked to speak in front of the group. But that day at the event, they stood before strangers and talked about their product, its process, its taste, and the hope that more people would know where it came from.

One of them, Nining, said afterwards, “I was very nervous, but I prepared with my friends and with Mrs. Anis, a young volunteer from Malaysia. My products sold out, some even asked for more. This was my first time visiting the hotel. It was beautiful.”

It’s not a huge success story, but for those of us who saw it from the start, it was a very moving moment. This shows how confidence can grow even in the most neglected corners. They do not ask for alms or promises. What they are looking for is recognition, access, and the opportunity to be part of the progress happening around them.

These moments remind us how important community-based programs are. Starting from small steps, having the courage to speak, try, appear. When we see them preparing the fish for the next day, we think back to that afternoon at the showcase event. Their voices were still soft but steady. For the first time, they were not just participants. They are speakers, business owners, and women who dare to come forward.

About the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (EYAA) Program.

The eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (EYAA) program is a collaboration between the ASEAN Foundation and the Maybank Foundation. Insan Bumi Mandiri (IBM) is one of ten civil society organizations (CSOs) in ASEAN selected to design and implement community-based initiatives under this program.

Through the Glorious Golo Mori project, EYAA supports the local community in Golo Mori, near Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. This initiative brings together young ASEAN volunteers working with local partners to learn from the community, exchange knowledge, and contribute to sustainable social impact that extends beyond the duration of the program.