The Program is particularly active in Datai village situated some 15 kilometres inside the park boundary.

Home sweet home in Datai Village
Forest dwellers of Bukit Tigapuluh
The Talang Mamak – an indigenous tribes-people living within Datai village. These people represent some of the last semi-nomadic, shifting agriculturalists in Sumatra – having for many hundreds of years preferred to live simply, deep inside the rainforest, maintaining a harmonious relationship with the surrounding forest and its wildlife.
Here the Tiger Trust has funded the building of 2 schoolhouses and medical dispensary on land donated by the villagers.

Schoolhouse funded by STT
The full-time teacher also sponsored by the STT now teaches a total of 70 regular pupils through daily classes.

Teacher sponsored by the Tiger Trust

Students and teacher at work in the classroom

Students learning to read
Tiger Protection Unit staff also serve as temporary teachers when residing in the village. The teaching and health facility (built with traditional materials through a cooperative effort between villagers and Program staff) also serves as a deep forest camp for the Tiger Protection Units when on patrol.

Infant mortality rates within Datai are high (almost 50%) the project also funds a health visitor to visit the village once a week and is working to ensure the hopefully resulting increase in population will be dealt with in a sustainable way. The medical facility, through close cooperation with the district Department of Health, has now treated 160 cases – providing free medicines and nutritional supplements whenever required.

The good will that has been generated through close community support of the Talang Mamak people allows the Tiger Patrol units and Program staff unhindered access to all areas of the park, and an ability to integrate with these notoriously shy villagers during necessary overnight stops. The open communication and trust between the Program staff and the Talang Mamak has also opened up a massive resource with respect to local forest knowledge, navigation to more outlying regions, and intelligence on illegal activities within the park. The Program’s recent success in apprehending and prosecuting an extensive tiger poaching and trade syndicate leading to record convictions for the six felons involved, relied extensively on this close community participation with both indigenous tribes and local villagers living around the park.

Children of Datai getting food

Chidren of Datai playing
Click HERE to read a letter from one of the children of Datai
Second School opens click HERE for more info
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