Sokola Tayawi

Sokola Tayawi was a basic literacy program aimed at the indigenous ethnic group of Halmahera, often referred to as the Togutil people, though they call themselves Tayawi. They lived along the Tajawe River (or Tayawi), which is part of the Ake Tajawe Lolobata National Park in Halmahera Island, North Maluku. As a hunter-gatherer society, the establishment of national park regulations limited their access to and use of forest resources. The Tayawi people were largely illiterate due to the inaccessibility of formal education, primarily because schools were far away and the curriculum did not align with their cultural perspective. Despite this, they had regular contact with the outside world, especially through forest commodity trade. Their inability to read, write, and count often led to unfair transactions, such as being cheated on scales or payment amounts. In response to this issue, Sokola organized basic literacy programs for children in the community. The program took place in 2007 and 2009, with a gap due to funding shortages. To overcome various limitations, Sokola collaborated with local organizations to implement the program.