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Project News

2008-02-23

1st ACE FESTIVAL

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The first ACE (Activity for Community Empowerment) Festival was held on February 23rd-24th 2008 in Taman Sari, Banda Aceh. This festival was opened officially by Ms. Illiza, Vice Mayor of Banda Aceh city, and Mr. Sakamoto, Resident Representative of JICA Indonesia Office. Twenty one ACE groups from Banda Aceh city and other 6 Kabupaten (Aceh Besar, Pidie, Bireuen, Aceh Tengah, Aceh Barat, and Aceh Jaya), 4 working groups in Ulee Lheue and 2 CEP groups (community empowerment program, JICA project in 2005) in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar attended. Ten of them displayed and sold their products and the rest explained their products by using posters and leaflets. This festival has three goals, firstly to create ACE network over the project area, secondly, to introduce products from ACE groups and finally to share the information and knowledge among the groups.

Photo(left):VIP guest from Mayor Office, Bappeda Parliament, BRR and JICA
Photo(right):Ms. Illiza (Vice Mayor, Banda Aceh City), and Mr. Sakamoto (Resident Representative, JICA Indonesia Office) cutting the tape ribbon

There was a live interactive dialogue with RRI which was broadcasted from Taman Sari Banda Aceh connected to RRI studio in Lhokseumawe. This interactive dialogue discussed ACE Festival and JICA assistance. A member from Ulee Lheue (cake group) and Curek, Aceh Jaya (ox fattening) were interviewed. They were accompanied by consultant from Sepakat and JICA Expert Team. They explained about ACE program and implementation of their economic activity.

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In general, the first ACE Festival was successful. The participants were glad to have new experience and opportunity to meet a lot of people and to promote their products. The participants and visitors had to fill questionnaire which had a goal to improve the quality of the products. Most of the visitors suggested to improve the packaging of the product, so the customers are willing to buy. JICA also made special Japanese food fair and origami show which drawn attention from many participants and visitors. Interestingly, most of the ingredients for Japanese food are available in Aceh, so Acehnese can make it themselves as well as the origami can be made from recycled newspaper.

Photo(left):Live Interactive Dialogue with RRI in Taman Sari
Photo(right):Displayed and sold products from ACE groups

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