Wasis had never thought before that his decision to join the tree planting program initiated by Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd three years ago would be a blessing for many people around him. At the time, Wasis decided to join the tree planting program solely to expand his coffee field’s productivity. However, the trees he has grown not only provide him with a good result but also help preserve the water spring that provides clean water for his fellow villagers 

Wasis lives by himself in a hut not far from his field in Kalirejo Village, Kebumen Regency. There is a water spring established in his field and he is grateful for having it. Although it is little, the water spring is the only clean water source for his daily needs. He also believes the water spring is the key to his fertile field that never runs dry.

Growing Coffee is Wasis’ Specialty 

Before returning to his home village eight years ago, Wasis had worked in coffee plantations in Sumatera for more than twenty years. Therefore, growing coffee has been his specialty for years. One day, he decided to come home and brought a few coffee seedlings to be planted in his own field. Although his field is not wide, he has managed it persistently since the beginning.  

Formerly, Wasis planted some timbers, a few coffee trees, and cassava in his field. Unfortunately, cassava did not grow well in his field. Then in 2019, when Wasis received around 200 Robusta coffee seedlings from the tree planting program conducted by Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd, soon, he replaced all cassava planted in his field with Robusta coffee trees he received.  

Harvesting Coffee, Making a Good Income  

After three years growing coffees, a few months ago finally he harvested them for the first time. Deciding to replace cassava with coffee trees was the best decision he ever made. “I got seven kilograms of Robusta coffee beans, and I sold them at Rp27.000 per kilogram,” he said proudly.   

Besides Robusta, Wasis also planted Arabica and Liberica coffee which he brought the seedlings from a plantation where he worked once. Wasis said the selling price of Liberica is higher than the other. “Liberica can reach Rp30.000 per kilogram,” he said.  

To make his coffee trees lush and fruitful, Wasis makes organic fertilizer from cow dung by himself. He believes that the organic fertilizer he applied causes his coffee trees to grow well and fruitful. “I get the cow dung from my neighbors who raise cows. I prefer cow dung better than goat dung because it makes my trees lusher,” he said.  

Planting Trees, Preserving the Water Spring, Helping Local Residents

Wasis has been more than just proud of himself because the coffee trees he planted also made the water spring in his field produces more water than before. According to Wasis, now the spring not only can fulfill his clean water daily need but also other villagers’.  

“Around ten families in a neighboring village not far from here have been lacking clean water,” Wasis revealed. According to him, the local people have tried to dig wells but there was no water coming out. It has been very struggle for them to get clean water for a long time. When they heard the water spring in Wasis’ field has produced more water than before, they asked him permission to take water from there.  

“Water is the most essential thing in life, and they have had a hard time getting it for a long time. I cannot bear not to help them, so I allowed them to take water as much as they need from the spring in my field,” Wasis said.  

The Trees He Grows Bring Fortune 

Wasis said every neighbor who takes water from the spring, then they barter it with food crop yields or other essential things as a thank you.  

“They often barter it with rice grain in return. Usually, I get 50 kilograms of rice grains as a thank you,” Wasis told us. Some people also barter the water with vegetables or other food crops, making him does not need to buy groceries for his daily food. “The water is not only bartered with food. Sometimes, when I need cow dung to make organic fertilizer, they are willing to barter it with water,” he added.  

Wasis said he is so grateful because the spring can help many people and bring such fortune for him. “This spring is getting better because of trees from Trees4Trees and Tree Ltd that I have grown,” he said.  

Now, his biggest hope is to grow more and more trees, especially coffee trees. He wants to get good results to increase his income as well as to preserve the water spring that many people rely on to get clean water.