Natsir Eco Project
Organic coffee and chocolate workshops, homestay and volunteering in Tana Toraja
Nature. Cacao. Coffee. And English teaching. Those are the bullet points of our life that we established here on an unnamed hill in the remoteness of Tana Toraja. This is what we love doing and this is what we want to share with the world.
A word from the founder.
"My name is Natsir and I live with my family in a small village called Maroson - about 8km away from Makale, the main town in Tana Toraja. I own an organic garden and teach farming in the local public school. I also run a free Eco School for the kids from the surrounding villages, where we teach English and run classes on the environment. I grew up very poor and had to work hard to receive my education. In the course of my life I got the opportunity to work for different NGO's where I realized to value of speaking English and living sustainably. When I returned to my parent's home I started to transform the place according to my new principles. The first thing I built was the English school. Then I broke the hard ground on which our house is built and turned it into viable soil to grow my garden. It took many years and countless hours of manpower, but now we run English classes five times a week, and have more crops than we could ever use. But the struggle is not over. A few years ago we started to host volunteers to help with the garden and school. It is thanks to them that the project continues to move forward."
Experience our way of living with nature.
As true Torajans we appreciate everything that this land can give us. In our garden grow plenty of native fruit trees, vegetables and herbs, that we know to process in various different ways. We would be delighted to show you the art of roasting authentic Torajan Coffee, of creating delicious Chocolate from our home-grown cacao beans and of cooking traditional Torajan Meals.
Our property is a central social point for the community. Friends and family members come and go in this big fluent household. In the course of the years we managed to build several gazebos and cabins that serve as classrooms for the English classes and as accomodation for volunteers and foreign guests. If you want to be part of this colourful and pulsating, yet simple, life, we invite you to check out our homestay offers.
Our paradise: The Highlands of Tana Toraja.
With its unique culture and geography, Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi is a major bucket-list item. Our property is surrounded by forest, home to many different bird species. In each direction the mountains of Toraja create the most amazing scenery and form a hiking-paradise. Wherever we go, the traditional Tongkonans are our constant companion. Visit the world-famous burial ceremonies, predominantly held in December, observe rice farming, wait patiently for a buffalo to clear the road and listen to local legends and stories. We are more than happy to give you reccommendations to make your visit the most unique experience in Indonesia. Just ask.