BRI officer serves remote Wakatobi communities through hazardous sea travel

Wa Ode Sitti Rahmatiah Jufri, a BRI Mantri from the Wangi-Wangi Unit under the Baubau Branch, serves as a key driver for financial literacy and inclusion in the Wakatobi Islands. Since her transfer in January 2024, she has been responsible for nine villages on Kaledupa Island, requiring regular sea travel from the regency capital, Wangi-Wangi.

Her duties involve navigating challenging maritime conditions. While a standard trip via speedboat takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, inclement weather can extend the journey to over two hours. During severe storm seasons in January or February, regular vessels often refuse to sail due to dangerous waves.

In one instance, to fulfill her commitment to her customers, Jufri and five others utilized a small motorized boat belonging to the Bajo people to navigate waves reaching heights of four meters. The harrowing three-hour journey concluded with the group arriving in Wangi-Wangi exhausted and soaked, highlighting the physical risks taken to maintain economic connectivity in remote island regions.