At the Sumba Hospitality Foundation, we have our own unique approach to “sustainability”. Instead of using this term, we prefer to use the “Ibu Bumi Philosophy”, which sums up our guiding principles for responsible care of Mother Earth. But how do we put this into practise?
As an Affiliate member of the Long Run, all our projects integrate at least one of the 6 Cs: Climate, Conservation, Circular Economy, Community, Culture and Commerce. Find out how we tackle these issues.
At the Sumba Hospitality Foundation, we have our own unique approach to “sustainability”. Instead of using this term, we prefer to use the “Ibu Bumi Philosophy”, which sums up our guiding principles for responsible care of Mother Earth. But how do we put this into practise?
Our guiding framework is based on the 6 C’s: Climate, Conservation, Circular Economy, Community, Culture, and Commerce.
We are a proud member of Regenerative Travel, a collective of independent hotels committed to the highest standards of environmental and social impact.
For the first time, the Sumba Hospitality Foundation has summarised its efforts to promote responsible tourism in an annual report. The report follows the 6C framework and highlights all the different projects that the entire team was able to implement in 2023. In addition, it also serves as a guide for further improvement.
Some key KPI’s:
The travel industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, especially when travelling by air.
As Sumba is a remote island, and getting here generates additional carbon emmissions, SHF wants to ensure that every trip is meaningful, avoiding any additional negative impacts generated by the Foundation.
To further minimise our carbon emissions, SHF has 288 solar panels on-site, which provide the campus and hotel with renewable energy from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
Unfortunately, the island has suffered from deforestation in recent decades. Today, only 11% of the island is covered with forest, especially in the south of the island. Traditionally, slash-and-burn agriculture was practised, which contributed to the deforestation. Therefore, SHF wants to spread the principles of permaculture through the alumni who actively worked in the garden during their training and learned more about the key ethics.
Growing foreign investment is another factor affecting the land sovereignty of the local community.
Nearly 1 tonne of fruits and vegetables are harvested monthly, served at Maringi Sumba’s Restaurant and Makan Dulu, and also incorporated into daily healthy meals for students and staff.
On the farm, we teach students organic farming methods that are designed for long-term sustainability. Traditionally, slash-and-burn farming has been practised on the island, which is one of the main causes of deforestation. By teaching students how to make natural fertiliser from food waste and old leaves, we will hopefully help to counteract this practise.
Historically, Sumba was called “Bird Island” because there are over 180 different species of birds here, 12 of which are endemic. 6 of them are now threatened with extinction, mainly due to habitat loss.
SHF has just started a research project to record the biodiversity of the internal fauna and flora. Based on this data, we can make informed decisions for the future development of our garden.
This principle is nothing new for the local community. Traditionally they mastered using everything as a resource, not generating any waste.
However, with the rise of imported goods on the island, namely plastic waste has become a big issue. The foundation is therefore aiming to become a circular entity which eliminates single-use plastics. To succeed in our journey we need the support of our students, staff and guests.
Every day, the Foundation works hard to make and keep our premises free of single-use plastic. We have implemented a ‘Single-Use Plastic Free Purchasing Policy’ that all our departments and suppliers must adhere to.
We have also banned certain plastic items and replaced them sustainably:
Here, all students have the opportunity to unleash their creativity with various upcycling techniques to create handmade products.
Our “Bags with a Story” are designed, cut and sewn by one of our students, while the spa department has been actively working on our “From Sarong to Scrunchie” project, transforming our old and damaged spa sarong into scrunchies for our guests.
Damaged T-shirts from uniforms are used to create market bags, while small scraps of fabric are either made into a hand-woven tapestry or used to fill pillows.
The gift of music has been granted generously to our students. They compose their own songs and spread happiness while performing. Our official school choir not only energizes but is also a fun way to train their English.
Our SHF sewing workshop offers our students another opportunity to let their creativity run free and upcycle donated clothes and old bedding into handmade products for the gift shop.
SHF therefore encourages students to share their stories and cultural heritage with guests from a perspective of empowerment, not pity.
Maringi Sumba incorporates several elements that are inherently Sumbanese: Ikat as decoration, local handicrafts, using bamboo for our buildings such as the traditional Sumba house for the guest check-in.
In addition, all ceremonies (opening, closing and celebrations) are held in the presence of local government officials and Marapu priests in traditional dress, with dances and music.
To ensure the future of the Foundation, all the generated income is reinvested directly into our students and projects.
We keep prices fair while ensuring that they can cover our operating costs.
Discover the Maringi Sumba and Makan Dulu Restaurant
Maringi Sumba is a unique location for your yoga retreat. Tucked away in a green oasis, the resort is part of the Sumba Hospitality Foundation (SHF), a vocational hospitality school for Sumbanese youth.
Maringi’s yoga shala offers a 200 square metres space for practising, lectures and workshops. Constructed from bamboo and surrounded by our permaculture garden, reconnecting with Mother Earth is enhanced.
Hosting a retreat with us means investing in the personal growth of the practitioners and that of the SHF students.
This can be through retreats or a Yoga Teacher Training (YTT). In addition to full board accommodation, we offer different “yogic blocks” that you can choose and combine according to your needs. In this way, you can create a tailored schedule taking into account your wishes, while respecting the capacities of Maringi.
The following blocks can be chosen:
Get in touch for more information:
Our students choose one of the following 5 areas of the hospitality industry: Front Office, Housekeeping, Culinary, Restaurant & Bar, Spa and Wellness. The training also includes English, life skills and environmental awareness.
Located on our campus, “Maringi Sumba” is a learning space for students and a hotel that generates income for the Sumba Hospitality Foundation. The students receive practical training and offer guests a 5-star service.
“Makan Dulu Restaurant” serves Indonesian food with a Sumbanese twist. It provides our students with one year of intensive on-the-job training. The revenue is fully reinvested into the foundation.
At our permaculture garden, we teach students new organic farming methods with long-term sustainability in mind. Its produce is served at Maringi Sumba and Makan Dulu and also incorporated into daily healthy meals for students and staff.
Sustainability is part of our DNA. Projects trespass departments and range from sustainability classes and upcycling workshops to waste management and responsible purchasing.
Since our inception, we have worked hard to create and maintain a strong community within the Foundation and beyond. Students, staff, suppliers, industry partners and alumni together form the SHF community.
