The following is an excerpt from the Jakarta Globe's recent feature on the programme at IOM Yogyakarta, written by Angela Dewan.  Find the full story here.

"The IOM has been giving aid and running programs around Yogyakarta and Central Java since the 2006 earthquake, and the tours are a way for them to show the public what they have been doing.

“The situation for many artisans in Yogyakarta and surrounding districts was dire following the earthquake, with limited incomes that forced many out of jobs or business,” said Torsten Haschenz, the head of IOM’s Yogyakarta office.

In fact, many silversmiths who once worked in the back rooms of Yogyakarta’s silver stores in Kota Gede were forced to return to their villages jobless after the quake.

“We hope that these visits will enrich both the visitors and the small enterprises through enhanced public awareness, which might in turn lead to an increase in sales and incomes for [our] beneficiaries,” Haschenz said.

The rain did not stop us from venturing out to Gunung Kidul in Pampang, about an hour east of Yogyakarta’s center, to see how the intricate silver trinkets found in many parts of the country are made.

Just 20 minutes outside of Yogyakarta, the din of traffic subsided and we braved a windy road in the mountains with a view of tiered rice fields.

We arrived at Gunung Kidul and were welcomed into a silversmith’s workshop..."