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Hello.
This 2 august 2014 Ronny and his wife took us to visit the hidden part of Jakarta , the real Jakarta .
He introduce my self to the people as a photographer , thanks to him , i took a lot of picture that are so valuable for me
these are soms of the picture that i couldn't do without him.
Hope you will enjoy them.
Hope to see you soon.
[vincent]
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[February 2013]
Why should tourists only visit the usual sightseeing attractions styled and designed
by the city administration?
The poor areas are just as part of the city and should be seen.
For us this tour was very educational and memorable.
We saw the poor districts of Jakarta with its inhabitants and their daily struggle for survival.
We got awareness of poverty in the world and our thinking about the global unbalance
was reactivated once more.
Beside
this it was really impressive to see how the people keep their kindness and lust for life, living
in these areas with only low perspectives.
Ronny leads the tour very hearty and sensitive, closed to the people.
The costs were absolutely okay.
A certain percentage is transferred as a donation to social projects.
(York, Germany)
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Amazing tour.
I have traveled extensively through Indonesia and yet had never been exposed to the real conditions of its poorest people until taking a Jakarta Hidden Tour.
Being with the poorest of the urban poor and seeing the conditions that they are subjected to is unlike any experience I have had in SE Asia.
My immediate impression of Ronny and Anneke was that they are passionate
about social justice and helping others less fortunate -
we had some great discussion and learned a lot.
I was touched by Ronny’s generosity and patience for the dozen or so men, women and children who would run up to greet us, talk to us and thank them for recent donations, free schooling and medical services that they help to provide locally. Having quiet, yet enthusiastic, discussions with people living in horrendous conditions was very moving. I can speak bahasa Indonesia and heard first hand from people in 3 kampungs how Ronny and Anneke work tirelessly for them. So I would like to encourage anybody that is interested in taking a poverty tour to go with Jakarta Hidden Tours because of the program itself and the positive impact it will generate for the local people via Ronny and Anneke. Thanks for a great experience :) this was one of the highlights of my 4 months in Jakarta.
Pat (24) Melbourne Australia
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“I have visited developing countries before, but when my friends and I took the tour of the kampungs of Jakarta our eyes were opened to how some people really live in this very large city. We were ably guided by Pak Ronny and Ibu Anneke, who conduct work in the communities of the kampungs and are well known and very respected by the people who live there. I strongly recommend taking the tour with them as it offers the tourist a slice of life which is not sugar-coated. The communities also benefit from the tour because much of the money that is made is ploughed back into helping the people.”
Gaby R
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The tour gave us a unique opportunity to get out and explore our own city: to catch local transport, to have afternoon tea with a family and to see the kampung up close. The highlight was our visit to the tofu and tempe factories: gado-gado will never be the same again (!) Rachel
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Hi Ronny,
I just wanted to say thank you (terima kasih!) to you, Anneke and Tomas for the chance to visit the wonderful people of Luar Batang, Ciliwung and Gembrong Gaplok. From the moment I first saw Jakarta, looking out from the taxi window, I was struck by the very different living conditions of people all along the rivers, roads and railways, from the tin and timber houses in the villages to the glass and granite towers surrounding my hotel near Grand Indonesia. Travelling in the taxi from the airport I just got a glimpse of this and it made me want to learn more about the people of Jakarta, especially those who lived in those villages on the margin, in houses that looked as though they were about to fall into the river, clinging onto its edge. The Hidden Jakarta Tour was the perfect opportunity for me to do this. As a short-term visitor with very little knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia I would never have gotten to see these amazing places and meet the amazing people who live there and hear their stories without the help of an intercultural translator such as yourself. I particularly enjoyed the chance to talk with you in the bus, bajaj, microlet, and taksi while travelling to and from the villages in the busy Jakarta traffic. The tour and the conversations were a great learning experience--one that I won't soon forget and one that I'm very grateful for.
I wish you the very best with the tours and with the other work you are doing through Interkultur to support and improve the livelihoods of everyday people in the poorer areas of Jakarta.
I look forward to visiting Jakarta again and hopefully catching up with you and participating in your project again. I am keen to keep in contact with you and with the work that Interkultur is doing and to explore any opportunities to work with or support the project in the future.
All the best,
Geoff.
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“This summer I traveled to Indonesia for the first time. My original itinerary did not include the city of Jakarta, because I really wanted to experience the culture and meet the local people of Indonesia, and I thought that would not be possible in a large, overcrowded city. However, while doing some research on the internet I came across the Jakarta Hidden Tours website and sent an email requesting more information. Ronny and his wife Anneke replied right away and not only offered to customize a 2-day tour of Jakarta for me, but also offered to help me arrange hotel accommodations, airport transportation, and tours around other Indonesian islands. Through our email exchange I realized that Ronny and Anneke were helpful, giving people, but I did not understand the depth of their kindness and generosity until I spent 2 full days with them in their city of Jakarta. Over the 2 days, we visited a number of local villages, some historic sites in the city, a ship yard, and several other locations around the city, and I can honestly say that the village visits were the highlight of my entire 2 week trip to Indonesia. Ronny and Anneke give a significant amount of their time, money, and hearts to the people in these villages, and it is clear that they are well loved by both the adults and children for the selfless work that they do. Nearly everyone was eager to greet us and invite us into their homes. The children rushed up to us, excited to see their “Uncle Ronny” and meet his guests. The children sang songs for us, held our hands, and followed us throughout the villages until it was time for us to leave. We were even invited into one family’s home to join them for a traditional rite-of-passage celebration and enjoy their delicious home-made foods. Because of the friendships Ronny and Anneke have developed in these villages over the years, we had the opportunity to talk with the locals (with Ronny and Anneke as translators), gain a better understanding of their way of life, and see more than just superficial tourist attractions, but the true heart and soul of Jakarta. This was an incredible experience that I will forever treasure. Enormous thanks to Ronny, Anneke and all of the beautiful local people we met along the way.”
Best, Nikki
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"Touring the Luar Batang area of Jakarta with Jakarta Hidden Tours was a truly rewarding experience. Ronny and Anneke emphasize the human interaction part of the tour, so you not only see the sites of Jakarta but also get to interact with the people. They are willing to tailor the tour to meet your specific interests, and are also more than happy to discuss Indonesia's history, culture, and social issues along the way. I highly recommend Jakarta Hidden Tours to anyone wanting to see the 'real Jakarta'. I definitely plan on going on another one of their tours in the near future."
Cheers, Ryan
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“After a fellow traveller recommended the Hidden Jakarta Tour, we decided to add it to our itinerary. It was an eye-opening, life altering experience.
Thank you Anneke and Ronny!”
(Sarah O’Brien)
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Terima kasih banyak untuk tour Anda ke kampung Luar Batang, Mesjid Istiqlal, Kota Tua dan Sunda Kelapa. We both enjoyed it very much. This was my (Bo’s) second tour, but first time for both of us to northern Jakarta.
As Australians, we believe it is important for us to have a good understanding of the people, culture and circumstances of one of our nearest neighbours, Indonesia. The Hidden Jakarta Tours help to directly introduce Australians (and other foreigners) to Indonesian people. With tour guides acting as translators, tour participants can interact with the community, ask questions and gain an insight into the lives of a large proportion of the population of Indonesia – those who live in ‘kampungs’, in environments vastly different to what many in the developed world would be familiar with.
Through this interaction, stepping inside the alleyways and homes of kampung residents and through further discussions with Pak Ronny, Ibu Anneke and their team, tour participants can gain an understanding of the sorts of issues impacting these people’s lives; for example, adequate housing, education for children and health care for the community.
We would highly recommend the Hidden Jakarta Tour as an activity to do while visiting Indonesia’s capital – you will learn a lot :)
Selamat jalan!
Salam,
Bo and Bron Raphael.
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"Ciliwung River Tour.
Charlene and I enjoyed Ronny’s tour of the Ciliwung River area a great deal. Our career paths being in Environmental Science, and Child Education we both found this tour to be enlightening, heartfelt, and an adventure that shouldn’t be missed.
Our tour started with a trip on local transportation to the Ciliwung River area. Using the local transportation was a great start to the days tour. Ronny took the time to explain, and provide a local, realistic experience. While en route to our destination Ronny was kind enough to make us feel welcome. He took care of all of our needs and fares while at the same time explaining what we were experiencing.
Once at our destination Ronny used his friendships and contacts to provide almost unlimited access to the local neighbourhoods. We met a lot of great people. It was very enlightening to see a side of Jakarta that I feel is very important, but often missed by the average tourist. These people welcomed us into their homes and provided a very enlightening view of their daily experiences. Ronny was happy to answer any questions and serve as an interpreter for the questions we had for the men, women, and children who lived there. I found the children of Jakarta to be almost always happy. We were greeted around every corner by the inquisitive, excited eyes of children.
As our tour continued Ronny explained many of the local issues. Flooding, poverty, child education, healthcare, and waste management to name a few. He took the approach of not highlighting the issues, rather explaining the circumstances and how the people in this neighbourhood cope with these issues. I feel Ronny and his tours reflect an honest caring for the community. He seems to have a genuine hope for the himself and the people there. This can be seen through the close relationships he has with community. From the leaders to the children, he introduced us with pride and care. From healthcare to education he described what happens on a daily basis. I found it very heart warming to have seen what has been achieved in the past, and what the people of this community would like to see achieved in the future.
If you are in Jakarta, interested in the local community, and want a chance to see the genuine local experience please take this, or any of Ronny’s tours. I believe that through simple awareness the people of these communities will see improvement to their daily lives, open up more opportunities for the future. You will see smiles and feel welcome from all. The children are a wonderful experience. To see how they live their lives on a daily basis while maintaining a smile and childlike innocence is awe inspiring. I wish the best of luck for Ronny and his small group of dedicated people in the future. I myself will stay in contact with Ronny and his group. I look forward to hearing about your experience, and seeing you on your visit to these wonderful communities. "
Mike Labelle
&
Charlene Connelly
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