Tireless Struggle. Saving a Year, This Sulfur Miners Build "Homestay" on Mount Ijen

Mr. Ali (35) year old, was seen sitting on a bench in front of the stage house standing in the middle of the coffee garden. Right behind the house on stilts, there is a thick pine tree that makes the house look beautiful.

"A year me and my family save to build this homestay because we are a miner's family starting from grandfather, father, until my brother and sister are all working on sulfur mining in Mt Ijen so Ijen Miner Family Homestay or homestay of miners," said the man whose real name is Ahmad Efendi.

To me, Mr. Ali told me that he worked as a sulfur miner since 2003. He chose to work as a miner because he did not have any other skills.

"My elementary school is not graduated because the economic problem is ultimately yes any work.In 2003 so the miners because of being a miner does not need a certificate or special skills that are important healthy and strong," said Ali.

Mr. Ali who spent much time around Mount Ijen made him often hang out with tourists and meet new people. He is also occasionally asked to become a tourist guide who wants to climb Mount Ijen is famous for its Blue Fire it.

While working at Mount Ijen, he had met someone who asked why he did not open a homestay for tourist lodging that will go up to Mount Ijen. Moreover, Mr. Ali's house is located in Dusun Kebon Dadap, Tamansari Village, Licin Sub-district, which is famous as Miner's village.

"After the conversation with the guest I thought again and again whether or not I could build a homestay, where I ended up talking to my father and my big family.Founded in the back of my father's house is a legacy land, we finally agreed to establish a homestay , "he explained.

His intention is getting stronger when he has an accident while working on sulfur mining. The legs and back of the wound so no longer as strong as before. The amount of sulfur that is transported even less.

In addition, he also saw the condition of his father who is getting old but still working as a miner. For a year, Mr. Ali and his father, Mr. Saryono (57) years old, worked hard to mine sulfur almost every day to raise capital to build homestays. Until now felt enough savings, they start to make homestay foundation in the form of house stage.

"For our own timber, and our strength is that we are a family that wakes up and after we mine our homestay work to build this homestay.After a year we struggle to build this.If it can be Rp 100.000, Rp 50.000 for the cost of temporary meal Rp 50.000 saved for capital make a house, "explained Mr. Ali.

He said, one kilogram of sulfur for the first trip is priced at Rp. 925. While the second trip is priced at Rp 1,025 one kilogram. Once haul sometimes he get a maximum payment of Rp 150 thousand

"But the work is heavy, we sometimes have to carry one quidal sulfur up and down the mountain, the price of each trip trip is different to the spirit of aja let me bring more sulfur," he said.

Model stage house according to Mr. Ali is the idea of ​​his father who had worked as a construction worker in Kalimantan. In addition, at the bottom also can still be used to grow crops.

"Finally 10 rooms so and we are very grateful, but when it opened the first three new rooms are opened because for other rooms there is no mattress," recalls Mr. Ali while laughing.

He then had to re-mine the sulfur to be able to buy the furniture inside for his homestay. Mr. Ali's approach to building a homestay had gotten pout and neighbor around. They question, if wake up homestay, who will want to stay because their house is in the middle of the garden with a broken access road.

Mr. Ali was then assisted by his travel partner to market his homestay by word of mouth. He was then assisted to market online in social media. Ali fixes the price of Rp 165,000 one night and guests get breakfast.

Slowly but surely, the miners' family homestay is becoming known by many people. Moreover, the location is on the edge of the forest and much preferred by foreign tourists.

"Alhamdulilah has seen the results, even I have received guests up to 44 guests, so not only in this homestay but also in the rooms in my house and brothers and sisters.We drown in my father's house," said the man who is fluent in English laughing.

He said nearly 75 percent of the guests staying at his house were foreign tourists. Usually the number of guest visits starts to increase in April to the end of the year.

Now, Mr. Ali and his father are still mine sulfur but it is not as frequent as not yet have homestay. In one week a maximum of three times they mine sulfur to Mount Ijen.

Meanwhile Mr. Saryono (57) to me admitted grateful to support his son to build a homestay that can be managed together with the family.

"Usually my wife is ripe, everything is managed by one family including clean room, the result will be divided equally," he said.

He hopes that homestay establishment can improve the family economy and all the grandchildren can continue their education to college.

"I used to want my child to go to high school but the fund does not exist, but I have been sulfur for decades now, and now my grandchildren hope everything can be high school from the result of managing this homestay Now I do not often nambang, clean gardens while chatting with guests who come, "he explained.