InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Before sunrise, Ali prepares his harvesting pole and helmet before heading to the oil palm plantation where he works as a fresh fruit bunch harvester.

A member of the Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) community in Jambi, Ali once depended on hunting. However, declining wildlife populations pushed him to seek more stable income. For the past five years, he has worked at PT Kresna Duta Agroindo, part of Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food.

“Hunting is no longer like it used to be. Sometimes we get plenty, but often we get nothing for a week,” he recalled.

Now working seven hours a day, six days a week, Ali values the stability and daily time with his family. His greatest motivation is securing education and a better future for his three children.

In the same community, 27-year-old Sidarmi has embraced financial independence as a loose fruit collector. After a week of training, she began working alongside her husband, collecting between 10 to 20 baskets per day.

Their stories reflect how the SAD community is redefining its future—balancing traditional knowledge with new opportunities, gaining stability through training, steady income, and sustainable employment. (T2)