Project HIU, Indonesia

Shifting from unsustainable shark fishing while safeguarding a community's future

This project represents a holistic human-centred approach to community development, with a focus on sustainability and long-term well-being. Read the journey taken to assist Maringkik Island which emphasises the importance of co-designing with the community to understand their unique challenges, harness their strengths and empower their people. The initial project team concentrated on developing a preliminary design system centred on an awareness campaign to raise awareness on how eco-tourism could sustainably assist shark fishermen to adopt alternative income sources to provide for their families, over continuing shark fishing. However, through the process of gathering insights to support the initial project, significant discoveries were made that greatly shifted the scale and direction of the project's perceived scope.

Introduction

In December 2022, our project team embarked on a journey to Lombok, Indonesia to collaborate with Project Hiu around identifying ways to provide recommendations that sought to persuade shark fishermen to cease their involvement in the practice of shark fishing, and insights as to how the organisation could raise awareness for the critical work they undertake. However, as the project unraveled, the team soon discovered a series of systemic challenges that extended beyond the initial focus of the project scope. From waste management to food scarcity, health concerns and clean water shortages, a wide range of heavily interconnected issues were uncovered.

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Initial scope of the project

Project HIU

Project Hiu operates under the idea that conservation should be approached with compassion and that both the sharks & the men that fish them are falling victim to an international trade for shark fins. Working with & not against the shark fishing community, they began a revolution that will not only redefine shark fishermen and re-write their stories but create a future where they have a choice.

The initial project problem

The initial project team concentrated on developing a preliminary design system centred on an awareness campaign to raise awareness on how eco-tourism could sustainably assist shark fishermen to adopt alternative income sources to provide for their families, over continuing shark fishing. However, through the process of gathering insights to support the initial project, significant discoveries were made that greatly shifted the scale and direction of the project's perceived scope.

The Design Process

What we discovered through our research

Throughout the research phase, we encountered many wicked problems the community faces relating to shark fishing. Our initial focus on shark fishing has evolved into a broader mission encompassing education and sponsorship. Four education scopes were important in terms of reducing the impact of the wicked problems the island encounters, such as waste management, health care and access to clean water.

Understanding the people affected by the project

During this project, we have utilised co-design principles to collaborate with Project Hiu and the Maringkik Island community with the goal to identify strategies that can help educate and create self-sustaining systems to support the quality of future education on the island, and education for those who have the capacity to help outside of the island.

Clarifying the project problems

In improving education and communication efforts to educate and garner assistance from organisations, governments, educational institutes and sponsors about the challenges and opportunities on Maringkik Island, we can only hope that greater support can be fostered to allow an inflow of necessary funds to aid sustainable livelihood enhancement projects in the future. The following problem statements emerged as pathways to explore:

  1. How might we improve education for the people of Maringkik Island around sustainable living?

  2. How might we help facilitate direct education for the children of Maringkik Island?

  3. How might we create education for awareness?

  4. How might we use education for sponsorship?

Generating ideas and concepts to help

Ideation is a mode of design where the sole concentration is to create, generate, develop and communicate ideas for the project. It is the formation of ideas and the construction of concepts using visual, concrete or abstract techniques and activities. In these sessions, prototyping, brainstorming, brainwriting and thinking (of the best and the worst possible) ideas are techniques used within the process. We engaged in a range of activities to help us think of and develop ideas, resulting in touchpoints and artefacts for this project.

What we created ...

Storytelling through Social Media

Learning from our past, shaping our future, storytelling guides us through
design and through our lives. Humans are natural born storytellers, utilising
these stories we can understand perspectives. We can create moments of empathy for both designers and consumers, empowering human-centered designs and user-friendly touchpoints.

Project Hiu uses storytelling across multiple avenues such as social media often
showcasing the crew of Project Hiu, telling stories of their ventures, and
even telling stories of Madison’s own ventures. We enhanced their digital spaces by incorporating our research findings and holistically connected problem statements so that readers could see how the story of Project HIU continues to unfold in its efforts to reduce the impacts of unsustainable shark fishing.

Informative Spatial Design

The development of a physical store front presents an interesting
opportunity for Project Hiu to engage with individuals who may not
otherwise know about the organisation and serves as a platform where
education and awareness can naturally occur.
 
As a physical brand touch point that may very well be the first point of
contact for an individual to Project Hiu, it’s important that the store front is
able to effectively communicate the work, mission and purpose of Project
Hiu. To execute this our team has proposed the design of wall decals
and graphics within the store front to share this information through bold
statements and imagery reminiscent of a visual gallery of information in a

museum.

Maringkik Island Recipe Book

A Project Hiu cookbook could be a game-changer on multiple fronts.
Firstly, it opens up a new stream of income, ensuring sustainability and
growth for the project. By featuring local cuisine, the cookbook becomes a
cultural ambassador, showcasing the richness of the community’s culinary
traditions. This not only spreads awareness about Project Hiu but also
fosters a deeper connection between supporters and the cause. People
love a good meal, and tying it to a meaningful purpose creates a win-win
situation. So, not only does the cookbook serve up delicious recipes, but it
also dishes out a narrative of conservation and community empowerment,

making it a powerful tool for both fundraising and advocacy.

Fundraising Events

Often when we think of sponsorship or fundraising its related to a monetary figure however often fundraisers that are for physical, often unwanted products, are much more successful and effective. Key areas that could be focused on for donation drives for Maringkik Island are:
    •   Education or sporting supplies for the school
    •   Shoes/clothing for the community
    •   Products that can be used to start businesses, e.g. sewing machines

Donation drives work well when organised in conjunction to schools, sporting clubs or local communities.

Sponsorship Pathways

The Shark School sponsorship pathway on Project Hiu’s sub-site offers a
unique opportunity for user’s to sponsor the Maringkik Island school.
This sponsorship pathway section of the website allows users to make a
direct impact on the educational journey of the island’s children and also
learn more about the Maringkik Island school and its students through
featured blog posts and videos.

Additionally those wishing to contribute to crucial resources, infrastructure
enhancements, and enriching programs at the school may do so through
the packaged donation options.

What happens next ...

Continuous collaborative design is needed

Throughout our work the team has always kept in mind how this project will keep evolving and changing as people find ways to explore new ideas and directions. The project and its goals are ever changing and are always susceptible to the shifting nature of the world and the work Project Hiu does. Because of this it is always crucial to make sure that any strategies suggested are practical and able to support Maringkik Island’s sustainable development as the project develops and grows in whatever direction the organisation sees fit to. Our overarching  goal is that one day we have helped eradicate or at least almost completely minimising the negative aspects and problems found issues enmeshed within the Maringkik island. Even if there is still a lot of ambiguity about the project’s final result, one thing that is for sure is that our team is incredibly caring and dedicated to making this project a success. We can only hope that our united passion and efforts can start to spark even the slightest step towards good change in the community, whether it be in the upcoming months, years, or even centuries.