Joyos at G'land staff COVID fund
Like many countries, Indonesia has closed its borders in response to COVID-19, which has had a devastating effect on surf travel.
While some camps across the archipelago remain open to the trickle of expat and domestic travellers, many have been forced to close. Joyos at G'land is one of them.
Not this year, boyo
In late March, Alas Purwo National Park was closed, effectively shutting down all the camps inside, including Joyos. No guests means no income for the staff, who are all family providers.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to raise money for Joyos staff with all contributions over $10 receiving a free tin of lSurfyogis zinc, and all contributions over $100 going into the draw for a six night stay at Joyos G-land Camp with open dates.
"Hope this finds you all safe and well in troubled times. We wish you the best and are sad we may not be sharing the magic of g-land together for a while.
The staff are great friends to so many of us over so many years. They are a huge part of what makes the jungle so special. Many are struggling with the loss of income from camp closing due to the closure of Alas Purwo National Park. Most staff have family to support and the chance of increased medical bills to come.
It's time to pay forward their continued wellbeing toward years of good times with our jungle brothers and sisters ahead.
Money raised will be able to guarantee living part wages for the months ahead, and manage medical and education expenses for their families.
All contributions over $10 will recieve a free tin of limited 2020edition Surfyogis
All contributions over $100 will go into the draw for a 6night Stay at Joyos G-land Camp, open dates.
Any surplus funds raised will be proportionately added to the Bintang accounts of contributors
Terima Kasih"
Comments
Bobby’s Camp also has a go fund me set up.
Thanks for promoting this!
I have mixed feelings on this.
Why because for the amount of money these business make and low Indonesian wages are (even if they are being generous and paying above award) they should be able to cover this expense or at least part of their wages for a decent period without asking the public.
Their prices are not cheap with very low operating cost, especially compared to other more remote places with extra cost of boats to different surf spots everyday and much higher fuel and food prices that still need to have transport cost like G-land (Bali & Java fuel and food prices are much cheaper than even Padang or offshore Islands)
And don't tell me they dont make very good money because i have managed a surf resort and am involved in a majority local run operation, i know the figures and know the kind of money being made.
agreed there Indo. Problem is the funds are probably all drained off.
Agree Indo. Too early in the season to be asking for help given the amount these resorts pay their staff
Apart from my 15% cut i get i also take 5% and put it aside for times like this just incase(20% deposit of total guest trip amount) my local friends(a big family) should be cashed up with savings from last season, but if for some reason as this goes on and they need support financially, i will then dip into this money, id need to get pretty desperate to start asking the public for money, but that's just me.
If businesses in indo don't have insurance etc as many business in indo don't, you have to create your own be it for times like these or a natural disaster.
Also many places take a deposit or even part payment upfront for latter in the year or 2021 etc. so the business should still have some income.
I mean if every operator did this in indo be it local run or foreign owned there would literally be hundreds possibly thousands of these fund raising things
I don't mean to be negative that's just my view.
There hasn't been times like this for anyone unless you are 90. And there would of been no insurance for it. It's a pandemic if you havn't noticed. This is a once in a lifetime cenario. Pull your head in.
This has happened several times in Java in the last twenty years alone. Between bombings , tsunamis and volcanoes the Indonesians are more familiar than most with how tenuous life can be.
Indo actually does something for the Indonesian people. He deserves to have an opinion. It’s an opinion I agree with ....where are the business owners during this ? They should be supporting their staff , not palming their responsibility onto the generosity of others.
I’m not saying that the staff don’t deserve to be looked after or that people shouldn’t contribute, but the question must be asked just where the owners are during this time .
Sure, but this is worldwide and most of these resorts have backing from western business people. Even here where i live a Indo resort is owned my a few local business guys.
Thanks Blowin, yeah there has been plenty of times when business in Indo have been hit hard and tourist numbers drop, Riots in Jakarta and Java in 98, East Timor around 99 both created lots of unstabilty in Indonesia, Bali bombings in 2002, Bali bombings in 2005, boxing day tsunami in 2004, Aussie embassy bombing in Jakarta 2004, Nias quake in 2005, Padang quake in 2009, Mentawai Tsunami in 2010 all these things hit business in their area or in some cases wider.
Yep. Also, if they go bust then it opens an opportunity for someone else in the future. Isn't that fair?
Agreed. I'm not a fan of capitalism but the rules of capitalism say that if you can't cover the bad times, you go bust. Not ask for handouts every time your income falls below the good times.
Also, I'm not sure if those surf camps are a positive thing, given the environmental destruction that comes with them, so losing one/all of them for me is no loss. But I'm not sure on the last point as I'm sure there are economic benefits for the local community.
EDIT: Actually, I'm going bigger and bolder. Foreigners shouldn't be able to own surf camps! I say that as someone that is planning to go surf around the 3rd world indefinately in a year or 2 and I'm painfully aware that I can only do that because I was born in Australia, earning and saving Australian dollars. The last thing I want to do is barge in, setup my own business, get all the white people in to exploit the waves, get white man dollars whilst paying the locals crumbs. Fuck that. I'm happy to contribute to the economy by paying my own way, speaking the language, integrating myself into the community for months at a time and helping out where I can, I'm not greedy and in fact, I'm (all Australians actually are) so fucking lucky. I've seen enough of the world to know that no amount of hard work or being smart can overcome the hurdles I've seen. You can't pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you can't afford boots.
Awesome comment about foreign exploitation, which is directly linked to economic dependency and quite often loss of culture. I’m in favour of people being compassionate, but I’m not sure whities have done the local Indonesian culture too many favours - they’ve sure done an incredible job of ruining what was once an uncrowded ocean paradise. I’ve never seen so many badly behaved White people in the water than I Have in Indonesia, and in particular I remember one brilliant spot I stayed where a Whitie ruled the roost- the locals would pick the leftovers from down the line, While Whitie and his Entitled customers from all over the world got the pick of the waves among a throng of swooping boats full of more and more hungry vulture types who would think nothing of burning people in the line up. Holy crap man, to me the place was like a surfers hell.
Good comments , fellas .
Fuck the foreign ownership of Australia.
China get fucked. We don’t want your dirty money and the idea that you can own a part of our country makes me sick.
Renationalisation of Chinese owned dairy , agriculture, residential, commercial and commodities......fuck off China.
If Australians can’t buy China .....you can’t own Australia.
Below is the link for the staff at Bobby’s camp
https://www.gofundme.com/f/bobby039s-gland-surf-camp-staff-relief-fund?v...
Yes Indo I can see your point but this is directed to the guys and girls that to me and many others have been a big part of our life over the course for some 20 + years...any promotion of this cause I am all for...dig in any little bit helps...
Yep
I just dont know how you make sure it gets to them Fraser. I agree - but not sure how you ensure the funds go to the right place.
Bungan - from Bobbys fundraiser organiser
This campaign is here to support over 40 staff members (and their families) of Bobby's G-Land Surf Camp, who have been furloughed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the time of year staff are anxious to get back to work after a long wet season off. Most have no savings and are struggling to feed their families during good times. The situation now is dire . My friends know me as Tiger Tom. As someone who has been coming to Bobby's Camp since 1987, I have developed strong ties with the G-Land community and am calling on all my fellow G-Land junkies to step up and make their best contribution to help support our friends and jungle family that make our time in the camp so special. At this point, we should assume this season is a write-off and won't happen. This is devastating for the Indonesian's dependent on our tourist dollars to live. Let's come together and put at least $1000USD into each of their hands to help them support their families in this desperate time. Currently, this is approximately Rp16,700,000.00, or about a seasons salary, inc. bonuses for the highest paid! Most of us had trips already booked for April or later. Please consider taking a portion of that money and donating it to this fund today. How we respond in the worst of times is the true measurement of our character. I know we all have our individual challenges to overcome now, but we also have safety nets that don't exist in Indonesia. Every penny that is donated will go to support the staff of Bobby's Camp. No money is going to the ownership. Funds will be distributed through automatic direct deposit to their individual accounts. For those of you who don't know me personally, you can ask around as to my character and integrity. You can also contact Bobby directly at the G-Land office for references. Let's show the surfing world, we aren't just their to take, take, take, but when called upon we can give in a very generous way. A complete accounting can be made available after the campaign is closed and funds distributed. Feel free to contact me personally with any questions at [email protected]. Or call me on What'sApp in USA 001-714-330-8930. Let's pray for the success of this campaign and a speedy resolution to the pandemic. I'm serious when I say, lives are depending on us. Please make your donation now, and help spread the word any way possible. Peace and health to all. On behalf of the staff and families of Bobby's Camp, I say Terima kasih, banyak... Tiger Tom (aka Thomas Niedringhaus)
Thanks goofy - sounds legit. Having stayed there several times I was considering - that tips the scales towards donating.
Yep that be it
Interesting point indo-dreaming. You dont need to be an anthropologist to get a pretty good understanding of some core aspects of some societies. Indonesian businesses have pretty hard lines: Business owner takes the serious cream ($AUD rates), workers get minimal wage (Indonesian wage rates). I like the intent of the go fund me page as we all know that we rich westerners take way more than we give in Indo (sometimes I remember habitually haggling over $1 in a market and think "What the f%$# was I DOING???") - and this is a good time to give back. I would want to know the money is going straight to the staff who work their hearts out for minimum wage and not the business owner who may get paid at $AUD levels.
I'd ask to see the Camp business balance sheets too if I was remotely considering to donate. I bet the margins are large enough for the owners to have a substantial nest egg from which they can dip into to pay staff wages, or sell some of their assets if they really cared about their staff.
"id need to get pretty desperate to start asking the public for money, but that's just me."
hahah this coming from a man who suckled off the tax payer teat for years (?) while on the dole!
thats funny indo :-)
People change and grow up, i was straight out of high school and just wanted to surf, it was the early 90s recession and the way i looked at it was id one day pay it back in tax which i probably have by now.
Honestly even if i was unemployed id now go as long as possible before i went on the dole, more just because i think its very easy to get trapped in this system and id fear being trapped again..
I wasn't a decent sized business putting my hand out palming off my moral responsibilities, because one i either didn't put money aside for bad times or two i don't want to dig into my own pocket or investors pockets.
Personally it doesn't sit well with me from a moral point of view, but thats just my 2 cents worth.
Just having a laugh Indo. Not having a dig
Yep same goes for Joyo's campaign... up and running by an Aussie from Sunny coast Nick Gibbs..all legit...all the crew from all the camps are gold..Gonna send Norys some coin direct..
Anyone seen anything equivalent for Jack's camp? That's been my go to. Alim and the team there are great.
I wonder if the WSL paid much (or anything) in advance? I gather they'd basically booked out all the camps for a few weeks.
The staff will recieve no income without our support. We are not talking about a virgin bailout. This is a lifeline to the staff that have given great hospitality and developed friendships with many of us, the money is not going to the camps.
Thanks so much swellnet for posting the article. I started a forum post but it went nowhere. Its a very worthy cause. Thanks!
I have no problem helping/supporting the poor villager/farmer's.
I've been donating ruphiah to street beggars,births,deaths,marriages,divorces,go to jail,get out of jail,motorcycle accidents,gold mine collapsed killing hard working lokals,renting a room i dont even stay in.?Buying and releasing wildlife including snakes and an endangered turtle from a fish pond that was feeding on kang kung!Now currently my personal project of saving a domesticated monkey from life inside an inhumane small cage!
I salute all the generous surfers and their goodwill.I dont ask you for a cent.i do it out of my duty to humanity,but if you need a delivery man for all your good will i promise i'll get up there and splurge all your money!i will hand out gudang garam's at every cock fight,drink like a fish,eat my bickies and visit every karaoke bar from Denpasar to Bangi wangi!
p.s. Have you ever seen the size of Bobby's Tuban mansion?impressive!its very big and just as impressive as his fighting rooster the huge big black cock!maybe time for some of the rich to share with the poor.............
Good onya Indo,Andreas and family are good people.Hope there going alright.Hope to get back out there later this year to say g'day,ja'awohu.
This is a blatant scam. The owners of the camps are wealthy. Average wage in Indo is so low they can look after their staff. Also 2 of the most expensive camps in Indo .
Yeah so, just to clear this one up.....
I set up this fund raiser. My only affiliation with the camp is work-to-stay as a yoga teacher and sometime surf guide out there for a stint or two each year. I asked management for permission to put this together to look after the staff in the camps and the boat. These people are like family to me and to many others.
This is an acknowledgement of the realities of the situation. I care not for the wealth or otherwise of the owners and whether they can or cannot pay their staff or why. Not my circus, not my monkeys. The employer and government support network in Indonesia ain't what we are lucky enough to have here. The coulds or shoulds are not the reality.
The reality for the staff is that their seasonal income(that generally covers their whole year) has been removed from them and they are currently facing major financial hardship. I spoke with a couple of the other crew that do stints out there and we just decided to do what we could to help. I did some basic maths and looked at trying to support around 40 staff at a semi monthly wage for 4 months and set it up.
Obviously funds will be remitted to the staff through Indonesia, but a full list and accounting will be provided. Rest assured, if any of them miss out they'll be hitting me right up on facebook!
The response has been really great so far, I am humbled and grateful for the kindness and generosity of my fellow surfers. The staff feel the same. They have a sliver of hope in a world of fear and uncertainty.
And Mr. Swell, should you ever come to either camp, please do not bring the shitty attitude.
Cheers
Gibbsy
Good on you for taking the initiative, mate.
Hey Gibbsy, you're a good fella, no doubt about it.
Is it possible that you put a condition on the money that they tell the WSL to feck off and keep G-Land for the people?
Fuck there’s some stingy pricks on here
I'm throwing my jersey in with ID and Blowin' on this one...
Been a while since I've lived in Indo but I've been back intermittently since. So I can't imagine cost of living has gone up in a way that it would be noticed by a visiting Westerner.
A quick internet search of those camps/resorts with a decent enough website shows they must be absolutely raking in the coin. Say a place is charging US$1,200 per week all expenses covered per surfer (plenty charge a helluva lot more). And it works out to maybe they have 8 guests at any one time staying for a week (and plenty can host a helluva lot more than this). And that capacity is the average weekly spread across 6 months from Apr-Sep (seems to be called peak seasons these days but from memory Apr & Sept were often called shoulder?). US$250k in revenue eh? I don't think you could convince me even after all OpEx and even with recuperating any CapEx the equity holders (including local head man) still not divvying up in the order of US$200k between them.
I've used US because of the figures presented above by goofyfoot. Plenty of places I've been seem to get by with a dozen or so staff. Let's round it up to 15. That's US$15,000 to cover a full season of staff wages. In other words, 2 weeks of revenue out of 26, or approx. 8%. So maybe throw on some insurance, food and energy, social media mgmt costs (also cheap via sites like O-desk, Fiverr, etc, though most seem to self-manage via spouse or even a local employee), and misc....another $20k? Now we're at US$35k. Throw on US$15k to cover any remaining capex (doesn't make sense for camps/resorts older than several years but sure, let's be generous). And you have $200k profit (80% margin).
Something about privatise the profits and (attempting to) socialise the losses...You see this stuff all the time. Businesses that if they were run with even just basic risk management practices in mind, would have cash reserves for times like this. Hence why Qantas cracked it when talk of bailing out Virgin first started. Flick some money to 100% (or majority) local owned and run like Telo house because they charge a fair price (haven't been, wanted to this year but mate wouldn't budge on a Simelue trip).
Anyway, as usual my posts are way too long relative to everyone else.
Your posts are good.
All killer, no filler.
Good onya Gibbsy is all i can say. I visit Bobby's every year and i've thrown my money at the Gofundme thing. Personally i think Bobby should be looking after his staff regardless but i'm told he is not which is very disappointing to hear. Fact is the crew there have been looking after me year in year out for some 20+ years its a no brainer for me to throw some $$$$ their way. As of this morning there was around $11k donated. I really would have expected much more from people. I know some who stay there free most years...haven't seen them on the donor list yet.
I think its hard not to at least think every dog for themself. Even though Oz has its convoluted centrelink payments don't think we won't be paying that back for decades with higher taxes, less government spending and a fucked economy. Travel is unlikely to be the same in the near future either.
If your have to get out, get out.
Maybe if some of these resorts foreclosed they would get taken over by real locals in the future and the locals will gain real financial security.
Haha resort?Sure there's been upgrades since sleeping in huts back in the days but a resort? Nah its still the jungle..
Bobby's aint no resort for sure...lets hope it stays that way. although a bit more maintenance down the bottom area would be nice.
Bobby definitely needs to get some maintenance done. Last time I was there I was thinking it’s looking pretty sad. Only thing stopping me from going to stay at Joyo is the staff at Bobby’s are all great guys
You just nailed it there Goofy...the staff are key...all the reason to chip in...... had the same thoughts a few times myself re heading down the road to Joyo but just cant do it.... Tom's Gofundme had a little spike the last couple of days but its not going near the asking value. The staff will receive some coin today it seems.
indo dreaming,
letting it all hang out.
What a fascinating year this has been.
Its like a book that has no end and we are all stuck in it.
First world people helping third world problems.
“First world people helping third world problems.“
What’s wrong with that?
I think a lot of people missed my point.
The point is these business make good money and should be able to cover staff wages,
from a moral point of view IMHO it's their responsibility.
Safe to say the only reason they are not covering their staff cost is not because they don't have the money to do so but because it's easier for them not to dip into their own funds and legally dont have too.
If this had popped up in six months time when funds might have been getting low, you would go okay, well at least they tried, but for me it's too early.
If you do donate, good on you and honestly mean that, im not at all having a go at those that do, and reading an above post it seems it was started up by some guy with his heart in the right place, fully respect that too.
Although at that point the business should have at least said, nah dont bother we will cover this or at least tried to look good and thrown in a huge donation.
To be honest i felt a bit uneasy commenting on this thread as didn't want to bring negativity to a good cause, but i honestly couldn't resist and had to call shit out and thought my comments wouldn't be much of a focus anyway, but seems they are.
BTW. I saw a resort in Mentawai's doing a similar thing but a different take, resort paying guest wages but charging those booked in for 2020 $500 USD fee to change dates to 2021, IMHO that also sucks charging a crazy fee to change dates that takes a minute to do, not at all guest fault, totally unfair to charge that kind of extra fee when it is not at all the guest fault and even if they still wanted to come cant because their country wont let them fly, Indo wont let them in and Mentawai's are closed.
That a Mentawi resort - and I can guess which one - is charging people to change dates makes total sense to me. I will not put a name to the man, but I have an idea and he is one of the most privileged and unscrupulous people I have ever met- not an Indonesian man. He takes, takes and takes and thinks he’s got it over everyone. He is a poison to the local culture and pays his staff a pittance (I was informed by the locals). His fees are something like 10 times higher than other Losmans nearby. But there may be questions about where the contract is made, which law applies and what the terms of the contract say. Also the law in some countries knows a concept called “frustration” which can sometimes solve the problem, ie. the contract doesn’t have to go ahead because some intervening event has made it impossible - a country closing its borders because of a pandemic has a good ring to it. In those circumstances if money has been paid, then it may have to be repaid depending on the circumstances. I mean if I say I’m selling you my car and I know you need it right away and you pay me the money and come for it the next day but you can’t because the law changed overnight because of a pandemic and you were not able to get that car in the foreseeable future,, then Chances are I’ve probably got to pay you your money back because you got nothing for your money. The law also has an idea called force majure - this is an act of God. Haha, no really, in other words if I have a contract to supply you with Unique surfboards (which only I made and from materials which were also swallowed by the earthquake) and I supplied them to you in another country but then a great earthquake swallowed up my factory and the neighbouring houses, then I might be able to say the obligation doesn’t stand anymore because I can’t supply the boards anymore and it wasn’t my fault, it was God’s fault!! Haha, it’s funny I know, but you get my drift. Some of those lodge guys are really unscrupulous and super greedy (definitely not all of them) - but they keep getting away with it and people keep getting suckered in. It’s an appalling situation - they are sucking the soul and life out of surfing for their own profit. I reckon if they had half an ounce of decency, they would offer a refund or change date an no further expense. I can’t think of a worse public relations screw up - the word will spread - but they have great marketing and it won’t matter - for every sucker that wakes up and turns away from them, ten more will be taken in!!
Not sure if we are talking same person or place, but I'm talking about Christie and Wave Park.
I think it's a good thing he is paying his staff wages or at least part while not operating, but i don't think a fee of $500USD to change dates is fair under these circumstances.
Ive actually communicated with him via email over some things years ago and he actually helped me with some online stuff, he came across as a decent guy, but never really talked to anyone in the know about him further, so have no idea about what kind of person he is or way he does business. (I do know two Indonesian friends from Padang who have worked for him, but never asked them about him)
I do respect that he started the first foreign owned camp in Mentawai's though and is still at it and not just fir the money obviously loves the areas and surfing, must be getting on 15 to 20 years now, he would have done some pretty hard yards and seen a lot in that time so respect that too.
From the outside looking in his operation looks better than some, but who knows haven't been p that way for years, wouldn't mind getting back for an off season trip though.
Nah, I was thinking of another guy. I won’t name him but if you’ve ever surfed near him he has the European Addonis type look about him and he always looks like he’s just come out of some prissy hair salon, and he actually flicks his hair around with the those ridiculous affectations of the head and the “look at my hair” type expression on his face, which I also thought was pretty weird...so he’s a bit like narcissus...just enamoured with himself but for all the wrong reasons.
Indo, I 100% agree with your post on this topic I also agree with Mowgli however I think he is being conservative on the 80% Margin. Expats fund lifestyles other businesses and property in OZ off locals poor remuneration.
These Businesses need to step up they have exploited their people for years. People that are spruiking of their 20+ years relationship should know how to contact their "friends" and ask them what they need without the need for GoFund me shite.
Privatise the profits socialise the losses..Go Fund me
Who owns Joyos its not the gofund me organiser from Mullumbimby is it???
Serious question?
100% SI 100%
A go fund me page has now been set up for Jack's Camp. Link below.
I've got nothing to do with it, and don't know the guy that has organised it, but Alim (the guy who runs the camp) sent it to me.
Alim and the crew there are great.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/jacks-surf-camp-staff-relief-fund?utm_source=...