On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, Professor Masayuki Sakakibara, local researchers, medical students from the Faculty of Medicine of the State University of Gorontalo (UNG), and local residents convened in the West Tulabolo village office. The majority of participants were West Tulabolo inhabitants, mostly housewives of miners. The meeting’s objective was to show a video regarding ASGM activities and their impact on the environment and human health. Before showing the video, a pre-test questionnaire was conducted. The video ran for about 20 minutes, followed by a conversation before the post-test questionnaire.

During the discussion session, a few members of the project group addressed the goal of their study and the prospect of collaborating with the West Tulabolo people.

The inhabitants of west Tulabolo have shown interest in the SRIREP project proposal. Future cooperation will demonstrate the project’s capabilities to assist their efforts in the ASGM area.

In addition, a number of medical students attend this gathering and complete the questionnaire. Before that, they hold a workshop to inform the West Tulabolo people on disaster response and personal cleanliness.

Arif san and Mr. Dianto, members of the Tulabolo research group, stayed in West Tulabolo village for two days in order to care for the inhabitants there. They discussed the matter with several miners and the village chief of West Tulabolo. They gathered essential information that may serve as a guide for the Tulabolo research group’s study plan.