As we walked on the muddy footpath between the green rice paddies under a slight drizzle, the mesmerising sound of the adhan echoed above the village. We were heading to the Pesantren Ekologi Ath-Thaariq, an Islam boarding school and farm in Garut, West Java, Indonesia. Along the way, we were greeted by Akhfaa Nazhat Alwafaa, a young resident of the Pesantren who guided us to a makeshift shelter made from used wood. Sitting on old fruit crates and using tables fashioned from big wooden electrical cable spools, we enjoyed hot tea made from blue butterfly pea flowers and freshly-made Sundanese rice cakes served by Akhfaa’s mother, Nissa Wargadipura.

Akhfaa, who is 19 years old, is one of ten student-boarders who reside with his family in the Pesantren. Founded in 2008 by Nissa, the boarding school aims to teach young men the Qur’an and farming practices of agroecology. In between times of prayer, personal study, and attending university where Akhfaa studies electrical engineering, the boarders have their roles to play in the different zones of the one-hectare farm. They learn to live closely attuned to nature, respecting the cycles of the plants, interdependence with the animals, and the flow of energy from the sun, wind, and rain. Akhfaa is committed to these principles and sees their potential in responding to the climate and ecological crises. He desires to share them more broadly with others.

Akhfaa is among the grantees of the Creators of Hope project launched in April 2022 by the Reconciliation with Creation network. The project seeks to identify and support young individuals or teams in Asia Pacific with a passion for ecological projects that could serve as a source of hope for others. While hope is essentially a grace and a gift from God, putting an idea or inspiration into action, however imperfect, can create hope within ourselves and others.

Watch Akhfaa tell his story: