At Biodiversity Resort, we believe that caring for Raja Ampat means looking beyond its reefs, forests and islands. It means caring for the people who call this place home.
Since 2018, we have organised eight Health Project campaigns across the local communities, providing access to basic healthcare, health education and essential support. Each programme is an opportunity to listen, learn and build stronger relationships with the villages around us.
Our commitment to the local communities is an important part of what we do. And these projects would not be possible without the people who choose to stay with us. Every stay at Biodiversity helps us continue investing in the communities that surround us. By choosing to experience Raja Ampat with us, our guests become part of something that reaches beyond their time at the resort.
A Day of Community Healthcare in Wawiyai
On 18 July 2026, we returned to Wawiyai for our latest community health programme, providing free medical care and health education to local residents.
When the medical team originally planned to join us had to cancel at the last minute, the programme could easily have been postponed. Instead, local healthcare professionals stepped in and helped us make the day happen.
The team included a general practitioner from Puskesmas Saonek, Dr. Johanes Mambrasar, dentist Drg. Audryn, and the supporting team from Klinik Mambesak in Waisai.
Together, they provided medical consultations and health services to 112 people from the Wawiyai community.
But the day was about more than medical consultations. It was also about sharing knowledge that can make a difference long after we leave.
Teaching Local Children to Care for Their Smiles
One of the most memorable parts of the day was a dental health education session led by Drg. Audryn.
Rather than simply talking to the children, she turned the session into something interactive and engaging. Children were encouraged to listen, learn and explain what they had understood. Those who could share what they had learned received a small school bag with notebooks and stationery.
The response was wonderful. 77 children took part in the dental health programme, with parents also joining in and showing great interest in the session.
For us, these moments are particularly meaningful. Access to healthcare matters, but so does giving people the knowledge and confidence to look after their health themselves.
Looking Beyond One Health Project
The Wawiyai Health Project is one part of a commitment we have been building for years. With eight Health Project campaigns since 2018, we continue to look for ways to make our programmes more regular, meaningful and responsive to the needs of the communities around us.
During this latest programme, we also connected with the team from Klinik Mambesak in Waisai, who share our desire to bring healthcare closer to the villages.
There is already an exciting possibility of working together on future community programmes, combining our existing sustainable tourism initiatives with health education and basic medical services.
One idea is to build on our monthly mung bean porridge programme in Yenbeser, Friwen and Wawiyai. What began as a way of providing nutritious food could become an opportunity to bring together nutrition, health education and community care in one place.
The medical team has also expressed interest in supporting future sessions, particularly around dental health and women’s reproductive health.
We are excited to see where this connection might lead.
Supporting Mothers and Families in Raja Ampat Villages
Healthcare access is particularly important for pregnant women in the villages.
Through our connection with the local Health Department, we have also been able to access Folamil Genio prenatal vitamins, which can be difficult for some families to obtain because of their cost.
We are now exploring how the remaining vitamins could reach pregnant women through local health centres in Yenbeser and Friwen, working together with healthcare professionals and the Health Department.
It is a small example of what can happen when local organisations, healthcare workers and community initiatives come together.
Why Our Guests Are Part of This
We often talk about experiencing Raja Ampat through its nature, its people and its culture. But travelling responsibly also means thinking about what we can give back to the places that welcome us.
Our guests make these programmes possible.
The contribution that comes through staying at Biodiversity allows us to dedicate resources, time and people to initiatives like the Wawiyai Health Project. It means that your journey here can have an impact beyond the days you spend diving, exploring the islands or relaxing at the resort.
In 2026 alone, the Wawiyai programme provided medical services to 112 people and health education to 77 children.
Behind those numbers are conversations, questions, smiles, new connections and people who felt that someone was there to support them.
Looking Ahead
We know that there is still much more to do.
In the future, we hope to bring additional medical specialists to Wawiyai, including paediatric, dermatology and ENT professionals, responding to some of the specific needs identified within the community.
We also want to continue developing our relationships with local healthcare professionals and explore ways of making our community programmes more regular and meaningful.
For us, sustainability is not only about protecting the incredible environment around Biodiversity. It is also about creating positive, lasting connections with the people who live here.
We are still learning, growing and finding better ways to contribute. But every programme is another step towards a more connected and sustainable future for the communities around us.
And we are grateful that our guests can be part of that journey.
You come to Raja Ampat to discover its extraordinary nature. Together, we can help care for the people and communities that make this place home.
