Sumba Foundation

The Sumba Foundation^® is constantly evolving to meet the current and future needs of the Sumbanese people.

We invite you to discover what The Sumba Foundation is doing across the island.

A stay at NIHI® Sumba combines the ultimate in luxury comforts with the opportunity to authentically immerse oneself in the island’s magnificently preserved, ancient tribal culture. The spirit of Sumba imbibes a plethora of vibrant, local traditions and rituals, which embody the rich symphony of local daily life.

Group of young Sumbanese schoolchildren dressed in crisp white shirts and red uniforms, standing barefoot and in sandals on a rural path at sunrise, symbolizing the Sumba Foundation’s impact on education access in remote communities.

Joyful group of Sumbanese school children smiling and waving outside their classroom, capturing the vibrant spirit and educational impact of initiatives by the Sumba Foundation and Burch Family Foundation

Local Sumbanese man herding a group of buffalo along a sunlit jungle path, symbolizing traditional livelihoods and rural life supported by the Sumba Foundation’s community-focused initiatives.

A smiling schoolgirl in uniform enjoys her meal inside a classroom in Sumba, reflecting the educational and nutritional impact of the Sumba Foundation’s outreach programs.

Three young Sumbanese boys in school uniforms enjoying a midday meal from colorful lunchboxes, seated against a bright blue classroom wall—part of the school nourishment initiatives by the Sumba Foundation, Burch Family Foundation and NIHI Sumba.

A healthcare worker in scrubs and a face mask examines samples under a microscope at a Sumba Foundation clinic, highlighting the foundation’s ongoing efforts in malaria prevention and community health at NIHI Sumba.

Overview

During the development of Nihiwatu (1988 – 1994), our pioneering founders Claude and Petra Graves lived much the same as the villagers around them did, without running water, electricity, or clinics to go to if they were sick.

These setbacks inspired them to explore solutions for the core issues similarly affecting their neighbors: poor health, no access to water, widespread malaria and malnutrition, minimal education and no medical facilities within a day’s walk.

The philanthropic vehicle they would use to fulfill the needs of the community was their resort Nihiwatu and so they began involving guests in community efforts near the resort.

The Sumba Foundation^® is constantly evolving to meet the current and future needs of the Sumbanese people.

They have built a solid foundation of better health and basic education for the community, and have evolved to tackle more of what is needed; even better education, new skills training, and creating employment and small-scale business opportunities for future generations.

The Sumba Foundation^® is a small but highly effective organization that is fully committed to helping the people of Sumba prosper, and with our help, they will.

Access to potable water and establishing community-based wells and water stations.

Health Care, including but not limited to malaria control, transmission reduction and eradication, eye care, midwife assistance, and general health consultation.
Nutrition projects for infants and school lunches for primary school students to improve their diets including a health and hygiene curriculum.

Local economic opportunity projects in sustainable farming.
Learning Development, helping to provide English language skills and computer technology to the next generation