BaKTI (the Indonesia acronym for Eastern Indonesia Knowledge Exchange) is an independent organization based in Makassar. BaKTI’s vision is more effective and inclusive development in Eastern Indonesia. Our main mission is to support the development process by promoting knowledge exchange and providing public access to information. We’ve established close relations with local governments and NGOs to help them work together constructively and learn from one another. BaKTI has a geographic focus in twelve eastern provinces of Indonesia because they have the highest poverty rates and poorest social indicators in Indonesia. Our program and activities covers development issues unique to eastern Indonesia such as local governance, basic service delivery, poverty reduction, environment, education, health and gender. We also publish BaKTI News, a monthly bilingual (Indonesia-English) magazine, and have an online knowledge portal (www.batukarinfo.com) , a free public library and free public internet access. We are based in Makassar, South Sulawesi, which is considered the ‘gateway to eastern Indonesia’, and have representatives in the other 11 provinces of Eastern Indonesia.