Rainbow Village: Indonesian Government Invests $22,467 To Paint 232 Slum Houses, And Result Is Amazing
Why go somewhere over the rainbow when you can just hang out inside of it? Kampung Pelangi, a small village in Indonesia, has transformed itself into a stunning display of bright colours and whimsical designs, a huge departure from its former state of squalor.
The Central Java community, located in a southern district of Semarang, spent over $22k on the magnificent makeover in a bid to shake off its status as a degraded slum. Initiated by 54-year-old junior high principal Slamet Widodo, the project was inspired by at least 3 other towns in the country that adopted similar paint jobs, and has turned at least 232 homes in Kampung Pelangi into works of art. Creative murals adorning the walls of narrow passageways burst with life, giving a veritable pulse to the whole village.
Tourists have definitely taken early notice of Indonesia’s growing rainbow village trend, and have flocked to them accordingly, including Kampung Pelangi. The investments made in revamping the former slum are sure to pay off, as local businesses are already seeing a rise in souvenir and food sales, according to the Indonesian Builders Association. It goes without saying that the lively, bohemian atmosphere of this newfound hot spot is also gold for Instagram shots!
A former run-down slum in Central Java, Indonesia has received a dazzling makeover
Image credits: anomharya, arieprakhman
It all started when junior high school principal Slamet Widodo, 52, saw the need to improve his community
Image credits: arieprakhman
He proposed the painting of all 390 houses in Kampung Pelangi, his native village, in bright colours
Image credits: isnaininurul51
The government then pledged over $22k towards the initiative, and the transformation began
Image credits: kingkin.kin
Overseen by mayor Hendrar Prihadi, 232 homes in the area have now been adorned with art
Image credits: jalidin
The project encourages “the active involvement of citizens in the improvement of their home,” says Prihadi
Image credits: riza_fe
In addition to filling the town with art, residents will also undertake the cleaning of the nearby river
Image credits: nicolas_ertaf
Kampung Pelangi follows the example of at least 3 other former slums, including the famous Jodipan Village
Image credits: isnaininurul51
Since beautifying their village, Kampung Pelangi has seen a sudden increase in international tourism
Image credits: mzndoe
It’s no surprise why – these rainbow streets are gold for Instagram photos, and #kampungpelangi is blowing up
Image credits: amilantih
This rapid influx of visitors has led to a jump in local food and souvenir sales, benefiting the local economy
Image credits: anakhitssemarang
The future is bright and colourful for Kampung Pelangi thanks to the amazing power of art!
Image credits: tri_wahdatii
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Share on FacebookThere was a similar thing done in my town a few years ago but instead of rainbows they drew animals native to my country. It does look good but slum life goes on as usual sadly.
Now its just a rainbow colored slum. All that money could be used to repairs and rebuilds, developement..
Load More Replies...To those saying that it is just a superficial fix - they do know that. They aren't stupid. They know a coat of paint isn't going to magically bring them out of poverty. But 1) it brings added tourism which equals $$, 2) it encourages residents to take an active part in their community - such as they are cleaning the water supply and 3) it helps alleviate some of the depression that comes with living in poverty. A pink and purple house won't make you less hungry, but it can make you less hopeless - and I think that is wonderful.
I thought that was self evident and was shocked at how many people just didn't get it. Doesn't matter what's done to brighten people's lives (in this case, literally) a segment of the population will b***h. What's pathetic about these people is that they're doing the bitching on behalf of people who are helped by it. The article itself talks about tourism dollars so it probably didn't cost a single penny in the long run. Some people just have to take their miserable lives out on other people. It's sad.
Load More Replies...why instead of buy paint used the for drain pipes so people can have BASIC SANITARY CONDITIONS! ridiculous how people focus in something so stupid like the pretty colors of the house instead of real issues that poor people live in, i from mexico and i grow in a rural town that later be came a city and a problem that we had was no water, the government gets taxes every year but yet people that are part of lower income don't get basic things like clean water , a water trump drive every week , instead of getting water from a faucet. i know your Americans had not idea because you people never stop to think damn this simple thing called water that comes to my shower is something not everyone has or thank god my kids had water and can shower every day" no because you people had not idea of how it is to live in real poverty.
This village has a running water. Most houses have indoor toilets and underground septictanks. It's not a slum as in Indian Dharavi. The problem of villages in Java is not aboyt basic sanitary, but more about village planning. Houses were built next to each other. It makes a very narrow road. These villages are not the rich part of the regency but it's not a slum. Imagine Santorini but with third world income
Load More Replies...Wow! What an excellent way to disguise the poverty issue I need your country without actually fixing it. UH....pretty sure they already did this in Brazil
"This rapid influx of visitors has led to a jump in local food and souvenir sales, benefiting the local economy."
Load More Replies...Beautiful, such a clever move to do by the government as it'll create tourism.
Awesome, let's hide poverty and insalubrity under a thin layer of paint. Tourists will be pleased.
what an excellent way to brighten what might ordinarily be so so drab - especially for those who live there!! Now that's working for the people!!!
its beautiful and hopefully will make their day just a little bit brighter
If this gets Indonesians to keep trash out of rivers and landscapes, it will be great, because that is one of the biggest turn-offs besides deforestation that I find in that country. Paint is pretty, but I hope they will concentrate on more pressing problems.
The deforestation is caused by the huge demand for cheep palm oil in western countries. Google it and educate yourself. When people are so poor that their childrens lives depend on it, you can't blame them for working for the big international companies, - which are responsable for the deforestation. Western consumers, on the other hand, can afford to choose products that do not support these kind of businesses. You are putting the blame in the wrong place here.
Load More Replies...Why a downvote? I would want my house painted too, but really, what about the other people?
Load More Replies...i live in Detroit, they have began to paint the sides of buildings to help deter graffiti
Hey, any progress is progress. Their town now looks better, is attracting more tourists, boosting the economy and motivated them to clean their water.
Load More Replies...Hi! Random Indonesian passing by. So, um. I'd just like to give my viewpoint, especially to all the people saying that the money should've been used for other things. No, I don't think the government was trying to hide the sadness of poverty underneath all those pretty colours. Yes, I do think that the colours improve the people's mood...But it goes even farther than that. 1) Like the post says, they've turned the slums into a tourist attraction, allowing the people to make more money. This makes them more self-sufficient, which is better than them having to rely on help from the government constantly. 2) A lot of people in Indonesia don't really worry about keeping their environment clean. Hence, pollution is a big problem here. But to make sure their kampung pelangi stays a good tourist attraction, more people will make an effort to keep their environment clean (they're even cleaning the nearby river. Yay!). This benefits both the environment and the people's health.
Things are totally different here in China...a street artist got banned from his career and arrested since the Chinese government wanted to keep the city "clean". As a resident of the United States, I am a supporter of free rights and therefore prohibit any kind of banning of a person's own wills.
Imagine not bathing for years, so instead you just put on some cologne/perfume.
This is beautification, skipping the problem. A slum need to be urbanized for the benefit of all residents, not to be colored for tourists.
Why would they do that? Why not financially support the people? Not like their houses being painted would help the people live. :/ :(
Why would they do that, not like painted houses will help the people live. They should've used the money to financially support the place or something. Imagine this: they painted a house, and in there lives an almost broke man. I don't think that his house being painted can help him. :(
The tourism allows the people living in the slums to make money. So yes, it helps.
Load More Replies...They hang colorful banners off all the street lamps just to prove they've got no manners, no mercy and no sense
It is beautiful and I'm sure it's done a lot to lift the residents' spirits. However I hope the government spends at least that much (more!) to help these indigent families, not just throws a cost of paint on the situation to cover it up. It's a start though for sure.
I LOVE the idea but sadly I think that money should be used for something more important than the looks of building.. like schools and hospitals. Love how it turned out though! Beautiful!
Looks cheerful. I'm thiking if the people living in those houses are happy as well.
Normally I'd say this is a huge waste of money but this time I partially approve. Doing this looks like it really made the town folks happy which is great. Though lots of this money could be used for food, water and shelter for those people who need it in countries that are destroyed or being destroyed this is also for a good cause. Happiness is as important as food, water and shelter in some ways ;)
There was a similar thing done in my town a few years ago but instead of rainbows they drew animals native to my country. It does look good but slum life goes on as usual sadly.
Now its just a rainbow colored slum. All that money could be used to repairs and rebuilds, developement..
Load More Replies...To those saying that it is just a superficial fix - they do know that. They aren't stupid. They know a coat of paint isn't going to magically bring them out of poverty. But 1) it brings added tourism which equals $$, 2) it encourages residents to take an active part in their community - such as they are cleaning the water supply and 3) it helps alleviate some of the depression that comes with living in poverty. A pink and purple house won't make you less hungry, but it can make you less hopeless - and I think that is wonderful.
I thought that was self evident and was shocked at how many people just didn't get it. Doesn't matter what's done to brighten people's lives (in this case, literally) a segment of the population will b***h. What's pathetic about these people is that they're doing the bitching on behalf of people who are helped by it. The article itself talks about tourism dollars so it probably didn't cost a single penny in the long run. Some people just have to take their miserable lives out on other people. It's sad.
Load More Replies...why instead of buy paint used the for drain pipes so people can have BASIC SANITARY CONDITIONS! ridiculous how people focus in something so stupid like the pretty colors of the house instead of real issues that poor people live in, i from mexico and i grow in a rural town that later be came a city and a problem that we had was no water, the government gets taxes every year but yet people that are part of lower income don't get basic things like clean water , a water trump drive every week , instead of getting water from a faucet. i know your Americans had not idea because you people never stop to think damn this simple thing called water that comes to my shower is something not everyone has or thank god my kids had water and can shower every day" no because you people had not idea of how it is to live in real poverty.
This village has a running water. Most houses have indoor toilets and underground septictanks. It's not a slum as in Indian Dharavi. The problem of villages in Java is not aboyt basic sanitary, but more about village planning. Houses were built next to each other. It makes a very narrow road. These villages are not the rich part of the regency but it's not a slum. Imagine Santorini but with third world income
Load More Replies...Wow! What an excellent way to disguise the poverty issue I need your country without actually fixing it. UH....pretty sure they already did this in Brazil
"This rapid influx of visitors has led to a jump in local food and souvenir sales, benefiting the local economy."
Load More Replies...Beautiful, such a clever move to do by the government as it'll create tourism.
Awesome, let's hide poverty and insalubrity under a thin layer of paint. Tourists will be pleased.
what an excellent way to brighten what might ordinarily be so so drab - especially for those who live there!! Now that's working for the people!!!
its beautiful and hopefully will make their day just a little bit brighter
If this gets Indonesians to keep trash out of rivers and landscapes, it will be great, because that is one of the biggest turn-offs besides deforestation that I find in that country. Paint is pretty, but I hope they will concentrate on more pressing problems.
The deforestation is caused by the huge demand for cheep palm oil in western countries. Google it and educate yourself. When people are so poor that their childrens lives depend on it, you can't blame them for working for the big international companies, - which are responsable for the deforestation. Western consumers, on the other hand, can afford to choose products that do not support these kind of businesses. You are putting the blame in the wrong place here.
Load More Replies...Why a downvote? I would want my house painted too, but really, what about the other people?
Load More Replies...i live in Detroit, they have began to paint the sides of buildings to help deter graffiti
Hey, any progress is progress. Their town now looks better, is attracting more tourists, boosting the economy and motivated them to clean their water.
Load More Replies...Hi! Random Indonesian passing by. So, um. I'd just like to give my viewpoint, especially to all the people saying that the money should've been used for other things. No, I don't think the government was trying to hide the sadness of poverty underneath all those pretty colours. Yes, I do think that the colours improve the people's mood...But it goes even farther than that. 1) Like the post says, they've turned the slums into a tourist attraction, allowing the people to make more money. This makes them more self-sufficient, which is better than them having to rely on help from the government constantly. 2) A lot of people in Indonesia don't really worry about keeping their environment clean. Hence, pollution is a big problem here. But to make sure their kampung pelangi stays a good tourist attraction, more people will make an effort to keep their environment clean (they're even cleaning the nearby river. Yay!). This benefits both the environment and the people's health.
Things are totally different here in China...a street artist got banned from his career and arrested since the Chinese government wanted to keep the city "clean". As a resident of the United States, I am a supporter of free rights and therefore prohibit any kind of banning of a person's own wills.
Imagine not bathing for years, so instead you just put on some cologne/perfume.
This is beautification, skipping the problem. A slum need to be urbanized for the benefit of all residents, not to be colored for tourists.
Why would they do that? Why not financially support the people? Not like their houses being painted would help the people live. :/ :(
Why would they do that, not like painted houses will help the people live. They should've used the money to financially support the place or something. Imagine this: they painted a house, and in there lives an almost broke man. I don't think that his house being painted can help him. :(
The tourism allows the people living in the slums to make money. So yes, it helps.
Load More Replies...They hang colorful banners off all the street lamps just to prove they've got no manners, no mercy and no sense
It is beautiful and I'm sure it's done a lot to lift the residents' spirits. However I hope the government spends at least that much (more!) to help these indigent families, not just throws a cost of paint on the situation to cover it up. It's a start though for sure.
I LOVE the idea but sadly I think that money should be used for something more important than the looks of building.. like schools and hospitals. Love how it turned out though! Beautiful!
Looks cheerful. I'm thiking if the people living in those houses are happy as well.
Normally I'd say this is a huge waste of money but this time I partially approve. Doing this looks like it really made the town folks happy which is great. Though lots of this money could be used for food, water and shelter for those people who need it in countries that are destroyed or being destroyed this is also for a good cause. Happiness is as important as food, water and shelter in some ways ;)
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