Sponsor's update from Lembang

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Lembang, Indonesia from December 2008

Dear Friends,

As mentioned in our Summer Letter, during the vacations, the SOS Children’s Village Lembang resembled a bee-hive, as we organised the first National Children’s Congress there, which was held from 25 June to 1 July. However, before and afterwards, there were related activities as well.

On 24 June, 122 SOS-children were welcomed at the National SOS Training Centre at Lembang. Some had travelled a long way, coming from places like Banda Aceh on the north-western tip of Sumatra or Maumere on the south-eastern island of Flores. Aged between 11 and 17 years, 79 of them represented the eight Indonesian SOS Villages and 43 the SOS Family Strengthening Programme (FSP), namely boys and girls supported by FSP Semarang, by FSP Jakarta (project Bogor), and by FSP Lembang in the areas of Lembang and Yogyakarta. The main purpose of the National Children’s Congress was to see that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Indonesian Law on Child Protection be implemented at all levels, from the Government down to the families.

The Congress schedule had been worked out from the start by five Independent Facilitators, i.e. grownup volunteers from our FSP team in Yogya(karta). To prepare the participants for the Congress, they had been trained for their responsibilities as delegates for three months. They had gathered once a week to study children’s rights. To get an idea of the Congress’s five topics - Education, Child Protection, Child Participation, Health & Environment, and Peace -, the children collected relevant information from the media available to them, mostly newspapers. Scrutinizing the articles and assigning them to the appropriate topic required brain-work - and sometimes help from the group. The result was a big collection of clippings, and a basic understanding of the matter. They also learnt discussion techniques, problem solving, and practiced public speaking. This was quite a task for the kids from the SOS Villages but it was much harder for our FSP participants, who come from the bottom level of society! To attend the meetings, they needed transport and had to make time for activities which, in the beginning, did not seem interesting or relevant. Whereas Village children were in a familiar environment, gathering with friends and siblings, and used to voice their opinion, many FSP kids felt shy, inferior, awkward. (You’d think they are lucky to live with their own parents but actually, these often cannot take proper care of their sons and daughters, for they are too busy to meet their family’s most basic needs; kids are left to themselves; some are victims of domestic violence.)

Travelling to the Congress was a sensation for many of them who never had left their family and hometown or rode on a train, let alone been in touch with people of different social and cultural backgrounds. However, we could observe a stunning process of change with them, as they gradually developed confidence and became aware of their potentials. Although a similar personality growth could be observed with the Village children, it was more obvious with the FSP delegates. Anyway, FSP and Village children were congenial partners.

Child's rights

Village directors and educators were involved in the entire programme. Furthermore, young SOS adults - most of them university students from Lembang and Jakarta - had been trained for their tasks by the Independent Facilitators in the two days before the arrival of the participants. Apart from acting as moderators during the sessions, these SOS Facilitators were the children’s friends and helpers in all the practical aspects of the Congress.

Everyone was accommodated at the Training Centre, mixing with comrades from the other Villages. This was part of the learning process; to get to know and make friends with kids of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, speaking different regional languages. In theory, this subject was stressed during the leadership training in an early session about becoming a unique individual. The children were directed to accept differences, understand them as personal enrichment, and perceive in their diversity the beauty of a rainbow.

During the following days, by means of talks, discussions, and a film, the children were studying the laws of Child Protection and actively practicing Child Participation by voicing their opinions and their rights. After a plenary session, the young delegates joined one of the five committees, each studying one of the Congress’s topics. Following a briefing from an Independent Facilitator, the children reflected on their respective topic, discussed their views and summed them up for their recommendations. These were presented at the next plenary session, prior to their final formulation. Then they were included in the documents to be handed over to government bodies and private organizations concerned.

In due course, the committee members also elected one representative amongst them, so that now we have five Child Rights Ambassadors, whose task it is to heighten awareness of the children’s rights among their friends, at school, and in their communities and to advocate their implementation. Nevertheless, all the delegates were encouraged to be sensitive, critical, and brave with respect to problems in their own environment.

Participating in the future

The fifth and last working day of the Congress brought a final lesson in democracy, as the recommendations drawn up by the children were legalized by the plenary session and signed by children and by the staff of SOS Children’s Village Indonesia in charge of the Congress. In addition, children were involved in a campaign for the election of the National Child Ambassador of SOS Desa Taruna Indonesia. The self-appointed candidates were rallying support from their comrades; by finding a capable campaign manager, by making creative posters, and by presenting themselves and their visions just like politicians! It was serious and funny at the same time. In the end, Komang, a 14-year-old boy from SOS Bali, eliminated his nine competitors and gained a well-earned victory.

Among the guests attending the Closing Ceremony were government officials, both from the central and the local government. They accepted the Recommendation Documents drawn up by the children and promised to pay special attention to them. Board Members and friends of our organization were also present. Everybody was amazed at the children’s achievements. Special messages were addressed to them. Queen Hemas of Yogya, in a teleconference, encouraged them to develop an understanding of their cultures; to respect each other’s differences; and to carry out the obligations placed upon them. The President of SOS Desa Taruna Indonesia finally closed the event by stating that children were the Nation’s future and their best interests should be respected and facilitated by parents and Government.

During the next two days, the children could relax a bit from the tight schedule of the Congress. Moreover, they had fun rehearsing for a show of their own creation, presented on the second night.

By the way, the Ministry for Youth and Sports invited six child ambassadors to the Vice-President’s Palace for the celebration of the National Flora and Fauna Day in November. Lembang was represented by Fatima from the Village and by Tera from FSP Yogya. By the way, the coordinator of our FSP team Yogya, a young woman, has just been honoured with a National Award for her pioneer work in the field of education, as she is so successful in mobilizing young people and establishing networks to promote education.

Dear Friends, once again, we wish to thank you for having joined hands with us in taking care of our children. May we never relent in our struggle for what is in the best interest of the children - ours and those all over the world. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Yours sincerely,
SOS DESA TARUNA INDONESIA

Gregor H. Nitihardjo
National Director