INDONESIA Marginalized Children Learn A Song That Helps Restore Their Dignity

Ucanews.com,July 28, 2004

JAKARTA (UCAN) -- Protecting, educating and supporting impoverished children is a major problem for many Asian countries, and a program started by Jesuits in Indonesia is doing something about it.

Since 2000, Sanggar Akar (roots workshop) has been an autonomous body providing education and support for marginalized children. It was founded in 1994 by Jesuit-run Jakarta Social Institute, and its leader, Ibe Karyanto, told UCA News about its work on July 23, National Children's Day.

Karyanto said he wrote a song, Suara Hati (voice of the heart), in 1995 "to urge people not to neglect their obligation when seeing the situation around them, and to take action after listening to their conscience."

Two young street singers, Unanng, 16, and Wahyudinata, 17, often sing that song. They work Jakarta's streets and stay in Sanggar Akar's main center in Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta. Their earn about 30,000 rupiah (US$3.30) a day.

Unang says he sings Suara Hati not only for alms but also to "make people aware of their responsibility to care for unfortunate children." However, he also told UCA News that "singing the song makes me sad and brings memories of my Mama living alone in a village in Cirebon, West Java."

Sanggar Akar's main center houses 70 Muslim children, including 20 girls. More than 100 others stay in the organization's three branches around Jakarta. All those children, and at least 500 others who have stayed in the homes before, share one thing -- they can all sing Suara Hati.

Several told UCA News that Sanggar Akar has allowed them to grow as complete human beings, given them education and respected their dignity and needs. They said they not only go to school but also develop skills such as making school bags, sculpting, screen printing, cooking, singing and playing music.

Income received from selling handicrafts goes to the home, which in turn gives them meals, accommodation, money to send home, savings and pocket money.

Wandi, 8, said he is a street singer in the morning but attends school in the afternoon. Liciana, 16, who has lived in Sanggar Akar for six months, said that with her guitar playing and bag making, she can send money to her parents, who struggle to make a living as peddlers. Wati, 13, said she most likes going to school, which was impossible when she lived with her parents.

Karyanto insists education cannot be postponed for children, "the owners of the future." Sanggar Akar, he said, is run for marginalized children by concerned people and with the children's participation. In his view, an unjust social structure makes people "marginalized" and forces them to live on streets and in slums and public areas.

Sanggar Akar has three types of communities - its base community, a Sanggar community and networking. The base community, for elementary school children, promotes study group dynamics to help develop skills in reading, writing, counting and speaking. The Sanggar community, for elementary and secondary school children, develops teamwork and a sense of responsibility.

For the latter group, artistic activity, especially theater, is a main feature. The children perform a musical play for the public every year. They also organize household chores, publish a newsletter and maintain a library.

The networking community challenges the children to help build solidarity with surrounding communities and beyond. They learn networking by holding public events such as rummage sales and public campaigns.

Karyanto said people working for Sanggar Akar enroll children and youth by meeting them on the streets and in public places. Juprianto, a Sanggar Akar executive committee member, told UCA News that he must become one of them to approach them. He acknowledged that this can be dangerous, as evidenced one time when he was beaten up for entering the "territory" of someone else.

The theme of National Children's Day this year was "I Am Proud To Be An Indonesian Child." However, Catholic-run Kompas daily reported on July 24 that more than 50,000 children in 12 major Indonesian cities still live on the streets separated from their parents, and about 1.6 million children work in an exploitative environment. The country reportedly has 11.7 million school dropouts and only 50 percent of its children complete elementary school.

To mark the day, 6,000 children attended a celebration with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at Ancol Fantasy Park in North Jakarta. There, two children read a declaration urging the government to familiarize people with Law No. 23/2002 on child protection. Rallies taking place that day and the day before also urged the government to provide free education for children and to be more attentive to the rights of children, especially street children.