I want to be a doctor

Friday, July 24, 2015

Pianto is very impressed by the HIV and AIDS training session he joined called Sahabat Sumber Informasi (SSI).

Sahabat Sumber Informasi, is a group of peer educators of which members are still teenagers. SSI aims at spreading information about HIV and AIDS, peer to peer, in Lanny Jaya, a district in Papua.

"I have learned so much about HIV and AIDS here. Now, I want to tell my friends so they don't go to tukar gelang events anymore," said Pianto.

Tukar gelang is a common event held by young people in Lanny Jaya where they look for soul mate. This event is usually held when a family member dies, and hopes that those who are left behind won't be sad anymore. But nowadays, the young people have mistakenly interpreted this event to hold free sex for the participants.
 

As a member of SSI, Pianto is extremely disappointed with tukar gelang events because he thinks that it doesn't bring any benfit for the young generation. Also, it leads to the spread of  the HIV virus. As he wants to be a doctor in the future, Pianto wants to share the information about the harms of tukar gelang to his friends. By being a doctor, Pianto hopes that he can help many people in Tiomneri, the place where he was born and lives today.

"When I become a doctor someday, I want to reside in this village so mothers don't need to walk far away to Tiom or Wamena district to get medical treatment," said Pianto describing his great goal in the future.

 

*Written by Sonya Tadoe, Community Development Coordinator, Wahana Visi Indonesia at Eruwok operational office

Child Participation Education