Sparkle of hope in Ericson's eyes

Febrianto Ericson, 8, lives in a village in Tempunak Sub District, in Sintang District, West Kalimantan. The distance from Ericson's village to the city of Sintang, capital of Sintang District, is only 15 kms, however, people in the village have to follow an unpaved road and cross the wide Kapuas River to get there. It is an hour trip to reach the city.

Ericson and his family live along the Kapuas river, the longest river in Indonesia. Ericson is the son of Atet and Carolina. He is a second grader in elementary school and likes to play football and a spin of a top with his friends, Ripin and Arman.

"The school lesson I love most is mathematics, because it is easy," says Ericson, who dreams to be an elementary school teacher. His mother says Ericson still needs help to study Indonesian language, because he does not like that lesson.

Ericson and other people in his village do not yet have electricity or clean water yet. Most people in his village use river water to take a bath, to clean clothes and to drink during the dry season.

In general, people in the village work as rubber farmers or in the mine industry. In one month, Atet earns 1,000,000 rupiahs (about USD $75).

The family saves 50,000 rupiahs (about USD $4) a month to support Ericson's education. They have saved for a year.

"I want to improve the quality of elementary school," says Ericson, telling his dream for his sub village.

*Written by Rita Kause, staff of Wahana Visi Indonesia at Sintang operational office