Hi Kids, Yes You Can!
What can children do?
Most adults in Sidodadi Village, located in Surabaya, East Java Province, Indonesia, still think that children are incapable of doing anything big or important. All decisions related to children are still dominated by adults.
Wahana Visi Indonesia’s (WVI) program in Surabaya has conducted socialization for 4 years about children's rights to public figures, government leaders, cadres, and community. Not all people can accept and run it, they do not want to know what children think and their needs so that many children feel ignored. However, children should be seen and heard.
In addition to parents, WVI also socializes to children about their rights through Children's Forum. The Children's Forum in Sidodadi Village has been established and received a Decree from Sidodadi Urban Village in September 2016. However, up to a year's run the Children’s Forum has not had an opportunity yet from the Sub-district Office to conduct or run an activity.
On 21st January 2018, WVI initiated an activity run by this Children's Forum in Sidodadi Village. The activity, which was coloring and drawing competition for children, had been prepared for a month. Starting from the selecting the competition, determining the committee, the date of implementation, and the needs for the activity. The children, who had been selected for committee members were Nor Faiza as chairman, Miftahul Ahyar as vice chairman, Maria Ulfa as Secretary and Nur Afifah as treasurer, and their friends ware in charge in other sections. This activity became their first experience as members of an activity committee.
As presented by the chairman of the committee, Nor Faiza who is still in grade 6 of elementary school, said, "This is my first time joining in an activity committee. I have never been in a committee, neither at school nor in the kampong.” The girl, who wants to be a teacher, told that she was happy to be one of the committee because she learned how to be a leader and to get along with the crowd.
The coloring competition was followed by 69 children from Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) up to grade 2 of elementary school. Meanwhile, the drawing competition involved 77 students from 3rd grade of elementary school up to 2nd year of high school. All participants took part in the competition for about two hours; they did it well and orderly. The judges, consisting of Mrs. Asnafijah (Sidodadi Village staff), Mr. Syaifuddin Yusuf (Head of Community Empowerment Institutions Village/LPMK of Sidodadi Village), and Mr. Marsiyam (teacher in painting and drawing) selected 6 winners for coloring competition as well as 6 winners for drawing competition.
“The coloring and drawing competition was not perfect; however it was a successful event. The activity run smoothly and the participants competed in orderly and secure. The committee could perform the task well. As stated by Mr. Syaifuddin Yusuf (51 years old), "Despite the children's committees, this activity run quite smoothly, however consumption for guests was rather late and the M.C. (announcer) was less attractive. It still has much to improve. Hopefully in the future the children can get better in managing the activities."
The Children's Forum in Sidodadi Village has succeeded in organizing the coloring and drawing competition. WVI hopes, people can see that the children are actually capable of doing something if they are given a chance and accompanied in the process.
Yes, kids CAN do well!
Written by Nuzly Hudaya, Area Program of Surabaya, World Vision in Indonesia