A brave girl raises her voice for change

She is tall, thin, and little bit shy. Everyone calls her Imelda. She rarely talks with other people.

But, actually she is an extraordinary girl. Everybody sees how brave she is when she starts to speak, delivering her opinion in front of people. Imelda is just 14-years-old, a second grader in senior high school.

Imelda is active in "Paskibra" or flag raising team, an extracurricular activity in her school. Not only "Paskibra", Imelda also joins in East Sumba Child Group since 2013 which is assisted by Wahana Visi Indonesia.

In this Child Group, Imelda learned many things. She learned about leadership and child rights.

"Keep studying so that you can be what you want to be," said Imelda.

Last January 2015, Imelda had the opportunity to visit the capital city, Jakarta, as part of the Action 2015 movement.

Action 2015 is an alliance of organizations that reflect the diversity of activist fighting for injustice, inequalities, poverty, and climate change in 2015. Children like Imelda wish to make a change in the world by raising their voices. Imelda was proudly chosen to represent children in her area.

She met with Anies Baswedan, the Minister of Culture and Education. She also spoke in front of the Minister. Representing her friends in remote areas around Indonesia, especially East Sumba, she asked the Minister to improve transportation access in East Sumba so that children can reach school easily.

Imelda also met with Yohana Yembise, the Minister of Women Empowerment and Child Protection. She asked the Minister to protect children in school by banning any violence from teachers that is done in the name of "disciplining students."

The East Sumba Child Group has changed her life. She has a place to talk with her friends. She learned about child rights. Nobody can hurt her because she knows that she has a right to be protected.

Imelda keeps studying hard to achieve her dreams.

"Keep studying so that you can be what you want to be," said Imelda, delivering a message for Indonesian children.

*Written by Rena Tanjung, Field Communications Officer, World Vision Indonesia