Brave Enough to Care then to Take Action
Anggi (18 years old) is a young girl from East Halmahera who initially didn't know much about the excitement of participating in organisations and social activities in her area. In her village, which is supported by Wahana Visi Indonesia, several children's activities had been established. However, Anggi was only interested in being a passive participant. Anggi began to be more involved after hearing about the Children's Forum.
Her involvement in the Village Children's Forum paved a new path for Anggi to learn more deeply about the importance of children's rights and how an organisation can help create change in the community.
"If there wasn't a Children's Forum in the village, children wouldn't be able to give their opinions on issues and the resolution of child and women protection cases. We wouldn't be able to pluck up the courage to uncover all the child-related issues happening in East Halmahera. We would also miss out on information about child and women protection issues. As a member of the Children's Forum, I am very happy to be able to take part in resolving and even finding child-related issues in the village. This is a very significant experience for me," Anggi recounted.
The Children's Forum is a place where children and teenagers can speak and voice their opinions, as well as play an active role in efforts to improve their living conditions. Anggi felt this was a golden opportunity to learn more and make a positive contribution. After joining, she felt increasingly confident in voicing her opinions in front of many people. Anggi didn't just join this forum for herself; she also wanted to bring the voices of the children of East Halmahera to a wider level.
Her participation in the Village Children's Forum also made Anggi care about one of the child-related issues she often encountered in her surroundings: children dropping out of school due to peer pressure and working to help the family's economy. She is determined, "I really want to make parents who still think that 'as long as they can read and write, that's enough' aware on children’s rights. They don't think about their children's future. We children have the right to education and a safe place to live. This is the responsibility of the family and everyone in the village."
Besides becoming more aware and concerned about child-related issues, Anggi was also inspired when she saw her friends who had been sent as representatives of the Children's Forum to other regions such as Singapore, Semarang, and Ternate. Seeing them speak and share their experiences in various places made Anggi have bigger dreams. She wants to be part of those who can represent the voices of children outside of East Halmahera, bringing important issues such as violence against children and the importance of proper education for children in her area.
Ultimately, Anggi had the opportunity to participate in Child-Led Research with Andini, her friend. This CLR had the theme "Voicing the Children's Forum in East Halmahera". In this opportunity, they not only talked about the issues happening around children but also discussed how children could change them for a better future. Anggi felt proud to be able to speak in front of many people, voicing very important things, such as cases of violence against children that occurred, while also trying to find solutions together.
Anggi's journey continued to develop when she joined as a facilitator at the Reading House in her village. Being part of this initiative gave Anggi a special sense of pride. She felt that by teaching young children to recognise letters and learn while playing, she could make a real contribution to their future. For Anggi, the Reading House is not just a place to learn but also a place to build character and provide encouragement to keep moving forward.
"Hopefully, the children in Halmahera will realise the importance of their growth and development, their rights, and understand that as children, there is child and woman protection, and they can dare to voice their aspirations to the local government about how important it is for the children of East Halmahera to be protected from all forms of violence, whatever it may be," Anggi hoped.
Anggi is now not just a child who participates in small activities but a teenager who has transformed into a female leader who bravely voices children's rights and strives to bring about change in her community. From initially knowing nothing, she now plays an active role in various activities, and most importantly, she hopes to inspire other children to continue learning, developing, and fighting for their rights in a positive way.
Author: Indah Putri Sinaga (Programme Coordinator for East Halmahera Area Programme)
Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
