Children's Stories: Never Stop Exploring Self Potential
My name is Teo, I am 16 years old. I am currently a 12th-grade in a high school in Sungai Ambawang District. Like most children, I feel like I want to keep learning and equip myself with various kinds of knowledge. The formal education I received at school was not enough for my personal development, that's why I decided to join the Ambawang Children's Forum to explore my potential.
It's been three years since I joined the Ambawang Children's Forum. Right in January 2021, I was even elected as President of the Ambawang Children's Forum for the 2021 management period. The process of choosing me to become a leader was also quite long. However, I learned to have the courage to speak up, and I learned a lot during the campaign that I did during my candidacy.
Exactly in February 2021, my friends and Ambawang Children's Forum gained great momentum. We are trusted to express our opinion which will have an impact on government policies in fulfilling children's rights, especially in Ambawang District through the District Development Planning Consultation (Musrenbang).
This time I was trusted by members of the children's forum to express our opinions and aspirations in front of the Regent of Kubu Raya. This is a valuable and thrilling experience for me. Since that time, I feel that my ability to express my opinion and influence my peers, adults, and stakeholders has increased.
I am grateful, the opportunity to practice my potential always comes to me. Right in May 2021, I also had the opportunity to take part in an online communication training held by Wahana Visi Indonesia.
Together with three representatives of the Ambawang Children's Forum members and fellow participants from all over Indonesia, we were trained to have good and effective communication, how to express what we got to make other people change their way of thinking, especially about the fulfillment of children's rights.
This training was very useful for me as the President of the Ambawang Children's Forum. I also promised to share the knowledge I got with other administrators.
I hope that all members of the Ambawang Children's Forum can continue to improve their abilities, in terms of communicating and expressing their opinions, because my principle is by speaking out, there will be changes for the better.
Rewritten based on interviews with children by: Widiyanto Kristiawan, CESP Kubu Raya Program Area Wahana Visi Indonesia
