The Willing of A Teacher to Stop Child Labor in Village
Since 2019, Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) has tried to bring change to the community through the Cocoa Life program assisted by Mondelez International, in Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi. Many activities are carried out to achieve the welfare of the community and children, such as providing education to the community about cocoa plantation care, household economic management, agricultural business, and also child protection.
With this assistance, positive changes happen at the community and child level. One of them happened to Rizka Fadhilah, 36, an honorary Early Childhood Care and Development (PAUD) teacher in Botta village, Luwu Regency. Her concern for child growth and development issues and child labor has made her always enthusiastic when participating in various Cocoa Life training programs. One of the training that she participated in was training on Community-Based Child Protection (PATBM). With the PATBM training, Rizka and other Botta Village communities can understand the age of children according to the law, children's rights, the risks of child labor, and early marriage.
The government and community of Botta Village support the implementation of PATBM. They are even enthusiastic about forming a PATBM group with the approval of the Village Head. Rizka is also appointed as the head of the PATBM group in Botta Village. The mother of two children is happy with her new assignment as head of the PATBM group in Botta Village.
“Hopefully, through the mandate given to me as the head of the PATBM group, I can make the best use of it to answer all my concerns. I am very grateful for the assistance from Wahana Visi Indonesia through the Cocoa Life program which is supported by Mondelez Indonesia, I have learned many new lessons both in terms of managing the household economy so that my friends and I are enthusiastic about forming a savings group. space to create programs in the village to improve children's growth and development,” she said.
Rizka said improving the welfare of children in Botta Village would be her focus when she served as chairman of the PATBM group, especially in terms of child labor which used to be rampant in her village. Rizka explained several programs that would later be carried out by her group.
“We will conduct socialization in every hamlet in this village about the PATBM, referral for child protection cases and the dangers of child labor, prevent the increase in child marriage, in addition, we also design work programs on Positive Internet and reduce children's addiction on the online game by providing activities that have positive values. Hopefully, the program can bring good changes to children,” Rizka concluded.
Written by Irwan Dedi Setiawan, Cocoa Life Program Field Facilitator, Wahana Visi Indonesia
