Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!

Merdeka is a word pregnant with meaning for Indonesian people. Its translation is freedom. This three-fold idiom is shouted on this day as a powerful poetic reminder of the cries of its people, who declared their independence on the 17th August, 1945. It wasn’t until 1949, however, that the Dutch finally accepted this declaration and gave Indonesia freedom through independence.

Hari Kemerdekaan translates as Independence Day. Thus, in the Indonesian language, independence is understood as an expression of freedom.
This year Hari Kemerdekaan fell on a Sunday, thus a public holiday was given on the following Monday. On this day, Bridge of Hope, in collaboration with the local leaders organized a day of games and activities for the people of Sumompo.

The games included a marble and spoon race (a creative rendering of Egg and Spoon conducive to a culture of excess!), a sack race (using bags used for collecting rubbish!), prawn crackers on a string (similar to doughnuts on a string), pen into a bottle (an hilarious game where the pen is dangling from a string behind the person who has to squat like going to the toilet to fit the pen into the bottle!), and finally Panjat Pinang.
Panjat Pinang is the highlight of the day, and the only game uniquely Indonesian. Here a Pinang tree is stripped of its branches and glazed with grease from bottom to top. At the top is a collection of prizes. Providing for both young and old there was provided a shorter banana (pisang) tree for the children. The children were to go first on their Pisang tree.
Around 20 eager boys stripped themselves of their shirts and lined up to reach their prize. The first few boys tried with energy and conviction to obtain their prizes just several metres from their reach. Yet, each time they were helpless to the slipperiness of the grease. Jumping and striving, clutching and climbing, they were willing to give everything despite gaining nothing. These boys, however, prepared the way for others by gradually ridding the tree of grease. Each time, the next pair would make it a few more inches up to their goal.
After 20 minutes of enjoyment and laughter, the crowd turned its’ attention to the Pinang tree as three boisterous men climbed upon each others shoulders in a rush of unruly initiative. The crowd was uproarious as they could almost feel the pain felt by the man at the bottom supporting the weight of two men above him. After 5 minutes of intense struggle they came to a crashing end. Next came a triplet with a little more innovation. They brought tools with them! The man on the top had his friend’s shirt to soak the grease and then used dirt sagging from within his tucked shirt to further provide friction for his next intended ascent. Within a few minutes they had reached their goal. Instead of reaping all the rewards, each group is only allowed three prizes to take, and then leave the rest for the next group.
Unfortunately the boys didn‘t learn from their elders and continued to struggle in pairs to reach the top without shirt or dirt. Yet, after digging their hands into the trunk of the tree they were able to make it to the top.
Panjat Pinang is a game that teaches team-work, interdependence, sharing, and provides great entertainment for spectators. The efforts of the initial groups could be seen as failures except for the fact that they played pivotal roles in preparation for the successful groups.
This celebration of Hari Kermerdekaan was enjoyed by all, and was a tribute to the presence of Bridge of Hope and their community education resource centre. This day brought together the community of Sumompo, bridging the gap between young and old, and between those on and off the rubbish tip. It also brought together several volunteers and committed university students to unify in their efforts to support the children of this rubbish tip. Finally, all the games and activities were coordinated and run by the local leaders and youth. This ensured that this local community doesn’t become co-dependent on Bridge of Hope and instead empowered these leaders and youth to use their independence and freedom to make positive changes in their community. A pertinent question we can all ask ourselves is: what am I doing with my independence and freedom?

Back to School!

In the past two weeks there has been much excitement at Sengkanaung. Five children are returning to an education! The education they receive is run by the Government, but is an informal school that runs every Monday and Thursday night from 6-7pm. Pictured on their first night at this Government School from left is Meldy with Diana and Leah:

Diana has spent her life scavenging for paper and plastic on Sumompo’s rubbish dump. Now that her primary carer is quite old, Diana is an important source of income for her and her sick husband. Diana thinks she is 10, although her carer (extended aunt) says she is 12. Yet, her leathery hands and feet, and rugged face suggest she has lived well beyond her age. She has never been to school, and was thus overwhelmed with fear, shame, and excitement at her first lesson. Meldy sat beside her to take her through the alphabet. Indeed, Meldy constitutes Diana’s informal informal school. That is, she will work one on one with her in Diana’s limited time. Leah is 11 years old and only been out of school for 2 years. She is quite smart and will hope to catch up so she might be able to re-enter a mainstream education.

Pictured on right is Diana and Leah on their way home after school climbing the hill known as "Seribu tangga" or 1000 steps! It is quite a climb, and especially difficult at night.

The Government’s informal school provides a place for people of all ages to decide to go back to school, without facing the inevitable problems of not fitting in being in so much older. The idyllic images from movie Billy Madison do not measure up in reality! For example, there is a 19 year old in Packet “A” doing primary school. There are three programs called Packet A, B, and yes, C. A is for those who never finished primary school, B for those who graduated primary school and C for those who graduated junior high. Graduating Packet C is equivalent to finishing high school. By being at night it allows everyone to still work in the day. At this point, the children still work in the day, which is an incredibly tough working environment. Yet, we consider this the first step in putting them on the path to choice and opportunity.

The Micro-Financing Revolution

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Dr Muhammad Yunus along with the Grameen Bank "for their efforts to create economic and social development from below." Specifically, he has been pioneering Micro-Enterprise Development for over 30 years to those who are poor in Bangladesh. Micro-Enterprise Development (MED) also known as micro-financing and micro-credit has grown at a rapid rate in recent years. This model is now internationally recognised as one of the best ways to enable those who are poor to help themselves out of poverty.

But what exactly is MED[1]? How does it operate? I believe it is helpful to view the process of micro-financing as a revolutionary style of micro bank. This can be seen by its choice of clients and its method of operations:

1. Choice of Clients

A) The poor not the rich
In most Western contexts, banks offer loans to those who have capital and the means to repay the loan. In practice it is those who are already rich who are deemed eligible to receive substantial loans. Typical banks favour the richer people in society and help perpetuate the principle that the rich get richer. In stark contrast, MEDs focus on those with little capital. MEDs choice of clients is for those who are specifically poor and without the means to receive a loan from a typical bank. In practice, many of these people turn to local loan sharks and get trapped in never ending debts on high interest. MEDs provide a radical alternative to greedy loan collectors and open the door of opportunity to economic independence.

B) Women not men
A typical bank focuses its service towards those who already have high positions of status, power, and money to ensure the continuation of profits. Thus, in many non–Western contexts this is largely focused on the male population. In contrast, the large majority of MEDs focus their services towards women. In most MED organizations women comprise around 80-95% of the client population. MEDs provide micro-loans and training to empower women in communities where their roles are often very limited and stifling. In a revolutionary way, MEDs show a concern for those who are marginalized and powerless, and works to empower and liberate.

2. Method of Operation

In most Western contexts, banks are individually oriented. Economic rationalism and Western culture purport an individualistic mindset which honours an individual’s hard work. In practice, banks only lend money to individual clients. The downside to this is a highly competitive and selfish culture. In stark contrast, most MEDs are group oriented. MEDs require that a loan group is formed. This loan group ensures that every recipient of a micro-loan is accountable to their fellow loan recipients. Meeting each week the loan group develops a group rapport and weekly repayments of the loan. Each group has a leader and secretary so that ownership of the group comes from within and not just the supporting micro-bank. The loan group prevents abuse of the loan, whilst also encourages a collective spirit. Instead of building a competitive business, each member exists to build their business individually for the collective good. This is a wonderful counter measure to greed and the ego inherent in Western economic models.

The revolution of micro-financing is sweeping across the world. Focusing on those who are poor and often powerless, MEDs seek to empower and bridge the harsh inequalities in the world today.

[1] Micro-financing is a subset of MED focusing on the economic side of development. MED has a broader focus on community development including health and education through complementary programs.

Rising to New Heights

For many weeks now I have been trying to climb one of the three coconut trees in the backyard of my house in the suburb of Malalayang, Manado. They all stand around 15 metres tall and leave me feeling very small and insignificant. Each time I try to reach the top, I get around half way up and begin to look down. As I look down, fear takes hold of me and my knees and feet begin to shake, and my palms become sweaty. I look up and see another 8 metres are needed to reach my goal: a fresh, young coconut. I decline the challenge to continue and begin my descent.

At my house are 6 males and 5 females. One boy, Salam, is a 17 year old with leprosy. He cannot climb the trees because he has deformed feet. Another, Onald cannot because he also has a problem with his feet. The other two, are both not strong enough to climb the trees. That leaves Meldy, the only male who is able to collect our prized coconuts to enjoy and used for a variety of meals: drinking, oil for cooking and milk for yellow rice and pumpkin and rice porridge. Today, Meldy is leaving for his home in the Island of Halmahera. Thus, today I woke up with a greater sense of responsibility for climbing the three giant monoliths.

Before I began my ascent, being a man who believes that there is more to what we can see and touch, I decided to begin the day seeking spiritual insights from the Bible. The section I read were some words from Jesus who said: “I assure you that if you believe and do not doubt, you will even be able to do what I have done to this fig tree.” I could have laughed; it was as if this story was speaking to the direct challenge before me. I had to rid myself of doubts and fear and have faith I could reach the top. Instead of allowing this to strengthen me, the fear began to grip me as I thought “I can’t do this.”

I began my ascent. I reached 7 metres to the place where the footholds are a little smaller. My feet began to ache. I looked down. Fear began to rise within me. I looked up and saw the goal. I continued. Swapping my feet on a small hold I began to spiral around the trunk as I continued to climb. 10 metres, 11 metres, only 3 more to go. Getting closer my confidence grew and I began to celebrate victory. I got up to the top.

Celebrating victory I almost forgot where I was and the fact that I still had to get down! I twisted 3 coconuts and watched as they plummeted to the ground and gave off a deep thud. When I finally got to the bottom I was told by my friends that the three coconuts were already old and unable to be used for drinking and eating; only for cooking. Despite my apparent failure I chose to dwell on the fact that I made it to the top and achieved one more step in identifying more with the people of North East Indonesia.