Yuliati Umrah, a Political Science graduate from Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java, founded the Arek Lintang Foundation (ALIT) Indonesia to empower marginalized children.
Yulianti and five friends founded ALIT based on their commitment to handling social problems in the country, especially the issues related to exploitation and violence against marginalized children, Yuliati noted in a statement on Monday (July 15).
As a foundation engaged in the social sector, ALIT has a vision to achieve equality so that children can enjoy their rights. This vision will be achieved by improving the conditions of marginalized children and conducting advocacy to the government, both at the local and national levels.
ALIT was founded in Surabaya on April 22, 1999, as a response to several cases of violence and exploitation of marginalized children during the early days of Indonesia’s reformation. While in college, Yuliati was studying public policy in government, including political theory and social contracts, when she realized that several policies were still irrelevant, particularly to the situation and conditions of children.
“The birth of ALIT encouraged the central and regional governments to learn more about the contents of international legal standards so that they become part of government policy,” she explained. She cited several cases of school dropouts influenced by the many unemployed graduates of secondary and even higher education. To address this problem, she endeavored to voice more effective and relevant policy updates.
“Hence, I criticize the curriculum material in society that is not relevant, as it only takes up too much time, but it does not directly encourage children to have a good perspective,” Yuliati pointed out. After 25 years of contribution, ALIT Indonesia has eight branches in Surabaya, Bromo, Flores, Sumenep, Bali, Lombok, Jember, and Banyuwangi.
ALIT Indonesia also collaborates with various government and non-government institutions, both national and international. “Our collaboration is more with Western donors and the UN agencies for funding. Our non-funding collaboration is mainly with the government and universities, one of which is Airlangga University,” she remarked.
Dewa Dewi Ramadaya (DDRD), one of ALIT’s latest programs, is a collaboration between ALIT Indonesia and Kindermissionswerk, a Catholic children’s association, which aims to improve children’s life skills based on local culture to build resilience and sovereignty. DDRD takes place in Surabaya, Sumenep, Batu, Pasuruan, Jember, Banyuwangi, Gilianyar, and Sikka villages. ALIT cooperates with several relevant ministries to conduct the program.
“This program focuses on ensuring that children’s rights are fulfilled and encouraging villages to become more child-friendly by holding independent learning classes that include lessons on life skills, historical literacy, science, the environment, and local traditions,” she remarked.
After three years, the evaluation results from international evaluators prove that the program has been running well, with indicator results of 75-80 percent in each category. Yuliati hopes the government will also implement DDRD, as the program has proven influential in achieving the 17 SDGs, and village communities also feel they have benefited from the DDRD program.
“The villages use the hasta brata approach, or behavioral values of our culture. Hence, the basis is on cultural values. The DDRI achievement is extraordinary, and actually, the DDRD approach can be one of the patterns that can be developed in other countries too,” she remarked.
ALIT also collaborates with Airlangga University through field lecture practices (PKL) and research that can encourage the progress of villages assisted by the foundation. This has been successfully implemented in the Pasuruan Regency and Jember Regency.
“Many students who are accepted at the university are children who become village ambassadors in the DDRD program. When they graduate, the hope is that they can return to their villages and build villages and continue this DDRD program independently with their villages,” she noted.
“We do not expect that ALIT will open as many areas as possible. No, but the programs that we have successfully achieved, the impact on the communities we assist can be adopted by the local government,” she remarked.
Her role in the world of activism to fight for gender equality and protection and empowerment of children has also earned her several awards. Yuliati was previously included in the ranks of 80 World Strategic Leaders released by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Her name appears next to Sri Mulyani, the finance minister.
Yuliati also received the Entrepreneur of the Year title by Ernst & Young in 2020. In addition, she is a member of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), selected by the US Government. She was also appointed as one of the two best Indonesian alumni of IVLP.
Visit ALIT Indonesia : https://alitindonesia.or.id/
For more information, please click: http://unair.ac.id/
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga, Copyright (c) ANTARA 2024
