SaPapua: IPB University Students Empower Conflict-Affected Children in Intan Jaya
The Student Creativity Program in Community Service (PKM PM) team from IPB University has successfully launched the SaPapua program aimed at enhancing self-resilience among children affected by the conflict between armed criminal groups (KKB) and TNI-Polri personnel in Intan Jaya, Papua.
This program focuses on strengthening values and the meaning of life to boost motivation and self-confidence, helping children realize their potential. The PKM PM team comprises Vikri Ramadan, Tri Dara Indah Djunaidi, Thaariq Abdul Muzzammil, Wirayudha Erlangga Prayoga, and Reihan Randyka, under the guidance of Dr Yusalina.
According to Wirayudha, the SaPapua program has been in operation since Friday, May 10, 2024, at the Sekolah Anak Indonesia in Sentul, Bogor. The children from Intan Jaya participating in this program are supported by the Alirena Foundation, which brought them to Bogor to focus on their education in a safe and comfortable environment.
“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing issues in Papua, which have been heavily reported. According to news reports and other literature we reviewed, there were at least 79 conflict incidents in Papua in 2023, with 22 percent of the victims being children,” said Thaariq, a member of the PKM PM team.
He added that the dropout rate in Papua, particularly in Intan Jaya, is alarmingly high. Data from the Papua Education, Teaching, and Regional Archives Department (DPPAD) in 2020 showed at least 314.606 cases of school dropouts in Papua.
“This situation motivated us to create the SaPapua program. ‘Sa’ means ‘I’ in Papuan, so SaPapua signifies ‘I am Papua,’ reflecting their pride in their identity as indigenous Papuans,” Thaariq explained.
The program was developed and implemented based on the children’s struggles with low self-esteem, lack of self-awareness, and a sense of purposelessness. The team, led by Vikri, conducted a pre-assessment to understand the children’s needs and tailored the program accordingly. The team then divided the program into three main components based on Viktor E. Frankl’s Logotherapy principles: Attitudinal Value, Experiential Value, and Creative Value.
“The first program is SaPapua Digdaya, which includes Life Card, Leadership Group Discussion, and Let’s Speak Up. These activities are designed to help the children at Sekolah Anak Indonesia discover themselves and build confidence,” said Thaariq.
The second program, SaPapua Pejuang, aims to help the children identify their potential and life goals, including choosing their future academic paths.
“Each child was asked to write down their interests, which we then used to guide them in selecting a major at a state university. They are the first cohort from Intan Jaya to receive the Regional Delegation Scholarship (BUD) at IPB University’s Vocational School,” Thaariq explained.
The final program, SaPapua Berbudaya, involved activities like Culture Day, Ranking 1, and the SaPapua Festival, which introduced the children to the diverse cultures across Indonesia’s five major islands. Initially, they struggled to accept other cultures, but eventually, they grew to enjoy learning about them.
Through the SaPapua program, the PKM PM team from IPB University hopes that children in Papua and across Indonesia can receive a proper, safe, and comfortable education.
“For the SaPapua children, we hope they will succeed in life after finding their purpose through this program, continue to grow in positive ways, and return to Intan Jaya to contribute to their homeland’s development,” concluded Thaariq. (*/Rz) (IAAS/RUM)
