by H. Eki Ramadhan

This article was originally published in the Jakarta Globe

“I believe it is a moral duty for me to share my experience and knowledge for a better purpose.” That’s how Nadia Shifa, a rising sophomore at University of Indonesia, explains why she helped found YES Berbagi, a community development project.

A brainchild of seven Jakarta students, YES Berbagi (YES Share) was born out of frustration at the widening social gap in Indonesia’s capital. These youngsters were convinced that myriad school-aged children were struggling to find opportunities for their future. Living with barely enough to get by each day, these children are deprived from their “right to dream big,” Nadia said.

YES Berbagi’s vision is humble: to encourage underprivileged students in Jakarta to pursue their dreams.

The founders of this ongoing project were once exchange students attending high schools in the United States through a scholarship program funded by the US government.

“Before I received this scholarship, I always thought that studying in America was merely a dream,” Nadia recalled. “However, my exchange experience showed me that every big achievement starts with a big dream, and this is the very idea that I want to share with the kids.”

Nadia said she believed that Jakarta youths are the city’s ultimate investment in a better future, and hoped confident and determined young leaders emerged from YES Berbagi, which has held regular events with the help of volunteers for the past year.

Nadya Azzahra, a co-founder who attends Diponegoro University in Semarang, said the project aimed to spark the spirit of volunteerism among Indonesian students.

Indonesia’s 240 million people are its most valuable resource, the group argued. By promoting the culture of volunteering, Nadya hopes to leverage this resource to create positive change.

“[Volunteerism has] a staggering potential to shape the future of this country,” she said.

Numerous high school and college students from Jakarta and other cities have joined the team as volunteers.

YES Berbagi conducts activities at several schools in underserved communities around Jakarta.

A three-day program engages participants in workshops on topics including self-exploration and managing hopes and expectations. Participants are organized into small groups, each one assisted by two volunteers trained to provide help and motivation.

The program also invites exchange program alumni to share their stories with participants.

In the last YES Berbagi event, volunteers took participants to American cultural center @america in South Jakarta to learn about educational opportunities in the United States and chat electronically with an Indonesian exchange student living in New York.

The founders said they were amazed by the personal growth of participants over the three days of the program.

“On the last day, the kids were much more confident. They were not afraid to speak up and ask questions,” Nadia said of the latest YES Berbagi event. “They also voiced optimism over their plans for the future, and it motivated me to achieve my dream.”

Nadia’s biggest dream is to have her own TV talk show.

As for Nadya, YES Berbagi is helping her cultivate meaningful relationships with kids from underprivileged communities.

“It feels like I am their big sister,” she said. “After the program, they contacted me regularly to ask how I was doing or just to wish me a good morning.”

Visit YES Berbagi Facebook page

Photos, courtesy of YES Berbagi: Participants at a recent YES Berbagi event sought to answer the question ‘What do I want to be in the future?’ The program encourages impoverished students to set ambitious goals for themselves.

H. Eki Ramadhan is a rising sophomore at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. A Jakarta native, he attended Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis as a YES exchange student.