Right to Happiness for All Indonesian Children

Name: Right to Happiness for All Indonesian Children
Uploaded: 2022-08-02T05:36:17Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: Moments later, Zayyidan seemed to understand what he was up to. He was seen enjoying the spectacle on the stage, especially the accompanying traditional music.

Moments later, Zayyidan seemed to understand what he was up to. He was seen enjoying the spectacle on the stage, especially the accompanying traditional music.

ISMAIL ZAKARIA

· 6 minutes read

The commemoration of the 2022 National Children's Day in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Monday (1/8/2022) marked a new chapter for some hearing-impaired children. Having lived in silence for so long, they were at last able to experience the sensation of sound in their ears, thanks to a hearing aid.

When the music for the Ngemban Alun dance, which was performed by children under the Child Social Welfare Institution (LKSA) Matur Tampi Asih, began to play, Muhammad Zayidan Ali (8) seemed to feel the sound creeping into his ears. He somehow felt startled. He then stood up and swept his eyes to the stage, where the dancers performed the closing dance of the day’s event.

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Zayyidan might have felt it alien at first, turning several times to his father Usman Jayadi (36) behind him. Usman stood still and let his son watch the show being held in the courtyard of the East Lombok regency office in Selong that afternoon.

A student of Sekolah Luar Biasa (SLB) 1 Selong (school for the disabled), showed slight movements of the hands, body and head. At the end of the show, he smiled in glee and clapped his hands.

Moments later, Zayyidan seemed to understand what he was up to. He was seen enjoying the spectacle on the stage, especially the accompanying traditional music. A student of Sekolah Luar Biasa (SLB) 1 Selong (school for the disabled), showed slight movements of the hands, body and head. At the end of the show, he smiled in glee and clapped his hands.

“My son was not able to hear from birth. He was not able to talk either. He now is… maybe clearly. Even then he was able to call out mom and pap in front of the social minister," said Usman, who could not hide his emotion of happiness.

Zayidan was among 56 children who received a donation of hearing aids from Kompas daily’s readers. The aid, which was handed over during the commemoration, was channeled through the Kompas Humanitarian Fund Foundation in collaboration with the Social Ministry.

Like Usman, Lalu Abdul Majid Iskandar (45), who comes from Padamara, East Lombok, showed his expression of delight. His wife, Sri Ismayanti (41), looked as if she was struggling to hold her tears back when the Indonesian Hearing Aid (ABDI) team was installing a hearing aid on the ears of their son, Lalu Akdan Syafiq Iskandar (11).

Syafiq, who also suffered from hearing impairment from childhood, initially looked irritated when he had the hearing aid on. The child, who had been born prematurely, immediately took off the tool and hugged his mother tightly. "Hopefully, [he] gets used to it later. I really want him to be able to hear and talk. At least he can call out to us inaq [mother] or amaq [father],” Ismayanti said.

She said the income they made from selling phone credit was insufficient to afford the hearing aid.

She said they had long wanted to buy their child a hearing aid, but held back due to the expense. She said the income they made from selling phone credit was insufficient to afford the hearing aid.

"Therefore, we are very grateful because the hearing aid for Syafiq is very helpful," Abdul said.

Getting connected

The 300 children who received donations of glasses from Kompas were also overjoyed. Other than Social Minister Tri Rismaharini, those attending the commemoration of the 2022 National Children's Day were West Nusa Tenggara Deputy Governor Sitti Rohmi Djalilah, East Lombok Regent M. Sukiman Azmy and Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati, the latter joining the event online.

Also joining the event virtually were a number of children from several regions across the country. That afternoon, when Tri showed up, the children, from Sumatra to Papua, were connected, greeting and encouraging each other cheerfully.

A warm and passionate atmosphere emanated throughout the event. The participating children said “hello” to each other, while waving the red-and-white flags.

The screen appearance temporarily stalled at times, and their voices suddenly thinned or were lost altogether due to poor internet connection. However, cheerfulness was not lost from the children with them peppering “hello” and thanking the minister, and even President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Some came up to ask for government’s intervention in respective regions.

Selly from Bertam Island, Riau Islands, expressed her gratitude for the operation of a ferry boat, which she said helped her get to school.

Marcel from the Asmat tribe, Papua Amagasi, spoke out about his hope for an internet network in his region to support his study. “We also ask for electricity and lights, Madam. Also, the boat, so [I] can’t become tired of rowing,” he said, which drew smiles and applauses from the audience.

A student from Meratus requested electricity and bicycles, as well as road repairs, while another from the Anak Dalam tribe asked for school uniforms.

She hoped that the virtual meeting could help not only serve as a regional overview but also motivate children across the country to be enthusiastic about pursuing their dreams.

Risma promised to fulfill the requests of the children from different regions. She hoped that the virtual meeting could help not only serve as a regional overview but also motivate children across the country to be enthusiastic about pursuing their dreams.

“You must not be shy, afraid or introverted. Children in this world are all equal because our God is just. God does not discriminate based on where we come from, who our parents are nor what ethnicity and religion we are," the minister said.

She appealed to the children that being the successors of the nation, they should not be lazy and that they must develop a sense of bravery instead of inferiority.

This year’s National Children's Day has the theme "Protect Children, Advance Indonesia" with the tagline Anak Indonesia Hebat (Indonesian children are great). The commemoration was also expected to serve as a moment for children throughout Indonesia to build communications with each other.

In addition to providing the assistance of hearing aids and glasses, among other highlights of the commemoration, there was free cataract-surgery service offered in East Lombok, also under the auspices of Kompas daily readers, and school-bus assistance from Sentra Alyatama Jambi.

Other forms of initiative or assistance included the construction of a school in Majene, West Sulawesi; the operation of a ferry boat off the coast of Bertam Island; sets of computers and laptops in Wini, Nusa Tenggara Timur; and 100 bicycles in Sarmi regency, Papua. Additionally, an initiative was held to strengthen the community center for children of the Meratus Dayak tribe.

Those initiatives and that assistance were expected to motivate children across the country to pursue their dreams and to give them the awareness that they all have the same right to happiness

“The legacy of Children's Day is that it is a day [to give you all the awareness] that you deserve to be happy," PPPA Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati told the children virtually.

(This article was translated by Musthofid)

Editor:

NASRULLAH NARA

happiness children right