Opening Studio for Village Children
Supardi opened Bale Ade nine years ago when he had just returned from East Nusa Tenggara after following a program of the Academic Youth Motivators of Village Development (PSP3).
Supardi
Supardi, 35, initiated the opening of Bale Ade Studio in Medas Bedugul hamlet, Taman Sari village, Gunung Sari district, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), in 2013. He has consistently maintained Bale Ade Studio as a forum for village children and whoever else is interested in honing their creativity in arts and literacy.
When we visited Supardi at Bale Ade Studio on Friday (16/9/2022), he shared that this studio was originally named Kampung Kertas (paper village). “When the studio was initiated, facilities were lacking. So, whenever there were good articles on the internet -- children’s reading, including quotations -- I printed them. A place was reserved to hang them or they were affixed to the studio’s bamboo fences,” said Supardi.
The name Bale Ade began to be used instead in 2017. The change was meant to avoid Kampung Kertas being misunderstood as a tourist village with various works made from paper.
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Supardi opened Bale Ade nine years ago when he had just returned from East Nusa Tenggara after following a program of the Academic Youth Motivators of Village Development (PSP3). He was enthusiastic to initiate this space to cultivate interest in literacy among children.
“At the time I noticed the gap between educational facilities in cities and villages, especially for extracurricular activities. For example, a place for taking additional English lessons -- in my hamlet, even in Taman Sari village, there are practically none,” said Supardi.
Therefore, from the beginning, he designed Bale Ade Studio as a place for village children to meet and play together.
The other motivation, according to Supardi, was the increasingly dense village population. Due to this, children’s playground areas had been even further reduced. Therefore, from the beginning, he designed Bale Ade Studio as a place for village children to meet and play together. “If they play at home on their own, I’m afraid they will grow up as individualist children,” he said.
With his allowance from the PSP3 program, he began studio activities in a modest manner. The funds were spent on teaching necessities like reading books, blackboards and markers. He used a vacant room in his house for the activities. He chose to give English lessons gratis. Besides, he also offered library service.
Supardi
To begin, Supardi toured the houses of residents to invite children to learn at his studio. “I became part of them, playing with them, asking them one by one to learn together. From a few children, their number later increased. Moreover, children urged each other to join,” added Supardi.
During 2013-2014, he was operating his studio alone. He was then still working on a cotton plantation in Sumbawa, NTB. Every week he returned to Lombok to arrange studio activities. In 2015, many volunteers were
involved. Their number continued to rise. They consisted of senior high school students and residents of other villages.
“After becoming Bale Ade, we engaged in more collaboration with communities in Lombok and outside Lombok, such as literacy communities. We also collaborated with college students in NTB who came here as volunteers,” said Supardi.
With so many more people getting involved, Bale Ade activities have also become more varied. The new activities include learning mathematics gratis and making craftworks, ranging from wall decorations and piggy banks to screen printing on Creative Wednesdays.
Once in three months there are Panggung Kita (our stage) performances comprising monologues, theatrical poetry shows and dances. Panggung Kita was created to change the way children in his village view the stage. “We want them to see the stage as not only for those who are skilled, but rather for anyone to appear on, including village children. At first, they were afraid and shy; now, they have the courage to appear,” he said.
The space also offers Ransel Pustaka (library service) once a week. It is conducted in the zone of Cacing Hill also in Taman Sari village. Through Ransel Pustaka, books obtained from donors are brought to be read by around 25 children on Cacing Hill.
Network
A network serves as big capital in running Bale Ade Studio. The network, said Supardi, had been set up since he was active in a campus organization. “The campus organization taught how to communicate with the public, with communities, so that the network was formed as it is today.
Now people are everywhere, engaged in different professions, but they are ready to be volunteers,” explained Supardi.
When Supardi with his busy daily engagements as an AC technician is unable to leave his work, other community members can replace him.
Collaboration with many parties is also part of the process of conducting the various activities. The collaboration enables the continuous operation at Bale Ade. When Supardi with his busy daily engagements as an AC technician is unable to leave his work, other community members can replace him.
“In order to maintain seamless operations, we engage in a lot of collaboration with other communities. Furthermore, it’s voluntary in nature. Volunteers are coming and going,” said Supardi.
Sometimes, volunteers are absent. However, Supardi does not want the absence to halt the studio activities. “I’ve often handled Ransel Pustaka myself. I needn’t wait for a team to make it work,” Supardi pointed out.
Despite difficulties, Supardi strives to keep the studio schedule consistent. His commitment helped the studio to continue its activities even when an earthquake hit Lombok in 2018. The quake destroyed the house and studio.
“We suspended the activities at Bale Ade because the building was ruined. But we moved to the area of evacuation. There, we continued as a means of trauma healing for children, through playing, painting, screenprinting and other activities that involved physical work,” he said.
Supardi
The studio’s presence has brought many changes to children in Supardi’s village. Children who previously were reticent or afraid of strangers have gradually become self-confident. They even dare to appear before many people. The self-confidence they gain from the studio is manifested at school.
“They like meeting strangers. Their way of thinking has developed. For instance, when they see many college students coming and joining studio activities, the children become determined to attend college,” he said.
Supardi admitted that many constraints must be faced, particularly that of how to supply children’s reading. The equipment owned by the studio is also limited. Supardi frequently uses his own money to fund the studio.
He usually sets aside part of his pay as an AC technician for studio activities.
“It’s all right to spend my money. I’m also happy to watch children gathering. This is already a token of great appreciation,” he said. He usually sets aside part of his pay as an AC technician for studio activities.
Although he has no problem with spending private money, Supardi hopes in the future that a source of funding can be found for Bale Ade Studio, such as from the business of handicrafts or others so far taught at Bale Ade.
In line with this, he wants the existing programs to continue to develop. For example, children who like dancing can have many teachers. Craftwork activities are also intensified, such as making wall decorations and processing waste including wood. Additionally, music lessons are now being offered.
Supardi will never be satisfied. He will continue to enhance Bale Ade Studio.
Supardi
Born: Medas Bedugul, 14 December 1986
Education: Bachelor’s degree in English Language Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Pedagogy, Mataram University
Wife: Rahmawati Hasanah, 25
Child: One
(This article was translated by Aris Prawira).
