Enhancing Dignity of Street Children

Through the ERBE Foundation, Abdul Rohim strives to help street children to receive a decent education.

KOMPAS/FAJAR RAMADHAN

Abdul Rohim

Abdul Rohim (36) understands the complexity of social problems surrounding waste scavengers. Poverty that ensnares them must be halted, which may be done by, among others, cutting the intergenerational cycle of poverty that entangles waste scavengers and their children. Through the ERBE Foundation, Abdul strives to help street children to receive a decent education.

Abdul’s concern over children of waste scavengers was initially prompted by his own dark past. When he was only 15, Abdul, who was then a victim of a broken home, decided to live on the streets.

Abdul went through a number of odd jobs, starting from being a busker, 3-in-1 jockey, parking attendant, shoe shiner to seller of plastic bags. Every night, Abdul slept in shop doorways, terminals or stations together with other street children. He endured this for almost 10 years.

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“In my first years of being a street child, I roamed Jl. Gajah Mada, then I moved to Pulogadung and Kalimalang. I once slept in Gambir Station and got beaten by other children,” said Abdul on Friday (29/1/2021) in Jakarta.

His living condition was so rough that Abdul was almost sexually assaulted by a fellow street child when he was once sleeping at a shop door on Jl. Gajah Mada, Central Jakarta.

He was also once tricked by thugs to transport packages of drugs and was paid Rp 5,000 for every package that he delivered. He just recently found out that the packages he often carried around were filled with marijuana.

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“Then, I had no idea what I delivered. I was happy that I got paid. I only found out that the packages were filled with marijuana after the thugs who ordered me to deliver the packages got arrested by the police,” said Abdul.

Abdul realizes how lucky he was that he had never been embroiled in substance abuse. While they tricked Abdul numerous times, the thugs had never attempted to lure Abdul to use drugs.

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Now, the only physical sign that Abdul had ever suffered from the hardships of life on the streets was a piercing in his left ear.

KOMPAS/FAJAR RAMADHAN

Abdul Rohim

Rehabilitation process

In 2002, Abdul met a social worker from Rumah Singgah Setia Kawan Mandiri (Shelter for Street Children), also known as Sekam. His meeting with the social worker began his journey of joining the shelter and undergoing social rehabilitation.

Abdul did not waste his time in the shelter. He actively participated in empowerment programs for teens. Gradually, he started letting go of his old habits as a street child. “In my first days in the shelter, I still spent my evenings as a busker. However, I eventually ended my “career”,” said Abdul.

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While at Sekam, Abdul, who had dropped out of school, got a second chance to receive an education. After he graduated from high school, Abdul even got a scholarship for an associate degree.

This opportunity fostered Abdul’s ambition to help other street children and bring them out of poverty. “I don’t want other street children to suffer from the hardships like I did. They have the rights for education and to get freed from the shackles of poverty,” said Abdul.

I don’t want other street children to suffer from the hardships like I did.

Abdul, who was well-aware that he needed help from others, decided to ask his friends from university to voluntarily organize an initiative to empower street children. Their targets were those living under flyovers.

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This marked the birth of Komunitas Peduli Pendidikan Anak Jalanan (Community for Street Children Education). The community later changed its name to Komunitas Rumah Belajar (Shelter for Education), with the primary focus of educating children of waste scavengers.

“Why waste scavengers? Because the social problems that entangle them are very complex. From among these scavengers, homeless people, street children, “silver humans”, or other people with social problems (PMKS) usually emerge. To stop this circle, children of waste scavengers must get an access to education,” explained Abdul.

Shelter for Education

In 2016, Abdul turned Komunitas Rumah Belajar into Education, Religion, Bee, Entertainment (ERBE) Foundation. This transformation was made after many urged Abdul to turn his community into a legal entity. “Before the transformation, we had attempted to raise funds, but the legal status of our community was questioned. Therefore, we finally decided to turn the community into a foundation,” said Abdul.

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To date, ERBE Foundation has three shelters, one of which is located in RT (neighborhood unit) 002/RW (community unit) 003 in Rawadas, Pondok Kopi, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta. This location is deemed strategic, in the middle of Rawadas waste scavenger community which consists of approximately 700 households.

Kompas/Priyombodo

Street singers and beggars at an intersection of Jalan Merdeka, Tangerang City, Banten, Sunday (31/1/2021). Lack of skills, limited capital, and no access to work have made this group live on the streets.

Based on ERBE Foundation’s inquiry, the majority of waste scavengers’ children in Rawadas do not attend schools. One of the reasons behind this is the fact that many waste scavengers, most of whom come from Karawang and Indramayu, West Java, do not have an ID-card or family card. This is unfortunate since with an ID-card, waste scavengers could enroll their children to schools free of charge or become a recipient of Jakarta Smart Card (KJP).

Through the shelters, children of waste scavengers are taught about the importance of getting education. From Monday to Thursday, the children attend Quran reading, while every Saturday and Sunday, they get tutoring.

We still need help from others to market their works, though.

“The tutoring consists of general lessons. In addition, they are also trained to make crafts. It is hoped that the crafts that they make can have economic value. We still need help from others to market their works, though,” said Abdul.

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To facilitate the education programs, Abdul worked with several volunteers, comprising university students and private employees. Moreover, at least eight mentors also actively participate in Abdul’s three shelters.

Still, Abdul’s and the mentors’ efforts to educate the children of waste scavengers often face difficulties. The waste scavengers themselves often sneer at Abdul’s initiative to empower their children. They believe it would be more profitable if their children help them collect waste on the streets rather than joining Abdul’s shelter. “The parents believe they will get nothing if they let their children join our program. In contrast, if they help their parents to collect waste, they will get money,” said Abdul, echoing the words of one of the waste scavengers.

However, Abdul refuses to give up. He and the other mentors have employed numerous strategies to make their education programs attractive for the children, one of which is by giving the children snacks at the end of each tutoring session. This proves effective to attract children and acquire their parents’ permission.

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Meanwhile, to win the support of the parents, ERBE Foundation has distributed aid packages consisting of staple food and constructed public toilets. ERBE Foundation is also currently assisting the waste scavengers to acquire an ID-card.

Abdul’s dream is far from finished. He is determined to continue raising awareness among waste scavengers and their children about the importance of education in stopping the cycle of poverty. He also aims to turn his shelter in Rawadas into a free school for children of waste scavengers.

Abdul Rohim

Born: Cirebon, Jan. 12, 1985

Wife: Ismayati Latifah

Number of Children: 2

Education: Binawan University, Social Welfare Department (2018-Present day)

Employment: Founder/Chairman of ERBE Foundation

This article was translated by Astria Z. Nabila.