Children's Stories: Children's Forum Takes Me to Become a Researcher

#BersamaMelawanCovid19 - Everything has changed since it was stated that Indonesia was exposed to the Coronavirus, one of which was the cessation of learning activities at school. To fill my free time sometimes I help parents in the fields and tidy up the house.

Through the Gandringstar Children's Forum at Bengkayang Regency, West Kalimantan, I was selected as a child researcher and joined the Child-Led Champaign (CLC) team held by Wahana Visi Indonesia. 

Family support became my passion to follow this process. Accompanied by Wahana Visi Indonesia Bengkayang Program Area, on June 10, 2020, I began my research by conducting online interviews with two children to explore information related to children's issues during the Covid-19 pandemic. From the interview, it was found that there were children who had to work in oil palm plantations to meet their needs during the pandemic, because of insufficient financial resources for their parents.

After the interview, we attended a meeting via the Zoom application with 36 child researchers from various provinces in Indonesia. It was great to be able to get acquainted and exchange information virtually with them.

The meeting that we participated in was still exciting because there were games and ice breaking. We didn't lose the cheerful moment even though we didn't face to face. However, the challenge was that the signal coverage at my place was so, so bad that I had to leave the village so that our communication would be smooth.

Based on my friends' presentations, I can feel the difficulties of children who have to work in this pandemic. Some of them are scavenged, sold at the market and were forced by parents to help in the fields. If they refuse, they will be scolded. The results make the child at risk of exposure to Covid-19 and other violence.

As a CLC team, we will speak to the government, convey the facts of children's research findings and make recommendations so that children can still get their rights in the fields of education, health and protection during the Covid-19 period still endemic in Indonesia.

Written by: Novita (16 yo) Member of the Children's Karya Bhakti Forum (FAKAR)