10 Years of Service, WVI Closes Program in Tojo Una-Una
It has been ten years since Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) assisted 10 villages in 2 sub-districts in Tojo Una-Una (Touna) Regency, Central Sulawesi. Many positive changes have occurred in society. It is recorded that 970 children, 700 parents, and families have the provisions to improve family welfare, protect and fulfill children's rights, and the district government is committed to becoming a child-friendly city.
WVI has done many things with the community, including assisting children's ASCA (Accumulating Saving and Credit Association) groups, Community Based Child Protection system (CBCPS), and assisting farmer groups who now also have access to various institutions, financial institutions, as well as the market.
Saharuddin (45), a benefited farmer in Touna Regency said that before WVI came and accompanied the farmers, he and many other farmers only understood how to grow corn and coconuts. However, changes in the economy and agricultural techniques occurred after they went along with WVI.
“After being accompanied by WVI, it turned out that we were able to grow vegetables and were able to save money with the vegetables we planted. We can even build a damaged house with our savings in ASKA," he said happily.
Not only that, but WVI Area Program Touna also held a cornfield school program, family economic management training, organic vegetable cultivation, and introduced ASKA. There are 15 ASKA groups with 276 members, and 13 of them have collaborated with Bank Sulteng.
Many residents have felt the benefits of the ASKA program. For example, Warda Umar (34), a resident of Urundaka Village Ampana Tete Sub-district, said that since joining the ASKA group in 2012, she has been able to meet the educational needs of children, build houses, have business capital, and have emergency funds during the pandemic.
WVI certainly cannot run alone, cooperation with religious leaders and religious institutions of the Indonesian Ulema Council has also been carried out for the past 10 years. There have been many good practices carried out in the assisted villages, especially in efforts to fulfill children's rights, childbirth certificates, ending violence against children, community-based integrated child protection training, and also parenting with love.
Sulastri (16) and Fadli (16) representatives from the children's forum said that previously they did not understand children's rights. However, after participating in WVI mentoring activities, both of them now understand children's rights, have the confidence to speak in front of people, and meet to have a dialogue with the government to voice children's rights and protection.
In the program closing activity which took place online on Thursday (12/8/2021) and was attended by donors and sponsors from Japan, the National Director & CEO of Wahana Visi Indonesia, Angelina Theodora, said,
"We thank and give our highest appreciation to the Tojo Una-Una Regency Government, sponsors and donors from Japan, the Ampana branch of the Central Sulawesi Bank, the Tojo Una-Una Regency MUI leadership and religious leaders, as well as all members of ASKA and ASKA Anak, cadres PATBM and assisted farmer groups. Hopefully, all forms of hard work from all parties can bring sustainable changes to the communities we serve," said Angelina.
Mohammad Lahay, Regent of Tojo Una-Una appreciated WVI for the last 10 years to develop programs in the community as a whole and comprehensively.
"To reduce the risk of COVID-19, WVI is also present to support the local government and the community. I express my sincere gratitude to WVI for the ten years of cooperation and the results that have been achieved. What has been done is very beneficial for children and the community. We are committed to planning both at the village and district levels. We will formulate and implement policies in the field of child protection towards child-friendly districts," he said.
Written by: Amanda Putri, Media Relations Wahana Visi Indonesia
*Photo has been captured before Covid-19 pandemic
