Volunteer Story: International Award Winner Gives Heart to Serve in NTT

Conducting research on the activities that WVI strives for to build sustainability in Indonesia when he was in college, made the man who graduated from Parahyangan Catholic University interested in serving with WVI as a volunteer.

Spending his college days studying International Relations, Ricky Antonius Margareta managed to get him and two of his colleagues to get the first best essay in the international competition 'En Route to Jusuf Kalla's Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. With this achievement, he also had the opportunity to be present at the Palace of the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia to receive an award from Mr. Jusuf Kalla, who served as Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2014-2019 period.

While pursuing this field of study, Ricky also found a passion that finally made him entrusted by the WVI team to become one of the volunteer education officers in the Program Area - East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Even though he could not go directly to the field due to the covid-19 pandemic, it did not dishearten his spirit to continue contributing as a volunteer. Ricky contributed to the publication and collection of documentation for the NTT Unlock Literacy program and distributed materials on writing essays or articles following national media publication standards remotely.

“I gained enthusiasm, gratitude, fulfillment, new friends, and many other things. I even feel that my contribution is not as big as what I get from the WVI team and project participants”. Said the man from Bandung, West Java.

Ricky believes that serving can be anywhere and in any form. Ricky advised anyone not to hesitate to be part of WVI, even if it was volunteering.

“Contribute to others and the world while you still have the opportunity. Our helping hand, which we might consider small, will not be in vain with WVI. WVI will help convert our capabilities and contributions into things that have a sustainable impact for those who need our hands”. Be a hope as well as a message from Ricky to friends out there.

Written by: Klaudia Mawuntu, Intern Wahana Visi Indonesia