Agrawitaka tends to nature, social issues
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Files and photographs are piled up on racks. Trophies sit in a wooden cupboard while framed certificates hang on the walls. A computer is placed on a low table.
The 3 x 5 square meter room looks too small to accommodate all these documents and office equipment.
This is the "headquarters" of Agrawitaka -- an organization of students at Prof. Dr. Moestopo University (UPDM) who are into the environment and conservation.
Established in 1986, Agrawitaka is known as a student organization focusing on social and humanitarian activities.
A team of Agrawitaka members were among the first people to arrive in Aceh after the devastating tsunami struck the province on Dec. 26.
They arrived on Dec. 29 and spent three weeks in Aceh helping the survivors and clearing away the wreckage. A second team of nine members arrived in Aceh on Dec. 31.
Agrawitaka members also take part in search and rescue (SAR) operations to help people who go missing in the mountains or in rivers.
All of these activities are possible because Agrawitaka members go through intensive training.
"We try to improve the capability of our members through regular training and exercise. At least once every two months we arrange training activities," Andri Akbar Hidayat, chairman of Agrawitaka, told The Jakarta Post.
In the early years, the members focused on activities like trekking, forest conservation and rock climbing, later expanding their activities to include cave explorations.
According to Andri, the organization works to improve the capabilities of its members through education and training. The members also get basic photography, sailing and diving skills.
Basic photography is important for the students when they identify flora or fauna during their field activities.
"We usually cooperate with senior instructors from other organizations like Wanadri or Mapala UI," he said, referring to organizations from the Bandung Institute of Technology and the University of Indonesia.
Among the social activities Agrawitaka has taken part in are a bicycle trip through Java, Bali and Lombok to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS in 1999, a similar campaign in Sulawesi in 2001, rock climbing in Trenggalek, East Java, spelunking in Pacitan, East Java, in 2001 and blood donation drives.
Siti Rhanty Widiastuti, Agrawitaka's treasurer and public relations manager, said senior members of the organization were often invited to train activists at other colleges.
Of course, this is recognition from other institutions.
Agrawitaka has 156 permanent members. Generally, students have to go through a series of steps to get permanent membership. The process -- including interview and field trip -- takes about one year.
"Every year, there are about 30 students who apply for membership, but only about five students can make it," said Rhanty, who will graduate this year.
One of the few students who earned permanent membership is Tisa Sasnida. After joining the organization in 2002, Tisa is one of the members who was sent to Aceh to help the survivors of the tsunami.
"I get a lot of knowledge from this organization. It is not only about fun things, but we also learn about safety procedures," she said.
Through all of its activities, Agrawitaka has been able to accomplish its vision, namely to become an environmental organization that has credibility and the ability to help the environment and the country.