Children Learning Amidst Scrap Heaps...

Every morning, small footsteps traverse the muddy dirt paths between piles of scrap and sacks of rubbish in Bintara Jaya Ward, West Bekasi Subdistrict, Bekasi City. Amid the pungent smell of scrap and rows of closely packed simple houses, young children arrive carrying bags to a free learning space called TK Inspirasi Indonesia. The school stands modestly in RT 003/RW 008, not far from the Malang River on the border between Bekasi and East Jakarta. However, from that small room, children in the scavenger village begin to learn letters, numbers, stories, and dreams about the future. Previously, many children in the area spent their days playing around rubbish piles without clear learning activities. Now, the atmosphere is slowly changing. Every morning, dozens of children sit neatly in the simple learning room to read, write, count, and sing together. The founder of TK Inspirasi Indonesia, Firda Budhiardjo (41), said the school was born from her restlessness upon seeing many young children untouched by education. “Initially, I didn’t invite the children to go to school, but I wanted the children here to at least be able to read and write,” Firda told Kompas.com on Tuesday (5/5/2026). “Actually, this building belongs to my housemaid. It used to be just a shack and makeshift. Alhamdulillah, now it has been renovated, making it more comfortable for the children to learn,” Firda added. Although she has no formal education background as a teacher, Firda boldly opened a simple learning space with basic reading, writing, and counting skills that she learned herself. Unexpectedly, in the first year, the school immediately accepted around 60 pupils. Behind the simple learning room, there is a struggle that runs quietly every day. Firda said that for nearly nine years, the school has survived without regular donors. School operations and teachers’ salaries are mostly funded from her personal funds.