Computer classes for dump-site children

Computer classes for dump-site children

By Joko E.H. Anwar

BEKASI (JP): The unpleasant odors and flies inside the
2-meter-by-4-meter classroom at the nearby Bantargebang garbage
dump could not dampen the mood of the children.

"It's such fun," Rasiti, 11, commented joyfully on the new
computer in front of her.

Rasiti and her 30 friends were totally absorbed in their
activities in that tiny room on Monday.

With eyes fixed on the screen in front of him and his right
hand rapidly moving an object in his palm, Carkalim, 12, said:
"But it's difficult to do a double click."

Another child, Riana, 10, cheerfully smiled and added, "It's
really fun."

They are the children of scavenger families who live on the
128-hectare Bantargebang dump in Bekasi, east of Jakarta, and
this was their first day at a free computer class held in a small
room of a tiny kindergarten located some 50 meters from the
dump's entrance.

Under the financial support of PT Microsoft Indonesia, which
has provided seven personal computers, the program is being
implemented by Dinamika Indonesia Foundation, a non-governmental
organization (NGO) which also runs the kindergarten and an
elementary school at the dump.

Every day, scores of trucks pass the newly painted building on
Jl. Balai Rotan, dumping some 22,500 cubic meters of garbage from
the 25,400 cubic meters produced each day in the capital.

The local children along with their parents and relatives make
their living by collecting garbage at the dump.

With the introduction of personal computers and the Internet,
the Bantargebang children are grateful to temporarily forget
their difficult life and the environment they are growing up in.

They are also able to forget about broken toys they found some
days ago from a giant pile of junk.

One of the tutors from the foundation, Latifah, said the 11-
month computer program was designed to train 140 local literate
children for free with basic Microsoft Office applications, such
as Word and Excel.

The first class will be for three months with 32 students, she
said.

"There are many factories near this area. We hope that the
children will have an added advantage to work at one of these
factories one day," Latifah said.

Rasiti, who received an opportunity to take lessons with the
first batch of students, said using a computer was more enjoyable
than watching television, which her family was still unable to
afford.

She became excited when she successfully maneuvered the
pointer over an icon on the screen as Latifah had instructed her
to do.

Rasiti was also thrilled after she successfully followed
Latifah's instructions to make her name bounce all over the
screen as a screen saver.

"Look! Look!" Rasiti exclaimed, followed by other childrens'
exclamations of amazement.

She told The Jakarta Post that at that time of day she was
supposed to be joining other Bantargebang children finding iron
and "toys" in the dump for which she could earn Rp 65,000
(US$7.50) every 10 days.

The excitement of the computer experience has left other
children, who are waiting for their class to start, feeling
impatient.

"I have to wait six more months," Lastri, 12, said sadly,
adding that she was enrolled in the third class.

"I bet it will be fun," she said.

The president of Microsoft Indonesia, Richard Kartawijaya,
said the free education program for the Bantargebang children was
aimed at introducing computers to children.

"We just want the children to know that there is something
else out there besides garbage," Richard said.

A similar program is in progress at the Griya Asih Foundation
for street children in the Rawasari area of Central Jakarta.

The class at Bantargebang is taught by tutors from the
Dinamika Indonesia Foundation.

"Using a computer is like a dream for these kids who never had
any hopes to do. Some kids were even afraid to touch the
(computer) mouse because they thought it would sting them with
electricity," the foundation's manager, Achmad Marzuki, told
reporters.

The program was well-received by parents at the dump.

Sudarmi, 41, said she did not mind letting her child take
lessons despite her losing a few hours of collecting junk.

"I let her take the classes. It's good for her so that one day
she will be able to work outside (the dump).

"I hope she won't be here forever like me," she said while
separating the plastic and paper she collected from the garbage
pile.