Education is Crucial for Us, Don't Let Our Children Become Scavengers Too

The pungent smell of rubbish hits immediately upon entering the densely packed settlement in RT 003/RW 008, Kelurahan Bintara Jaya, Kecamatan Bekasi Barat, Kota Bekasi.

Along the narrow alleys, sacks filled with scrap are stacked in front of residents’ homes. Plastic bottles, cardboard, and other used items form part of their daily lives.

It is here that several scavenger families eke out a living.

Particularly from the parents who want their children to have a different life.

One of them is Entin (45). The woman scavenges for a livelihood from piles of rubbish every day.

Her hands are accustomed to sorting through second-hand goods, while her mind is filled with one simple hope. She does not want her children to suffer the same fate of becoming scavengers.

“Yes, education is extremely important for us. Don’t let the parents be scavengers and the children follow suit. That’s why we send them to school to become smart, to succeed,” said Entin when met by Kompas.com on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

Not far from her home stands a simple learning space called TK Inspirasi Indonesia kindergarten.

The building is small, measuring about 3x4 metres.

Inside are colourful plastic chairs and a blackboard that serves as the centre for learning activities.

Entin’s son, Zaky (7), is one of the pupils at the school. Every day, he comes to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic—skills that once seemed far beyond his family’s reach.

For Entin, the existence of this free school is the only hope amid economic limitations.

“If school outside costs money, but here it doesn’t. The important thing is for my child to learn and become smart with the teacher. And it’s still within my reach,” she explained.