Home of the very young, old
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Blitar
About 40 kilometers south of Blitar, East Java there is a poor and arid area inhabited mainly be the elderly and the very young for most of the year.
It is called the Kali Kuning hamlet located in the steep highlands surrounding the Gunung Gede village, Wonotirto subdistrict.
Kali Kuning is home to 150 families, but it is hard to find young people here as they all leave to seek work and a better way of life in Surabaya, the capital of East Java, Jakarta, or even as far away as Malaysia.
The village is located 250 meters from the main, asphalt road. A small and rocky track which leads to the village is made from sharp stone which deters drivers from using it.
At the side of the road, modest houses and shacks, about 20 meters apart, highlight the poor condition of the village.
Houses are not equipped with proper toilets as water is barely available. The dwellings have dirt floors littered with the droppings of chickens who come and go as they please.
However, once a year during Idul Fitri festivities the quiet village comes alive as the migrants return home to celebrate with their families, bringing money, gifts and food, including the basic staples.
The workers leave the village for a common reason: The village is in a poor condition as it does not have enough water or natural resources.
"I left for Malaysia to work on a rubber plantation three years ago to find a better way of life. For me, there's nothing to expect or to hope for in this village," said Siwa, 22, a villager who entered Malaysia as an illegal worker.
Many villagers work in Malaysia illegally. According to Siwa, he could not afford to enter Malaysia legally, due to the cost.
"I only had to pay Rp 1.5 million to enter the country (illegally), if it is legal I have to spend at least Rp 3.5 million with the long waiting period of three months," he said.
Those who do not go abroad choose to work as low-class laborers, such as in a shoe factory in Surabaya or as a housemaid in Jakarta.
For the villagers, it is impossible to open large plantations or farms because there is no suitable land. There is only one one-hectare plantation which produces little.
Only one watersource is available in the village, located some 250 meters away. However, in the dry season between May and October, there is no water at all.
The villagers are then forced to buy water from a water truck that passes through the area. A drum of water, which could last 20 days for drinking and cooking purposes, costs Rp 50,000. During this time, taking a bath is a luxury.
Besides depending on the small plantation, the villagers also rely on their children or relatives who work in the cities. Usually a family receives Rp 100,000 per month.
Sunartin has been working as a housemaid for more than 20 years. She first worked in Surabaya, but seven years ago she moved to Jakarta where she could earn more.
When the migrants return to the village each year they share not only joy, but also give out presents as a symbol of their success.
Many of the children in the village want to follow in their footsteps, to taste the sweet success available in a big city .
Sunartin said that her neighbor's daughter, who had graduated from junior high school six months ago, was willing to come with her to Jakarta to try her luck as her parents could not afford to send her to senior high school.
Many others like Sunartin will be bringing their relatives or friends to work in a big city. They will leave behind their poor villages and strike out with dreams of success. And next year, the cycle will continue.