Mean parents and local mafia our worst threat, says Didit

SURABAYA (JP): Eight children between the ages of 8 and 14 played their music and sang before an audience of some 30 children during Sunday School at Maria Immaculata in Surabaya. They sang various songs, from their own compositions, titled Kaladebu and Hermin, to famous dangdut songs and even some songs by the Beatles and Elvis.

They are part of a 30-member group from SMP Alang-alang, well known in Surabaya for their "nice street music". Most of the children do not attend "regular" school because they cannot afford it, so they joined SMP Alang-alang to learn music, manners, etc.

Didit HP, who devotes his time and energy to coordinating and educating the children, said, "I make it clear to them that there is more to learning than just attending school. So, if you can't go to school, you learn here."

The children who attend the school are mostly those you would find at Djojobojo, the central public transportation terminal in Surabaya. It is, for all practical purposes, their workplace and home. Before meeting Didit, they had begged, stolen and played noisy and disturbing music. With Didit, they learned to be professional in their music and, more importantly, to be good people. When they performed at the Sunday School on April 16, it was their first anniversary of attending the school. In the morning, their "brothers", the elder members of Alang-alang, performed at the home of the city's deputy mayor.

Didit HP, a senior TV producer at TVRI in Surabaya, started his "an art laboratory" one year ago. "In the beginning, I visited them at the terminal, sat with them in any vacant place, usually in a corner near the public toilets, and talked with them about music and manners." He met with the boys (and some girls) every Tuesday night. "I teach them only five things: how to play music well, how to sing, manners, esthetics and morality."

What Didit means by manners is the way the children present themselves to their audience, which are mostly passengers on city buses, the children's "official" workplace. They are taught to introduce themselves as members of SMP Alang-alang and then play their songs. When they are done, whether people have given them money or not, the are told to smile and say "thank you".

What about esthetics? "They have to know how to dress neatly and nicely," said Didit. The most important thing they are taught is that they must clean their bodies frequently, meaning taking a shower daily, which they were not used to. They must also wear shoes, even inexpensive ones, he said.

Because the group is so well known, some people have begun to imitate them, taking advantage of their reputation. According to Didit, Alang-alang has never sold T-shirts bearing its name, but now there are certain groups out there wearing such clothes. These groups usually work at traffic lights, a practice which is forbidden by Alang-alang. However, it is difficult for Didit to control such acts or to discover who is behind them.

Didit should be proud of the children, because in only one year they have earned nine achievement awards in musical competitions. The committee of one competition broke its promise to record the children's songs -- or rather tried to cheat them. "We composed the music and songs. We played, but they wouldn't put the name Alang-alang on the records. They wanted to put their own group's name on it instead. We refused. No matter how much they paid, our name and identity is the most important."

Another disappointment is that they are no longer allowed to participate in competitions in East Java, because they always win and their participation means other groups do not have a chance to win.

Asked what is most difficult in dealing with the children, Didit told grim stories of threats and other acts of terror. Every time he finished meeting with the children at the terminal, he found his car would have a flat tire. He also received threatening letters, warning him to "Stay away from the kids, or you'll die".

The "mafia" at the terminal is not happy with what Didit does. It could be because they loose their chance to exploit the children as their unwilling partners in drug deals, or simply because they cannot compete musically with the children. Drugs are a strong issue here. Didit told of a girl who could not stop taking drugs, stealing to support her habit. Eventually, Didit was forced to kick her out of the school. "She cried, but I was determined. I didn't want others to be polluted by her," he said firmly.

Didit said the children who are not orphans often do not have healthy relationships with their parents. The parents often literally rob their children. They urge them to bring home at least Rp 50,000 a day. One girl went home with only Rp 10,000 and her mother beat her and told her to go back out on the streets. She was not given food until she brought home enough money.

These children earn money for their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters. So the school Didit created is an oasis for them. They can relax, rest and be creative. One of the songs they wrote, Hermin, tells the story of one of their friends, a little girl who is missing. "Perhaps she's out of town or somewhere else. We hope she's safe and far from trouble," said Marlboro, one of the children.

Didit is not a wealthy man. The school is a simple non- governmental organization. He teaches music and vocals, assisted by his daughter, a university student. His wife teaches the children manners, attitude, cleanliness and religion. They get no money for their labor. The money the children earn goes directly to their parents. "I am proud and happy for them because they tell me now they earn more money. Bus passengers are entertained and impressed because the children are not rude or angry when they don't get any money. The kids always smile," said Didit.

Asked if he had ever sent a proposal to the government requesting funds, Didit said he is not good at making proposals. "What I can do is work. I don't have the skill or the time to write proposals."

The children now receive numerous invitations to perform. Now, after one year, they no longer rehearse near the terminal's toilets. They have a house, which they paid Rp 7.5 million to rent for three years. The house is 100 meters from the terminal, so it is easy for the children to reach. Now they can rest and learn in their own private place, and Didit no longer has to worry about flat tires. (Sirikit Syah)