Giving Impact through Writing

Writing is important because by writing someone can practice hobby, express feelings and even influence others. One needs to practice his/her writing skills because writing is a combination of knowledge and art. So,  more often someone writes, more eloquent and skillful to string words into writing.

Writing skills need to be owned by students, so Stube-HEMAT Sumba as a student mentoring institution facilitated them with Journalistic training. The training in Waingapu took place at the secretariat of Stube-HEMAT Sumba since Wednesday, May 16, 2018. Yanto Hangga, one of Stube-HEMAT Sumba team opened a series of trainings by giving an introduction of participants, explaining the program and objectives of the event. He also introduced Trustha Rembaka, S.Th, coordinator Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta, who facilitated training to equip students to know and apply writing skills.

Sixteen participants attended the training and they came from various campuses in East Sumba including the Nursing academy of Waingapu, Wirawacana Christian University, AKN and several community activists such as Ana Humba Community and Ana Tana Community.

In introduction session, Trustha invited participants to share their own sub-district and the potencies. However there were some participants who had difficulty explaining the village and its potencies. Actually self-recognition is the starting point for ​someone to start writing by revealing the plus and minus of their origin. Then, through writing, someone will be known even after  he/she passed away because writing remains eternal. We are the persons who are in Sumba able to know Indonesian and world leaders because of writings. We may agree with them because their thoughts for the nation and humanity are manifested in their writings.

The first step of writing is to recognize the types of writing, such as Reportage, a writing that cover of events in the field according to the facts; Opinion, a type of writing in the form of opinions, ideas in response to a problem, in which the author analyzes the problem and provides alternative solution; Feature, a short, informative and inspiring writings which discusses characters, tourist attractions and culture; and Poetry, a writing of feelings and sometimes symbolic expressions that is bonded to certain rules such as number of lines, number of syllables and vocals. Further, the participants determined the topic of writing in accordance with their interests and created framework of writings that they would made.

The next meeting was a small class which facilitated participants to discuss with the facilitator. This method was taken in order that the process of writing mentoring worked more effectively and participants were free to discuss their writings. Only eight of sixteen participants followed this consultation meeting. It should be admitted that writing was not easy, but some participants were eager to complete their writings.

"I was so inspired by this meeting, actually, writing was beneficial for me even though it is difficult at the beginning. I can share information, even it can be published in printed media someday, however, the most important thing is that I am passionate about learning journalism itself”, said Yanto Umbu Muri, a student of Wirawacana Christian University.

To be a young writer who has some impacts must be inititated since now, so, start writing right now. (Sarimita Andani Ata’ambu).

Note: Journalism Class also took place at Lewa facilitating students of Theological Institute of Sumba Christian Church. There were seven students of theology and Christian education study program attending the class. They were from Mamboro, Kodi, Lewa, Waikabubak and Waingapu. They learned similar topic as journalistic classes in Waingapu.