Sumba, Its Youth

 and Yogyakarta 

Each region has its own characteristics and potency that must be found by the residents of the region, that can be used as driving force for economy and development in the area. Of course, it should be supported by its human resource quality. If people in a potential region is unable to find, explore and develop the potencies and keep living in poverty, then the potencies will mean as a saying of chicken died in a rice barn.

Sumba, a small island with 11,153 km2 large has a lot of potencies, covering natural resources, native cultures, coastal tourism, beautiful hills and waterfalls, agriculture and many others. Poskupang.com reported that Sumba island has just been released as one of the 33 most beautiful islands by Focus magazine, Germany (Focus 17. February 2018, page 116). Focus Magazine, one of the leading weekly magazines in Germany, published an article with a title ‘Sumba Kein Tanz, aber ein Traum’ which means “Sumba, Not a Name of a Dance, but a Dream”, describing how beautiful the island is. In addition, the island also has the best and most expensive hotel in the world, the Nihiwatu hotel in West Sumba.

These all illustrate that Sumba is actually rich in potencies. It is a pity that the potencies are in the contrary with the reality of the people who are still poor. Based on the statistic data states 2015-2017, the average poverty rate in Sumba is still above 30%. It shows much disparity gap which is reaching 21% of the average poverty rate in Indonesia which is only 9%. Considering this situation, it is necessary to conduct learning methods in developed areas, such as in Yogyakarta. Further, Stube HEMAT Sumba sends some activists to study in Yogyakarta through exposure program to Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta.

The program of Exposure Yogyakarta is a program that aims to develop the capacity of young people from Sumba through soft-skills assistance that is expected to create independence and ability among them, so they can manage their potencies. The program is set as annual program that has been routinely carried out since 2010.

In 2018, Stube-HEMAT Sumba sent three students as participants of Exposure Yogyakarta, namely Jufri Adi Papa, a student of Wirawacana Christian University and a member of Stube HEMAT Sumba team, who will learn secretarial and integrated farming; Sepritus Tangaru Mahamu, a student of Kupang State Politani PDD of East Sumba, who will learn journalism and animal husbandry; and Meliani Retang, STT GKS Lewa student, who will learn more about local food processing and integrated farming. Approximately 1 month in Yogyakarta, they will learn and practice through every activity they are involved in, starting from August 24 to September 20, 2018.

Have a good process in Yogyakarta! (JUF).