Students serve their villages: Yes, we can! (2)

Participants’ experiences of Village and Me program

The progress of young people, especially students from Sumba who took part in Village and Me program from Stube-HEMAT Sumba aroused the enthusiasm of other students to participate in the next period. Their attention to their village was blooming and their fresh ideas sprung up. This has aroused optimism because more and more young people care and have spirit to build their villages which have common 'image'  as lagging region. It will slowly decrease.

The second group in 2018 involved three Stube-HEMAT Sumba activist students to give their knowledge and experience during their study to their village communities spread across various regions of Sumba. They have confidence and trust that what they are doing is beneficial.

Adriana Pindi Moki, often called Ambu, conducted health education for people in her village in Waikanabu, Tabundung, East Sumba. As a nursing student at Nursing Academy of Waingapu, she was so skillful when giving counseling on family planning and health checks for couples of childbearing age and children. She also provided leaflets about maternal and child health. Those were very valuable because village people which far from city get useful reading. They responded well Ambu’s initiative to share her knowledge in health aspect and hope other students will come and share knowledge.

Trias Manu, a student from Mauhau village, East Sumba shared knowledge he learned at State Community Academy (AKN) of Waingapu majoring in Animal Feed. He practiced making liquid and solid organic fertilizers in GKS Mauhau GKS with the church members, mostly farmers. They are still using their own organic fertilizer until now. "This activities teaches me to share, not to be desperate with our limitation. Initially I was nervous and confused to start the activity, but after finishing all, I finally felt happy because my knowledge may be useful," said Trias.

Makson Rangga Nduna, an activist of Stube-HEMAT Sumba, studying Development Economics in Unkriswina Sumba was interested in providing assistance to vegetable farmers around his village in Karaha, Lambanapu. He is a student and also a vegetable farmer who has additional knowledge about organic farming from several training sessions at Stube-HEMAT Sumba. The plants he cultivated there include mustard, basil, long beans, eggplant, cassava, papaya, banana, spinach, lemongrass and cattle feedgrass.

"I like this program because it matches with my hobby and background as farmer's family. The yields can cover some of the family's vegetable needs, some are sold and the money is used to buy other needs. It becomes examples for other farmers. But I also faced cattle disturbance because the owners release them and the cattle often eat plants, so the yield is not optimal. We keep on looking for ways to prevent our crops damaged by cattle, such as giving fences and encouraging cattle owners to monitor their livestock", said Makson.

Evidently, when students get support and opportunity to share knowledge they got in campus, they are able to do it. Hopefully these activities become way of blessings. (TRU).