Against The Limitations

My university required students to take Real Working Lecture Kuliah Kerja Nyata (KKN), a community service program for a month to live in a remote village that have lower economic level than Jakarta (The Capital of Indonesia).

I lived in Kutaraharja village, Karawang, West Java, Indonesia. One village contained 30 students from various departments who are members of one group. We are from various faculties such as science education, engineering, sport science and psychology. I come from the Faculty of Science with 3 others. We did a lot of activities such as teaching at several elementary school, make a signpost and many more.

Kutaraharja is a beautiful village. People in Kutaraharja are nice and friendly. As far as the eye could see rice plants, there is no pollution and traffic jams. The atmosphere in Kutaraharja village is quiet and peaceful.

People in Kutaraharja mostly work as farmers, they don't have fields, but they are working on the fields owned by others. Become entrepreneur is very difficult for them, because they have to borrow money at high interest rates. The average people in Kutaraharja only graduated from elementary school. They argued "it's better to work than go to school up to high levels, many people who have studied in school until high levels but didn't get the job". Due to limitations of life they want to work to earn money as fast as possible. We need to encourage people to take a majority interest in higher education.

Previously, I saw life of deprivation only through the news on television, radio, newspapers and others, when I stayed for a month in Kutaraharja, I saw it in person. 

I didn't use the bed, but the carpet to sleep. There is no public transportation so we had to walk. Limited water for bathing and washing. This situation made me more grateful. I got sued independently by any limitation.

School located in Kutaraharja has poor infrastructure, The school building is not good, there is no library for students to read more books and limited classroom, but the students learn with passion despite all the limitations.

Another Story from my classmate, many people in other villages get married at a young age and dropping out of school, then became Indonesian workers in a foreign country (Tenaga Kerja Indonesia) to finance his family. This situation affects the lives and education of their children, their lack of affection and education. Such as the circle of their life.

Through these activities, I realized a lot of educational problems that must be solved. It makes me more motivated to study harder to solve piecemeal problems of education.

I hope a lot of people who think so:)

*All pictures taken by me

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