Poverty in East Sumba,

Who's Responsible?

Graduating from Atmajaya University Yogyakarta, I, Rudyolof Imanuel Malo Pinda returned to Sumba, my birthplace. As a Stube-HEMAT activist I was trained to think critically, critical to community situation and fast to respond something based on the knowledge I got in campus and in Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta trainings, such as multicultural, communication skills, organization and conflict management. I am, as a young man, much encouraged to serve and work through organizational activities and learning groups that I pioneered, such as English for young people, youth of East Sumba and church youth. In GKS Payeti, I join youth service and coordinate a spirituality section which manage youth worship and fellowship.

I noticed various social problems occurring in Sumba. Kompas, one of national the printed media in Indonesia,  published news telling that the largest drought in NTT is in East Sumba. Other local issues are violence against children and women, poverty and some other problems. Then I reflect myself and wonder the role of churches and educational institutions in Sumba to solve it? In fact, mostly East Sumba community is Christian and nearly in every sub-district stands a large church. So what do the churches do to improve people's welfare? Of course the expectation is not just preaching but real action to answer the challenge instead, including the educational institutions.

Then, youth group and I designed a seminar to find the answer of the problem.  I was elected as chairman of the committee of Youth seminar in GKS Payeti held on Saturday, April 21, 2018. The seminar invited Pdt. Norlina Rambu Jola Kalunga, S.Si, M.Si. (Theol), the rector of Wirawacana Christian University (Unkriswina) Sumba who presented the Role of Education Institutions in Overcoming Poverty in East Sumba and Pdt. Lastri R. Agustaf, S.Si. M.Si (Theol), the pastor of Christian Church of Sumba (GKS) Payeti Church with a topic on Church Role in Overcoming Poverty in East Sumba.

Pdt. Norlina revealed that church is a great institution, which has diverse congregational backgrounds, such as politicians, motorcycle taxi drivers, doctors, farmers, fishermen and so on. This diversity is a potency to overcome problem of poverty in East Sumba, if every elements of the congregation unites and works together to find solutions to alleviate poverty. Furthermore, Unkriswina is striving to realize vision-mission as a private Protestant Christian campus through piloted village to map village potencies and develop it properly, to prepare best cadres of nation's leaders, to apply integrity and christian values to be anti-corruption students fighting drugs and other negative behaviors. The campus also conducts research to develop villages based on their potencies.

Next, Pdt. Lastri revealed the church role, especially GKS Payeti to improve the welfare of the community through social services and training for youth, such as farming, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. One training is usually held for one month and at the end of the training there is a kind of capital assistance for the participants. Currently young people who attended the training have cultivated land and raised livestock. Another activity is discussion with villagers to be aware of the importance of education. The Church is also trying to renew the people's paradigm about custom. That’s right if custom is important to do, however children education must be prioritized so that no East Sumba children will be illiterate and have no sertificate. Every church must be sure that each congregation member’s need is served both spiritual and physical.

This youth seminar is able to enliven GKS Payeti especially youth to be aware of social reality that happened. So, it's time for Sumba young people to respond problems that occurred in Sumba. (RUD).