A group of boys jumps into a foamy part of the reservoir. The boys live near the reservoir, in the shanties that line its embankments.
Oblivious to the stench from the foam, several young boys in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, frolic in a reservoir where waste water and rainwater mix.
They try their hands at somersaulting into the water, like freestyle athletes jump into a clear, clean pool.
Jakarta, a city of 9 million souls, has limited space for kids to play in. Children from low-income families can have fun for free at a reservoir like this, but run the health risks from the hazardous waste water.
Others choose to play on the streets, thereby risking their lives in street accidents, particularly by motorcyclists speeding carelessly through kampung alleys.
Children from more affluent families enjoy a safer environment to play in, but the higher entrance fees for entertainment places at malls deter them from going there every day.
Although located in coastal area, with 32 kilometers of coastline stretching from Kamal in the west to Marunda in the east, Jakarta has no free, public beaches suitable for swimming in.
Critics say the city may be the only coastal one in the world without a public beach. The only one it does have is in Marunda, where access is difficult. Meanwhile, entry to the beach at Ancol costs Rp 10,000 a person.
As with public parks, not all neighborhoods have parks where children can play every day for free.
— Text and photos by P.J. Leo
