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Jakarta Post

Inspiring 'orange trooper' to represent RI in Korea

Angga Rahmana, a resident of Duri Pulo in Gambir, Central Jakarta, has for years worked to instill positivity and fresh perspectives among young people living in his densely populated and crime-prone community

Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Wed, October 16, 2019

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Inspiring 'orange trooper' to represent RI in Korea

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span>Angga Rahmana, a resident of Duri Pulo in Gambir, Central Jakarta, has for years worked to instill positivity and fresh perspectives among young people living in his densely populated and crime-prone community.

Despite his lack of educational attainment and his modest job with the Public Facility Maintenance Agency (PPSU), commonly referred to as the “orange troops”, he will be one of the delegates representing the country at an upcoming international event.

“I was quite shocked when they reached out to me in late September for the selection of a program called the Seoul Sister City. My competitors were university graduates, while I only finished junior high school,” said the 30-year-old.

Angga and the other 14 delegates from each region in Jakarta will share ideas about community development with dozens of delegates from other countries in South Korea from Nov. 13 to 19.

“Honestly, I don’t know how I passed it. I saw others explaining things in great detail to the judging panel, while I just unfolded the activities I have been doing in my community,” Angga added.

“I hope that the experience will provide me with creative ideas on social activities involving youth in the capital city.”

Ponirin Ariadi Limbong, head of youth empowerment division of the Jakarta Youth and Sports Agency, who was also the head of the selection process, said through his involvement with community empowerment, Angga had appeared very convincing in front of the judges.

“Educational background was not the aspect that we valued the most. They don’t even have to be able to speak English to participate because there will be people who will assist with language,” said Ponirin.

“The core of this program is to go see the community empowerment in neighborhoods there and bring ideas home. It won’t be a heavy sharing activity.”

Ponirin added that besides the 15 delegates, five other representatives will attend from youth organizations, including one from youth exchange alumni organization Purna Caraka Muda Indonesia (PCMI) and one from the Thousand Islands educational exploration community Jejak Seribu.

One of Angga’s creative ideas favored during selection was what he called the “one for all” program held annually to commemorate Youth Pledge Day, to unite youth through arts activities and social service.

“The program started in 2013 when I helped to create a reggae music event and unite the two soccer supporter groups that often fought in Duri Pulo. Through the event, I gained their trust and that made it easier for me to attract them to positive activities,” said Angga.

The program, Angga said, was complemented by several humanitarian events that included a mass circumcision, mass wedding, free medical treatment in cooperation with community health centers and fundraising for victims of natural disasters, as well as orphans.

In 2013 Angga started a study group for elementary schoolchildren when he opened a free learning space that was then used also as an early childhood education center (PAUD).

“It turned out that more than 45 children came on that first day. I shared what I knew and let them teach and discuss with each other,” Angga said. “A former community unit chairman found out about the activity, which then led me to some administrative work in his office that I also did voluntarily.”

Duri Pulo community unit head Iri Damiri said he was not surprised when he heard from other PPSU workers about Angga passing the selection.

“I have not yet heard directly from Angga but I certainly do not forbid any side activities the troops want to engage in outside their daily jobs, especially social work that may benefit our community,” said Iri.

Meanwhile, Fitrah Mubarak, who supervises the orange troops in Duri Pulo, said Angga had always been a dynamo motivating young people and the wider community.

“He told me the news a few weeks ago and I was proud of him. There has never been such an achiever of a PPSU worker like him before. I am glad that he has this opportunity to enhance his potential,” said Fitrah.

Fitrah added that Duri Pulo, with an area of 72 hectares in which thousands of people live, was one of the most populated community units in Gambir. One of the neighborhoods, Setiakawan, he said, was labeled a red zone, or an area prone to drugs, crime and street brawls.

“With innovations, the intensity of fights has decreased immensely. In the past, there could be a fight every Saturday and Sunday consecutively, even until 3 a.m. that we had to break up,” said Fitrah.

“Angga, as a junior high school graduate himself, always motivates young people to get involved in good causes because many of them have dropped out of school and are now unemployed.”

Fitrah added that Angga had become a figure of unity and the marching songs of the PPSU and Gambir that he wrote have become anthems of the community.

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