MAKASSAR (Joint Press Release): The Antang dumpsite (TPAS) of Makassar City is located at Tamangapa village, Manggala sub-district—approximately 15 km from center of the city. Started to operate in 1993, it is estimated that 514 children aged 6-18 work in the dumpsite. Most of the children are lack of health and working risks awareness where 67 per cent of them only finish the formal school at elementary school level. Most of the children decide to quit school mainly because they want to work immediately in order to get a bigger income rather than combining school with a trash-picking activity after school.

On the average, children usually work from 6 pm until midnight (or even more at a certain times), which have put them at-risk to be psychologically and physically harmed. Some hazards that children have to face are health disturbances, i.e having an Upper Respiratory Infection, a skin disease and diarrhea, accidents because of falling down or being wounded by huge machine and equipment as well as the garbage trucks which are in operational in the location until midnight. They are also exposed to the risk of having to interact with adults who can influence the children with an inappropriate and negative life-style.

In conjunction with the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour, the ILO, in collaboration with Kampung Halaman Foundation (YKH), will launch a participatory video in the format of video diaries and an interactive website on child labour and education titled “Indonesia, I am Your Future!” on Thursday, 5 July, at Bakti Building, Makassar. The Makassar launch is a follow-up to the national launch which was held in Jakarta on 28 June.

The video diary is produced conducted by the ILO through its Child Labour and Education Project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The Project aims to strengthen the policy level linkages between work on child labour and education, leading to action that will improve the opportunities for those in or vulnerable to child labour to benefit from education.

The first of its kind, these videos are produced by child labourers themselves in Jakarta, Sukabumi and Makassar showing five different areas of child labour: street children, scavengers, child domestic workers, child factory workers and children in prostitution. Using their own words and selection of scenes, these videos document daily lives, plights, journeys and hopes of the child labourers. Out of six videos with a total duration of 60 minutes, two videos were produced by child scavengers of Antang: “Assala Assiloka” (The most important is school) and “Yabo” (Scavenge).

The production of these participatory videos have involved a total of 41 child labourers below the age of 18, of which 21 children are from Makassar who have involved in intensive workshops for two weeks. During the workshops, participating child labourers worked independently in identifying their own experiences, difficulties, hopes and voices using a so-called video diary method.

“A video diary method is a method that can help participants recognizing their life experiences so that they can freely respond to them and turn these experiences into personal or group advocacy tools. We wish these videos will help the public at large to listen and understand voices and perspectives of child labourers regarding their work and lives,” said Dian Herdiany, Chair of YKH.

The workshops began with efforts to identify problems and challenges that could be developed into stories. Together with the mentors, various methods to identify problems were used, such as role plays, group discussions and visual as well as non-visual research. Arvan Sabrang, one of the mentors for the audio visual part admitted that it was not easy for the participating child labourers to express themselves and voice their opinions. “They are not used to express what they feel, considering the hard working life that they go through.”

From the identification of problems, the workshops continued with story development, introduction to audio visual recording equipments and production process (shooting and script writing). The workshops also involved parents, workplaces and surrounding communities to voice the stories of these child labourers. “The participants were not only being introduced to film development process but they were also given skills to recognize self-potential and opportunities in their surrounding communities, living environment and workplaces,” added Dian.

Although the workshops and video diary development process were conducted after working hours, the participants always demonstrated high spirit and enthusiasm. “Amazingly, the participants always brought with them high energy and enthusiasm to participate in the workshops. Although they joined the workshop after finishing their long working hours, they were always enthusiastic,” added Arvan.

In addition to the video diaries, voices and aspiration of these chilren are also documented in an interactive website and a ‘behind the scene’ video that complements a variety of products used by the ILO and YKH in this campaign, to give voices to child labours and to enhance the awareness of the public and mass media regarding this issue. The video diaries and the stories of the lives of the participating child labourers and the mentors can be accessed through www.childlabourvoice.org.

After the Jakarta and Makassar launches, Yogyakarta will be the next destination city for video viewing and discussion. This activity will also involve child labourers who produced the videos.

For further information please contact:

Dede Sudono
ILO’s National Project Officer for Education and Child Labour
Tel.: +6221 3913112 ext. 126
Email

Gita Lingga
ILO’s Communications Officer
Tel.: +6221 3913112 ext. 115
Email

Dian Herdiany
Chair of Kampung Halaman Foundation
Tel.: +62274 7478602, +62274 8356556
Email 1
Email 2

Cicilia Maharani
Director of Kampung Halaman Foundation
Tel.: +62274 7478602, +62274 8356556
Email 1
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