Pearl of Knowledge for Papua

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

Michael John Yarisetouw

Michael John Yarisetouw, 27, is well aware of the fact that education is the key for Papua to develop. Thus, he has encouraged Papuan youths as much as possible to continue reading and studying books for six years.

On Monday morning, Oct. 29, Michael along with ten other young people were busy arranging chairs on the terrace of a boarding house in Yabangsai sub-district, Jayapura City. They also put up tents in the yard. It was in this simple boarding house that Michael and his friends carried out a reading movement for Papuan youth.

That day, Michael held a dialogue entitled “Iron Sharpens Iron, Reading Books Sharpens Intellects” in a room measuring 4 by 20 square meters. The speakers at the discussion were the Chancellor of the University of Cendrawasih (Uncen) Apolo Safanpo, gold medalist at the 2004 First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics event George Saa and Papuan novelist Alfrida Yamanop.

The speakers along with Michael did not stop giving motivation and tips on how to read books effectively to dozens of Uncen students who were present. The knowledge provided was quite simple, but effective

The two-hour dialogue was part of the first anniversary event of the Cenderawasih Reading Center (CRC) established by Michael in Jayapura City on Oct. 28, 2017. He hoped the CRC could become one of the centers for literacy movements related to development, culture, social issues and leadership values. Before the CRC was established, Michael had long advocated for the importance of reading among young Papuans.

The CRC, which is headquartered in this boarding house, has 650 books of various themes neatly stored on five shelves. There are two tables and dozens of chairs for visitors to read and discuss. Michael hopes that the CRC can attract school and university students aged at least 17 years to 25 years to come. The CRC is open from Monday to Friday, between 07:30 eastern Indonesia time (WIT) and at 18:00 WIT.

Aside from being a place for reading and discussion, the CRC also involves a number of other activities, such as seminars on the role of Pancasila, book reviews, essay writing competitions and seminars on the role of youth in peaceful elections in Papua.

“The CRC is not only a literacy movement, but also a movement to invite Papuan youth to be smart in a holistic manner, which means having a high intellect, smart mentally and spirituality,” Michael said.

All limited

Long before the CRC was established, Michael, a graduate of the Uncen mathematics department, campaigned for the reading movement since he was in college in 2012. At that time, he studied with very limited financial support. Understandably, his father Izak Yarisetouw was only a retired civil servant, while his mother Corlance Yarisetouw was a housewife.

Because he did not have the money to pay a boarding fee of around Rp 500,000 per month, Michael was forced to live in a warehouse in the Uncen school of mathematics and natural sciences (FMIPA) building. However, he did not only stay there. Michael aimed to make the 3 by 3 square meter-warehouse useful for other students. So, he made a small library there with his personal collection of 40 books.

Over time, students have come to read books and discuss any topics. From there, Michael grew eager to encourage other students to read and discuss.

Michael who was active in organizational activities at the campus then

took advantage of his position as chairman of the Student Executive Board of FMIPA Uncen (he later became deputy chairperson of Uncen BEM) to initiate literacy movements, such as distributing notebooks and textbooks to the hinterland of Papua. He also diligently provides organizational training to sophomore students.

Inspiration

Michael did all this because he was inspired by his mother Corlance, who loved to read and diligently guided Michael and his five siblings to read the Bible and school textbooks. “My mother was only an elementary school graduate. However, her enthusiasm for learning was very high. This is what drives me to not be lazy to learn. She is my idol,” said the youngest of the six siblings.

Corlance also reminded her children to help others to have a good education. “A month before she died, mother repeated her message,” Michael said about his mother who died on Aug. 28, 2017.

From there, Michael felt he had to establish the CRC. The determination was even stronger when he recalled the excerpt of the speech of the 35th president of the United States, John F Kennedy, delivered on Jan. 20, 1961. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Michael’s struggle to campaign for the reading movement in Papua has not been easy. The reason is, even though this province gets abundant special autonomy funds, the quality of development in Papua is still lagging behind. The Papua Province Human Development Index in 2017 is still low, at only 59.9, increasing by only 1.04 points compared to 2016. The national standard is 60 to 70 points.

Illiteracy rates in Papua are also still very high, reaching 24 percent. In fact, the national average is only 2.07 percent. About 600,000 Papuans currently cannot read, write and calculate.

“I started this movement without assistance from the local administration. I worked with a number of donors and 11 volunteers initiating the CRC with Rp 5 million,” Michael said.

In fact, Michael willingly quit his job as a temporary employee at the Papua Department of Industry and Trade in order to focus on managing this literacy movement. To finance the rental of the CRC site, Michael and the volunteers open a culinary business every day, starting at 6 p.m. on the sidewalk. This business usually starts after the activities at the CRC finish at 5 p.m.

“We don’t want to wait for the special autonomy fund from the government. If they want to help, please provide us with books to increase our book collection at CRC,” Michael said.

Michael’s efforts have received appreciation from the central government and a number of institutions. The Communication and Information Ministry in collaboration with the Indonesian Communication Scholarship Association awarded him the Indonesian Communication Award in 2018 in Bandung, West Java. The award for the Youth Communication Activist category was given thanks to the consistency of Michael’s campaign to promote reading among young Papuans through social media.

“My dream is for the CRC to not stop in Jayapura city alone. I will initiate a similar movement in a number of nearby regencies, such as Jayapura, Keerom and Sarmi,” Michael said.

KOMPAS/FABIO M LOPES COSTA

Michael John Yarisetouw

Born: Jayapura, June 2 1991

Education: Elementary school SD Inpres Depapre (1997-2003)

; Junior high school SMP Negeri 1 Jayapura (2003-2006); Senior high school SMA Negeri 3 Jayapura (2006-2009); Math Department at Cenderawasih University (2009-2014)

Award: Indonesian Communication Award 2018 in the Youth Communication Activist category