“[U-Report is a] Nice initiative, young people could actually give positive contribution,” Ministry of Health, Nina Moeloek who happened to visit UNICEF’s booth in Blitar gave positive feedback as other visitors did. It was such an engaging week for UNICEF Indonesia to talk about child’s rights on health and participation to 1,664 rover scouts around Indonesia during National Scouts’ Camp on Health, Pertemuan Bakti Saka Bakti Husada tingkat Nasional (Pertinas SBH) 2016.
Looking back on this camp from 17 to 23 October 2016, there were many scout sport-related activities and games conducted in parallel to learning about healthy lifestyle, such as archery and boat rowing. The most thrilling activity is shown in the picture below. Participants had to pull their body up and then go down slowly, with the so-called ‘under-head’ position! Locals who are not scouts were invited to join the activities for free.
Many organizations participated by providing information in their booths. UNICEF Indonesia had an active engagement with both participants and attendees of Pertinas SBH 2016, delivering materials about child’s rights, particularly child’s rights and nutrition. UNICEF introduced U-Report as one of tools that allows young people to participate actively in development via social media. U-Report is a polling system using Facebook, Twitter, and free SMS that analyses responses from Indonesian young people as U-Reporters about development and youth related issues. UNICEF Indonesia and its partners will use the results in advocacy efforts towards decision makers with the aim of achieving real positive change for Indonesian young people. Throughout the week, UNICEF’s booth visitors also shared their experiences in our social media, @ureportindonesia in Facebook and @UReport_ID in twitter, inviting others to join as U-Reporters.
Adnan Mubarak, the Innovations Adolescent and Youth Engagement Officer took the opportunity to lead an intensive discussion about U-Report together with Pramuka troop leaders. Those leaders were interested to sign their members up to be U-Reporters as they gave positive feedbacks knowing the advantage of using U-Report.
In fact, beyond than just camping, rover scouts also have given real contribution directly to societies by planting trees, renovating schools’ health facilities, until providing proper toilets. No wonder, Pertinas SBH 2016 just made a new World Record from Record Holders Republic on involving more than 2,000 scout members in health socialization. On the other hands, this camp was also set to support the development of small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Blitar. As you might aware of the mascot of Pertinas SBH 2016, Tigano and Tigani came from the word “Tigan”, which means egg in Javanese for Blitar is known as the central of egg producer, even the biggest one in East Java, producing up to 450 tons of eggs every day. The appearance of Tigano and Tigani as the egg in scout uniform is chosen to make participants and attendees aware of the big potential of local products. Thus, there was also a bazaar held involving local SMEs from the beginning until the end of Pertinas SBH 2016.
“I’m happy here, I’m happy there, I’m happy everywhere,” a childhood song sang by 2,500 scout members from 33 provinces, led directly by the Mayor of Blitar, Herry Noegroho during his speech in the closing ceremony of Pertinas SBH 2016 on 23 October 2016. It really highlighted happy moments throughout the one-week long camp in Blitar. When those thousands of scouts sang the national scout hymn, Tigano and Tigani also participated by becoming conductors! It was all so youthful!
As approximately 1,000 people performed Tari Empyak, Blitar traditional dance in the opening ceremony, there were only tens of young people wearing respective traditional clothes from all over Indonesia as well as scout uniforms performed for the closing ceremony. Nonetheless, these tens were able to conquer the stage, getting big enthusiasms and attentions from thousands of attendees, having them involved to dance together in the field starting from traditional until modern fun dance like the Penguin Dance! This really showed how Pertinas SBH 2016 was truly informative yet engaging, covering child’s rights to health and to have fun itself!
