UGM students provide assistance and education for children in Sosrowijayan Village.
This initiative aims to support the realization of a child-friendly village in Sosrowijayan, located in a densely populated urban area and close to the red-light district of Pasar Kembang (Sarkem) in Yogyakarta.
Through the Student Creativity Program in the Community Service field, five UGM students are working on optimizing the child-friendly village in Sosrowijayan, which includes several strategic programs.
Some of its flagship programs are Smart Engklek, Smart Corner, Character Class, and Inspiration Class.
“The assistance and implementation of these programs are expected to optimize the child-friendly village in Sosrowijayan,” explained team leader Trixi Karinina Dewi Sindhutomo (Social and Political Sciences) on Monday (November 20).
She revealed that this is a preventive measure based on observations and discussions with the surrounding community.
It was found that children living near the red-light district are slowly potentially influenced by the negative impacts of the environment, especially from the location and activities of the prostitution area that is close to where they grow and develop.
Therefore, she and team members, Fakhrizal Putra Wima (Pharmacy), Abiyyu Mahfuzh Raihan (Mathematics and Natural Sciences), and Muhamad Nur Fauzan (Vocational College), are collaborating with the local youth group in Sosrowijayan to address these issues.
Designed based on social education, Smart Engklek is presented as an innovative method that attracts children’s attention and provides play and learning facilities that support their growth and development.
Smart Engklek is developed by modifying traditional games and includes an erasable whiteboard, allowing unlimited use with various materials.
“This Smart Engklek has also been provided for learning in kindergartens and elementary schools in Sosrowijayan,” said Trixi Sindhutomo.
Smart Corner is a public space facility that children can use to play and learn. Character Class provides self-esteem assistance and knowledge about self-protection through sex education. Inspiration Class encourages children to dream big and have positive life goals.
Both activities can stimulate children’s interest in learning by being neatly packaged with a gaming system that is expected to increase children’s enthusiasm, sharpen their competitive skills, and enhance creativity.
“Psychological assistance focuses on efforts to promote self-esteem, material on self-protection through age-appropriate sex education, and encouragement to dream big,” added Fakhrizal Wima.
The optimization activities for the child-friendly village target children aged 5-16, especially those potentially affected by the Sarkem red-light district. The program is implemented from June to October 2023.
Wima explained that one of the achievement indicators resulting from the optimization solution for the child-friendly village in Sosrowijayan is that children have interactive play and learning facilities.
Additionally, they have public spaces for play and learning, engage in positive activities during leisure time, and gain knowledge related to self-protection through sex education. Furthermore, there is an increase in children’s self-esteem.
Author: Ika
Photographer: Firsto