FAREL G.

RIEZ DEVA MATURBONGS

“Small Things Matter”

This is five hundred rupiah. This may be the smallest currency for most people.
Rp.500,00 is nothing more than a useless coin as we can‟t buy a house, an alpard,
a brand new play station 5, not even Indonesian favorite snack--commonly known
as „gorengan‟. By Rp.500, 00 we can only get a piece of candy. But wait, what if
there are 1.000.000 people donate their Rp. 500,00, or 1.000.000.000 donate the
same? There is no more Rp.500,00 instead Rp. 500.000,00, Rp. 5.000.000, 00 or
Rp. 5.000.000.000, 00. See, don‟t underestimate the power of small things.

Being born in Papua is both struggle and privilege. I call it as struggle as we live
in the area where there is not facilities such as malls and cafes like other cities.
Some of us live in poverty and cannot afford luxury items like a phone or laptop;
some of us can‟t even afford basic needs like foods or drinks. There is even some
people that still live on a tree house. It is undeniable that we, who live here, are
not left behind as we have internet connection but that is limited the signal is still
unstable in some areas.even worse in 2021 we lost internet connection for about 3
months. However the worse problem we are facing is a lack of education. There
are still schools that are neglected so they don‟t have the proper facilities to teach
students. Some children that live in poverty would rather sell fish on the side of
the road than going to school. Even in a school with proper facilities students
attendance are really low and some students that are at university level can‟t even
read and count. It is a really serious problem in this province because of the lack
of education we will never advance like the other province and be left behind.
However, those limitations are also privilege for us to spread the kindness by
helping people. My friends and I have an idea to do a fund raiser selling food to
raise money for kids that cannot afford to buy school uniform and giving free
courses for students that still can‟t read or count.
FAREL G. RIEZ DEVA MATURBONGS

“Small Things Matter”

Well my point is not giving the information of the real problems in Papua but my
point is we as the youth have a role to make change and have an impact to society.
People probably ignore us because we still live and depend on our parents. But I
am here to tell you that we matter. Even the smallest thing you do can have a great
impact to your surrounding. Small kindness we initiate will spread fast like virus.
You don‟t believe me? There are famous young influencers who called
themselves „pandawa lima‟. They actively clean up the environment and put their
content in some social media platforms like IG, facebook, and youtube. Other
countries are now imitating what Pandawa Lima did. They clean up rivers,
streams, even ocean.

Listen we are a part of society we cannot act blind or deaf knowing that other
people need our help. Start from the simplest thing to make this world a better
place. Say for instance if you see your surrounding is full of trash you can pick the
trash and put them in the trash bin maybe that‟s a lot for some people , lets say if
you‟re done eating a candy and you can‟t find a trash bin you can keep the
wrapper in your pocket until you find a trash bin. Or if you see your friend‟s shoes
are thorn you may give your old shoes to them.

Don‟t be intimidated by people that say you cannot do great things because you
are still a young. But the fact that we are a young makes us the pillar for the future.
Don‟t think just because you don‟t have money you can‟t do great things. Don‟t
think just because you still live with your parents that you are a burden.And don‟t
think just because you are still a student you can‟t make a difference in this world..
DR. Martin Luther King JR. Once said “If I cannot do great things, I can do small
things in a great way”