We went straight from the airport to our Hostel at Kuta Beach in Lombok.
It is a beautiful place and just on the other side of the road is a white, sandy beach with crystal clear water.
At the beach is a local place where you can get fresh fruit juices and have a seat in the shadow.
Once in a while a child came passing by offering us beautiful bracelets. I felt like buying one to make the children happy, but my friend sitting opposite of me, said: ''Don't buy, don't buy, don't support this'' , when I was reaching for my wallet.
We started talking with one of the kids. She was a 13 years old Indonesian girl. Like all other kids her selling point was, that she made those bracelets herself and she want to buy some school books from the money she is making.
I asked her whether she knows Jakarta (it's the capital of Indonesia). She replied: ,,No, what is it?'' I taught her a little bit about the Geography of Indonesia. She was actually a really smart girl. But she probably didn't go to school much in her life, plus the bracelets from all kids looked the same, which made it clear they where not self-made.
What happens next is something truly amazing!
The kids liked that we were paying so much attention to them and one of them climbed on the side of my chair. I pretended that the chair now is falling and I fall together with the chair. All kids started laughing and me too. Because it was so funny all kids liked to do it over and over again and didn't stop laughing. We ended up jumping and running and playing around with those kids at the beach. After a while I went back to our place to have a sip from my juice and rest for a minute...
What I saw then was that all those bracelets from all kids, that were fixed to small wooden boards, where lying around all mixed up and on top of each other, on my chair.
I looked back to the beach and saw all those kids laughing and playing at the beach, not caring at all about their bracelets.
We might didn't give the kids money on that day, but we gave them something much more valuable. We gave them a piece of their childhood back, by just letting them be kids. They did this afternoon what all kids in the world should do and that is playing around and laughing.
By the time we said good-bye to them I knew all their names expect from the youngest boy. Their names where strangely all American or European names. So I asked him: ''What is your name actually?'' The 13 years old girl then loudly replied for the young boy... His name is Patrick now...
The young boy had a huge smile on his face and said: ''Yes, my name is Patrick now'' and my heart just melted...
The girlfriend from my friend took many pictures that day, from me playing with the kids, but later in the travel, we had an argument and out of anger she deleted them all. So I have only this one picture, which I made with my phone that day...
That is so sad. I was just talking to someone that does volunteer work over there the other day. He said it is increadibly sad to see the poorest parts of the country.
Ya. But I think Indonesia is still a better place compared to others, cause the rich nature is proving enough food and the kids still seem overall happy there. Problems are, for example, in Education and medical care...
Child labour is really bad ............ if you have other options.
If you are in undeveloped region with lack of education, infrastructure, natural resource, R&D, you can't afford childhood.
Just like 18yo kids in USA, Europe and Asia have lost significant part of their childhood in WWII.
They fought the life and things threw at them.
Kids after WWII did work too. There was no comfort in life for adults, nor the kids after WWII in Europe.
This did create the generation of people who did build up their ruined countries, bust their asses and not complain about life.
One other hand, nowadays you have spoiled kids in developed countries. Many are 30yo and still can be considered as kids, living of parents income. And their only skill is to install app on their cell phone.
These working kids might not comfortable childhood but they can still have childhood (kids make up their own World, no matter how bad it is in our eyes).
I grew up in 90's after fall of communism. Parents could afford me 1 costly present on Christmas and couple of cheap ones during year.
My monthly pocket money was $0. If I want something, I had to earn it.
It didn't break me. It did make me for what I am today.
hii @patrickczu this is really nice post..my heart melted too..
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patrickczu, I've been to Lombok myself and witnessed the unfortunate realities for some of these people, but I must say, I loved reading your encounter with the children. It's a great reminder for us that we can choose to create moments of happiness, and they do stick with us! thank you for sharing your experiences. I'm happy to be following you on your travels:) Cheeers from Kait
This is very sweet. Yep, the old falling-out-of-the-chair trick makes kids laugh everytime :D
Children, who need to be in schools and playing with their friends are now working to make their ends meet. This is a violence of humanity. And this is not only in Indonesia but also in many countries.
I condemn such acts of violence. Governments should take of such brutal people who force poor children to work. Strict laws should be established for such actions of ignorance.
May God give these children a better hand!
Hi, I'm from Jakarta, Indonesia. It's true that there are still many unsolved problems here, and child labor is one of them. The thing is..., the archipelago is too large to govern, consists of more than 17,000 islands with more than 250 million population. Asia crisis from 20 years ago still affects us, but I believe we are on the right track now. But it takes time to build such a large country. And yeah, we are practicing full democracy now, so economic development is getting a little slow, but I believe it's for a good thing, check and balances for those who are in power is always a good thing. I hope you enjoyed your visit and come back again later and see better things.
Indonesia defiantly is one the right path. I love the country and the over all kindness of the people. Yes that is true. Indonesia is huge and spread out.
Kids truly melt my heart. Whenever I travel I love seeing the different children of the cultures, they're so innocent and because they don't have the privilege to learn in school they get so excited when you interact with them, especially when you teach them something. So precious.
Lovly...... so nice.....
Yup, you gave something more valueable than money. Child labour is really bad. But maybe they have to do that because they have no choise. Poor kids
I get emotional when i read such, but nice work by you man
Nice post.
I like your post
Child labour are hindering society and the development of the country. An illiterate person is like animal. Right education makes us human. Give your children a book, education, let them make their future.
Child labor is fine if it's not heavy and after 's school. I worked since I'm 12 yrs and I'm from the Netherlands....
Do you think in this case it's fine? I mean we don't know much about the backgrounds... I think it's weird that they all said that they need money for school books and that the bracelets are made by themselves.
In the Netherlands same as in Germany it's regulated. I am afraid that is not the case here and that they actually can't keep a deserved amount for themselves. But I m describing just my observations. Maybe someone knows more about the backgrounds...
Appreciative post.
yes you are right some facility has to be taken care in Indonesia but over all it's a great country to spend vacation.
This is the remarkable conscious post for us in world.so bad habitats.
This photo describes too much ! Love it 😶
That is sad... And the same was actually going on in the Philippines when we were there earlier this year. Many kids going around selling the same bracelets and necklaces when they should have been at school. We discussed buy anything from them but we tried talking to some of them, even ended up playing with some on the beach a bit like you guys did :)
Child labour is very bad , stop it .
everyone try do stop it
Child labour is very bad habit we have to fight against
oh no by when we will expect these kind of things remove from present and shows only in history,lets we work together to eliminate the such bad things from all around the world
Indonesia memang sangat indah. Terima kasih.
Indonesia memang sangat indah. Terima kasih.
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