Aloysius Efraim Leonard – Chapter Bandung, Parahyangan Catholic University
When I first saw Bina Antarbudaya volunteers in my chapter, I was very inspired, because they wanted to help me (who was then a candidate) kindly and guide me until I could go home as an AFS returnee program. Because of them, I became increasingly motivated to volunteer at Bina Antarbudaya, by participating in various activities such as national orientation, re-orientation, end of stay and also on arrival orientation camp. They also inspired me to organize activities such as TOLERASEAN, an activity to celebrate tolerance, which message was always carried by AFS. Hopefully there will be more volunteers of Bina Antarbudaya in the future!
Putu Krisna Putra, Chapter Surabaya
Hello! My name Krisna. I am from the Surabaya chapter (@binabudsby). I am currently working as a Physiotherapist at one of the private hospitals in Surabaya.
I started to join as a volunteer at Bina Antarbudaya since 2008 and starting in 2014, I was trusted by Bina Antarbudaya Surabaya to become the chapter Hosting Coordinator. Being a volunteer at Bina Antarbudaya is a matter of honor for me. Bina Antarbudaya, especially chapter Surabaya has been my second family for 10 years. Lots of happy and sad experiences that we have been through together, and always engraved in my life.
What I got while joining volunteer in Bina Antarbudaya was a lot !! I get lots of new friends. Not only new friends in the Surabaya area but throughout the archipelago and throughout the world. Besides that, I also get a lot of insights and experiences that I will never get where I work now, and they really helped me in my daily life.
Thank you very much for Bina Antarbudaya, especially the Surabaya chapter, which has opened its doors wide for me and always provides opportunities so that I can continue to develop into a better and more useful person for the surrounding environment.
“I meet people and they become chapters in my stories”
Debra Adriana, Chapter Ambon
I am Debra Adriana. My profession as a private instructor in English, causes me to daily deal with school children and contribute in the world of education. Being able to share knowledge with these children is a joy and pride for me. This is the vision that binds me with Bina Antarbudaya.
I learned about Bina Antarbudaya in 2015. At that time I was invited by Mr. Jacky Manuputty, who was Ambon Chapter President, as one of the interviewers on the AFS / YES selection. After that, he contacted me again and invited me to volunteer in Ambon Chapter. Without hesitation I accepted his invitation, and I was appointed as Sending coordinator. From then on, my days were busy with sending activities. I enjoy every activity in the chapter. Starting from the selection, from helping the applicants in preparing the files, until organizing orientations for them who are ready to go to study in various countries.
Not everyone has the calling to serve, but for me volunteering is a call. And I am called to serve. Because of that, I went through every task and responsibility as a volunteer with joy. What is the reward? It is rewarded by seeing the success of the participants. And that is priceless. Besides that, in Bina Antarbudaya I can get to know lots of great people from other chapters in Indonesia. We can share and learn many positive things. Bina Antarbudaya is a gathering place for people with the same vision and mission; that is to serve.
I believe what we give sincerely, will return to us in a form that we never imagined. That was proven to me, when I was selected to take part in the Volunteer Exchange program representing Bina Antarbudaya to Bangalore, India in 2017. Of course through the program I learned a lot about how to become a volunteer and get to know volunteers from other countries. On that occasion I visited several schools and had the opportunity to teach at one of the playgroups in Bangalore. What an unforgettable experience.
Well, thank you for intercultural development for the good things I’ve gotten so far.
Happy International Volunteer Day for us!
Vitara Caprinita Dewi, Chapter Bandung / Chapter Jakarta
I started joining Bina Antarbudaya and became an active as a volunteer when I was still a candidate for the YES program from Bandung Chapter. I was always excited to spend time on weekends to meet with other volunteers and high school students who want to register to become participants of the exchange program. I am always happy when I saw the reality of how little things we did could be meaningful and have an impact on the people.
After graduating from high school, I enrolled in one of the universities in the Depok area and wanted to continue looking for happiness that I found from volunteering activities. I joined Jakarta Chapter, and also trusted to be the Sending Coordinator in the chapter. I was also involved in national level committees for several times.
The opportunity and trust given to me since becoming a volunteer is invaluable. Until finally Binabud became my home. A place that invites me to learn a lot, explore and develop. Other volunteers are also my mentors and friends to discuss on various matters, from work, hobbies, life, even this nation. They are my co-workers who taught how to work professionally, and also led me to become a better person.
Muhammad Fathun, Chapter Banda Aceh
I am an active volunteer at Bina Antarbudaya Banda Aceh Chapter since 2008. By volunteering I learned about various things, from organizational management; correspondence; public speaking (especially during program socialization) and understanding intercultural learning.
By volunteering at Bina Antarbudaya I am not only learning about organization and self-capacity building, but also having the opportunity to support young people in Aceh to pursue their dreams. In 2011, along with other volunteers, I visited several districts and cities in Banda Aceh to socialize Bina Antarbudaya student exchange program.
I believe that young people in other smaller regions should also have the opportunity to participate in this program. I know that many students from other regions have dreams of participating in an exchange students abroad, but the dissemination of information is sometimes still centered in the city of Banda Aceh and constraints of family economic conditions hinders them from the opportunity.
Alhamdulillah, until now, every year students who take part in the Bina Antarbudaya student exchange program from Aceh do not only come from the city of Banda Aceh and surrounding areas but also from other regions, hopefully this will be a motivation for other students in Aceh, that they are able to make their dreams into realization.
Belly Satria, Chapter Pontianak
My name is Belly Satria, and people usually call me Beng. Since March 2016, I am an active volunteer at Bina Antarbudaya Pontianak Chapter.
Being Bina Antarbudaya volunteer gives me a lot of experience and knowledge, apart from my daily activities as an entrepreneur. I have been involved in various activities with Bina Antarbudaya which directly increases personal capacity as well as the community.
The organization gives volunteers the space to work. I am a person who is very fond of event management, and through Bina Antarbudaya I can express it. There are dozens of events that me and other volunteers in Pontianak have carried out. As volunteers, our principle is to “Share The Value” while supporting Bina Antarbudaya’s mission.
Most of the events that we carried out is to support Youth Development, and have received good enthusiasm by the community. By becoming volunteer at Bina Antarbudaya I can continue to work and share values with young people in Indonesia, especially in Pontianak.
Rama Janvani Safitri, Chapter Medan
I first joined the Medan chapter of Bina Antarbudaya when I was still a candidate for the KL-YES program. At that time I was not as active as now because the distance of the house which was very far from the secretariat, made me unable to take part in all the activities held by Medan Chapter.
I began to actively volunteer in the last three years, and I am very happy to be part of Bina Antarbudaya Medan Chapter. They never see someone based on their background, and always welcoming anyone who wants to be a part of it. A very friendly organizational climate made me feel at home there, and the people in the Chapter is like a family to me.
The organization teaches me many things that are very useful starting from the smallest things, from trivial things to big things like learning how to be a responsible person for the responsibility that I am holding. Another thing I like about the Chapter, is that the family, never distinguishes between non-returnees and returnees volunteer, and there is no seniority.
Muzakki Affifuddin, Chapter Malang
I started volunteering at Bina Antarbudaya since 2003. At that time I was invited by one of the volunteers from Bina Antarbudaya Chapter Malang, Alm. Chika Djati who is also my singing friend at the Student Choir at the State University of Malang. At that time, I was pursuing Masters in Education.
My volunteer journey started when I took part as English interviewer with Yeni Indrarini and Dian Henny Priani. The first start is an activity that provides positive information for yourself and others. By becoming a volunteer, I can make friends with many people, build relationships that are very useful for my work.
As time went on, I became Chapter President. I learned from people who learned about intercultural learning, and become one of the ICL Qualified National Trainers. Many things has changed me to become better as myself by volunteering, especially to be able to help the community.
Become a volunteer for social activities around you. It is not impossible, that you will find identity and learn to live for a better life.
Anggi Mopri Sahata Siregar, Chapter Surabaya
I started joining in Bina Antarbudaya Surabaya since April 2006 when I was still in high school. At that time, Bina Antarbudaya Surabaya was not as busy as now, the administrators and candidates still needed to ask for help from many of their schoolmates or lecturers to help with the preparation and selection. And one of them was me, who had never heard of Intercultural Development or AFS before.
The main activity of Bina Antarbudaya is indeed intercultural learning, but for me it should not stop there. Intercultural learning will surely develop the quality of each individual such as communication skills and caring. Since I became President of the Chapter in 2016, we have done many social activities to support the development of communities in need. Because for me if I don’t have love, I’m totally useless.
After 10 years I have been active in this organization, thank God in August 2016 I was entrusted to take KL-YES program students to the United States. This is my first time to go abroad and interact with the international community. Not only meeting volunteers from AFS USA, but also with volunteers and program participants from various countries such as India, the Philippines, Thailand, Ghana, Egypt, and others. This experience greatly help me in building self-confidence and systematic management.
Tegar Risky Anggarida, Chapter Surabaya
My initial motivation was to decide to volunteer because I thought that I could change or at least benefit a little for the lives of others.
That is true, we carry out many activities that focus on the fields of youth development, culture and reaching out to communities.
We send the nation’s best students and students to study abroad in the hope that someday they can get something and sow good seeds in their homeland after returning home. We also carry out various social projects to various regions in East Java to help solve many problems; uneven education, the crisis of environmental sustainability, and also other social problems such as disability etc.
But as I did this, I felt forgotten about the initial motivation. I forget because now I feel that this activity actually changes myself too.
Changing myself to be more insightful through the thoughts of great & creative people here.
Changing myself becomes wiser in deciding problems through discussions with people who are very mature here.
Changing myself becomes more cultured because I interact directly with people who have diverse backgrounds. And in the end it also changed myself to become more comfortable because there were people I had considered as new families here.
Thank you Bina Antarbudaya @bina for culture has changed my life and become our new family here
Thank you also, especially the arek arek Bina Antarbudaya Surabaya @binabudsby.
Thank you also for all of you who are volunteers in any organization and wherever you are … your presences already make a lot of differences … Keep sharing and inspiring!
Agatha Lydia Natania, Chapter Bandung
First of all, I joined the Bogor chapter Bina Antarbudaya in 2011 when I became a participant in the selection. I feel like I’m holding a gift: very happy because I got this opportunity, but I don’t know what I will get. But I am sure, I have found a place to share.
When I continued studying in Bandung, I joined the Bandung chapter. I was warmly welcomed. The many students who came to Bandung chapter made me even more moved to invite the fresh returnees and new volunteers to join. I am more grateful because for the past two years I have been given the opportunity to lead the Bandung chapter. We have also carried out various programs together: teaching children who live on the edge of the railroad tracks, counseling in the health and environmental fields, distributing books to improve literacy, visiting nursing homes, teaching street children and other social activities and self-development.
Thanks to Bina Antarbudaya, I not only grew and developed in the field of self-ability and organization, but I also got the opportunity to do real social activities that have a positive impact on society. Together with young children, we serve and go directly to the community. As a result, many enthusiastically initiated various activities aimed at increasing tolerance and increasing knowledge.
