Paramitra Foundation is an NGO established in 1986
by some scholars in Malang, East Java. Paramitra is not just active
on the issue of child labour, but also active on other social economic
issues, such as empowerment of poor families, a non formal education
programme, a credit scheme for the rural community, sustainable
agriculture, etc. Paramitra has received grants from local donors
such as Frederich Ebert Stiftung, The Asian Foundation, FADO, GTZ.
The collaboration between Paramitra and IPEC started since 1994
for 4 biennium with two main working title which are "Assessing
the capacity of Pesantren in providing support to working children"
and Strengthening the capacity of Pesantren in combating child labour
in plantation sector" in district Jember. During the collaboration,
over 550 children provided with non formal education and vocational
training, over 300 children successfully returned to the formal
school and 400 children supported with scholarship. 5 pesantrens
involved in the action programme and their cadres trained on the
various models on children work and its protection. The mandurs
(plantation supervisor) approached and so were the religious leaders
to be used in the awareness raising since they community listen
to them. The awareness raising on the Children Right Convention
and the importance of education for the children conducted through
religious meetings and regular home visits to the working children
parents by the social workers. Bulletin also published as one of
the awareness raising on the child labour issue which presented
the profile of working children, their problems, the dangers the
children face and the alternatives in handling them and distributed
in domestic and foreign countries. They also use the radio as one
of the media for the awareness raising activities. A Forum Pesantren
Pendamping Masyarakat (FP2M) also had been established to develop
the capacity of the institution. The forum is aimed at improving
the good relationship and to develop the reach of the pesantren
involved, as in the forum there are some NGOs or local institution
having access to the plantation. Moreover the forum is also expected
to reinforce the bargaining power with the decision makers. An approached
to the local government also has been established.
Overall the capacity of Yayasan Paramitra Malang
considered good, especially in management and their resources but
not in child labour issue since the institution seemingly not attached
to the issue. They're more involved in environmental and mobilizasation
issue.
