Saturday, October 5th 2013 was an unforgettable moment since it was a Centennial of van Deventer – Maas Stichting. It was the first time I saw the Foundation Board members and the office staffs. Moreover, that was also the first time I understood VDMS fully from the very beginning up to now by listening to the speeches and presentations at the Centennial and by reading the book of 100th years of VDMS. It was a special night that ran very well. I liked the guests as well. One of them was Mrs. Butet Manurung, M.A. whose activity, the SOKOLA (the Jungle School), really inspired me. I suddenly remembered the Ten Regional Representatives of VDMS in which my region, Kalimantan, is not included.

As an alumna of VDMS, I was actually wondered why there is not any RR in Kalimantan yet while others have and I got the complete answer when Ms. Parche explained to me about RR. I, then, knew that RR is not a compulsory task; as a result it depends on the alumni themselves. Ms. Jessica has ever given me the contacts of some alumni, I tried to call and keep in touch with them, yet it was really hard. It might be because of some problems and reasons. I should have learned how to bind the Alumni from the Ten RRs and as one of the persons who was invited, I was really honored and motivated to pay full attention to every session which was given by both Mr. Onno de Fouw and Mr. Edwin Kisman on Alumni Association Meeting on Sunday, October 6th 2013. Many things were discussed at that time, included how we can consolidate, how to find and bind alumni, socializing of using the system, listing great plans for Alumni Association Activities in the future, and making the SWOT analysis on considering central board of AA or still stay the same.

I found all alumni who were there and other alumni in AA-VDMS are special, I hope I can do what they did. I did not want to miss the opportunity to ask them some questions and suggestions. They shared and told me about their activities. I felt more motivated than before and I thank Allah for giving me chance to be one of the alumni of VDMS. I feel like being in a circle friend which feels like a big family. Since then I tried to commit myself that I cannot wait for others longer. I have been waiting for them to do something for society, yet we still have not begun yet. Then I remembered Kak M. Rijali Riyadi who is one of the alumni in Banjarmasin. I should have asked him to begin from small thing and number no matter what others responses.

A few days later, I tried to contact the alumni and grantees whose contacts are with me to invite them coming to a mini gathering for sharing. There were actually quite many (about thirty alumni) in Kalimantan and I believe that they actually want to join alumni association; however they just have not found us. Moreover, I believe although some of them have ever rejected my invitation by using many reasons, they will be interested someday. They just need inspiration and see the real actions and events to make them be attracted, who knows they will be motivated and want to do the same.

Then, Sunday, October 13th 2013 at 11 located in Qi-ka burger on Sultan Adam Banjarmasin we gathered, shared, and talked about several things. I told them what I know about AA-VDMS. They seemed encouraged and then we listed some activities. I emphasized that they should know that VDMS never force us to handle events and activities, yet it is based on our willingness to do something good for our society. I can feel the atmosphere of another supported circle friend in that mini gathering. It was a nice time since I think they were serious and willing to do our first activity. Among the activities that have been listed (teaching English to the orphanages, dropping books for those who need it, giving new school uniforms by tagging “Sumbangkan Seragam Baru”, and organizing a charity program for helping others), we agreed to choose the simplest but more useful one that is “Inspiring others to keep cleaning”.

A brief explanation for the activity is that on Sunday morning, November 10th 2013 located in a car-free-day location around Sabilal Muhtadin, we are going to wear the same clothes, bring a banner about loving the environment, give them example about how to keep cleaning and love the environment by taking the trashes and give them a brochure about how dangerous the trash is. The condition is that every car-free day activities, there must be many trashes there. It is very irrelevant since they said car free, yet many trashes afterward.

We hope what we are planning will run well and will inspire others to be accustomed to keep cleaning the car free day location by putting their trash to the dustbin. Although the government has already provided dustbin, they still throw the garbage anywhere. They may do it because they think many people also do the same. So, we hope if we give them a good example every car-free day, they may change their bad custom little by little.

Rizky Amelia (alumna from Lambung Mangkurat University)