Written by Indahwaty Suwandy, VDMS Grantee from State University of Medan (UNIMED), Medan

“We had better light a candle than curse the darkness”

-Adlai Stevenson-

2017 will end only in counting days and the most persistent questions come. Have you evaluated yourselves in doing something such as community for others and is it sustainable or not? Why must it be sustainable because we cannot stay and focus on one project, then it is not sustainable. Sustainability is really needed in every single project we create in order it can be continued by other people and people can get positive impacts from it. Finally, the project that we have done does not quit or stop although we conduct another project. However, it can be a sustainable project later so that we can be sustainable society that creates the sustainable activity for others.

As the sustainable project namely Creating Floating Library (Perpustakaan Terapung) in 2014 that I have done, we conduct Coastal Children Empowerment. This is because I realize that coastal children’s potentials should be developed. It aims at increasing and engaging their skills in learning and initiating something based on life skills. I conduct the project through teaching English, tutoring about general knowledge. So, this is mine. What is yours?

Horticulture farmer in Pentingsari

Every project exactly has the evaluation especially in the end of the year. However, the most important one is how we can regulate and make it as the resolution for the next year. In addition, can our projects become the sustainable purpose and project? We have to consider the strength and weakness here and there of the project in order to make the better sustainable project later on. It is such a reflection for ourselves in doing the next project. As Adlai Stevenson said “We had better light a candle than curse the darkness”. Rather create a new one again than continue the project to change and create the sustainable society development.

A2A E – Newsletter Vol. 58| XII| 2016