Give Indonesian Youth Power to Shape Their Lives

Across Indonesian provinces, our work looks a little different, but the pattern is the same: young people are speaking up, leading, and being taken seriously. Here are a few recent stories from our sites:

For youth like Frisca and Adrian, our online competitions (“Wikithons”) became a turning point. What began as hesitation turned into confidence in researching public issues, speaking directly with officials, and stepping into leadership roles. Today, youth who once felt invisible are sitting at policy tables and shaping conversations that affect their communities.

For Lindan Malik, Yusriah Nirmalasari, Novi, and their peers, writing opinions was only the beginning. Their ideas on mental health and education evolved into dialogue with government, media, and community groups. Together with partners like the Street Children Care Community (KPAJ), they helped reconnect out-of-school children with education, proving that with the right support, youth voices can move systems, not just conversations.

In West Nusa Tenggara, youth like Aisyah, Fitri, Rahman, and Siti turned sensitive topics into collective action. From school campaigns on sexual violence prevention to village workshops on body consent, their ideas reached classrooms, communities, and even provincial planning spaces. These young leaders are proving that courage and voice can change how communities talk and act.

For Riska, Dian, and Fajar, small ideas sparked visible change. From reducing plastic waste in schools, rethinking digital habits, to reclaiming public spaces, their initiatives grew beyond digital competitions into city-level action. What started in a Wikithon now lives on in daily habits, public policy, and shared spaces.

Each story is different but they share a similar shift: young people moving from observation to ownership.

This is how lasting change takes root: not through programs alone, but by shifting entire ecosystems—so that young people expect to be heard, governments expect to listen, teachers expect to facilitate, and communities expect youth voices in decisions that shape their lives.