In North Lombok, Titian Foundation scholarship students are actively working to enhance their self-literacy skills and raise literacy awareness in their surroundings. This initiative emerged at the onset of their participation in the Literacy Class, which has been ongoing from November 2022 to the end of 2023. Titian facilitators engaged the students in various discussions on literacy and involve them in outreach activities to schools and learning with other communities.
Eighteen students from Titian in North Lombok have a unique opportunity to participate in this Literacy Class. Their objectives are to gain new knowledge and literacy skills while inspiring other children to enhance their literacy awareness. Moreover, in 2023, Lombok Post reported that the reading interest in North Lombok Regency (KLU) is alarmingly low, with a recorded reading interest of only 1.58 percent which is the lowest among the 10 districts/cities in NTB.
“The most rewarding thing in this class is the increased awareness of the importance of spreading knowledge to others,” expressed Wahyuni, one of fourth generation (Gen 4) Titian Lombok students. Equipped with knowledge gained during the Literacy Class, the students became literacy advocates, visiting early childhood education (PAUD) and primary schools in North Lombok. Through interactive sessions and collaborative activities, they conveyed the importance of literacy to children. Aulia, also a Gen 4 Titian Lombok scholarship student like Wahyuni, shared her thoughts on the class they attended. “This class filled me with knowledge. I have gained so much—things that might not be accessible in my school or my own environment. I truly understand the meaning of literacy since joining this class. I am impressed with many new things, such as how to think creatively and critically.”
The impact of this class is evident in the increased enthusiasm for understanding education and literacy for all participants. Literacy Class participants have an equal opportunity to delve into new knowledge and share it with others—inspiring other Titian scholarship students, peers in their respective schools, and younger children as well, as Hendra Choi, Titian Foundation Lombok facilitator said, “The results (of this class) are seen in a significant increase in their confidence and their ability to express their thoughts. This is the impact of their self-awareness of the knowledge they have gained. Also, they can have a positive impact by assisting younger children in North Lombok, in their own environment.”
Members of the Literacy Class have also achieved individual accomplishments. Aura (Gen 4) won first place and Zara (Generation-3) secured second place in the district-level writing competition. Furthermore, Dea (Gen 4) became the only Maritime Ambassador from NTB this year. In this Literacy Class, Dea not only prepared her essay but also other components with the assistance of facilitators. By the end of 2023, with the help of the essay writing guidelines provided in this Literacy Class, Wahyuni (Gen 4) and Aura (Gen 4) successfully qualified to participate in the JPTB 2023 event.
By working together as a team and continuing to learn, Titian students have built a form of literacy empowerment, starting from small steps. Emphasizing collaborative learning and knowledge dissemination, this initiative enriches not only the knowledge of students but also boosts their confidence. As this movement progresses, all participating Titian students have become a ray of hope, slowly spreading the power of education in various corners of North Lombok.