Yunus Rides Closer to His Dream

The years between 2008 and 2012 remain close to the heart of Yunus Dangu. He attended college, studying public health. Those years also brought countless bittersweet memories.

Yunus, 23, is a former registered child of the West Sumba Area Development Program.

“From grade five until he finished senior high school, the ADP helped support his education. Whenever he was sick, the ADP officers would also help find medical help for him,” said Yunus’ father. 

When it was time for college, his parents who live on Sumba Island could only pay some of the needed funds for his education, so he needed to find a way to support himself.

Yunus chose to sell fish to faraway villages, which helped him to earn a living and pay for his educaiton. He even installed storaage containers on the rear of his motorcycle to store the fish.

At dawn, when classes were not yet in session, Yunus drove his motorbike to the fishermen’s village near Kupang to get various kinds of fish. Then, he quickly headed to far away villages to sell all the fish to the villagers. The journey often lasted until two o’clock in the afternoon and often in the unforgiving scorching sun.

There were times when he got flat tires and had to walk with his motorbike for kilometers to find the nearest repair shop. There were also bad days when the money he earned from selling the fish did not cover the money he spent to buy the fish.  

Yunus knew that life had its ups and downs, so he didn't give up.

His struggle paid off.

Yunus earned his bachelor degree in public health in 2012. As soon as he returned to West Sumba, Yunus secured a job as a lecturer at the Waikabubak Nursing Academy.

Having a bachelor degree might be common for many youth in Western countries or in big cities in Indonesia. But in West Sumba less than 3% of the population have gone to college.

“I want to share the knowledge that I have learned to my students. I also want to help improve my family’s life,” he said.

* Written by Margaretta Sagala, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Coordinator Wahana Visi Indonesia | Translated by Bartolomeus Marsudihardjo, Field Communications World Vision Indonesia