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Conservation Camp and Afterschool Program with “Pongo Rangers”

20th February 2017

Afterschool program is an initiation of educational environment activities from IAR Indonesia that has been running four months in the village of Pematang Gadung. In that time, the Pongo Rangers (the call for middle school kids who follow afterschool program) has been carrying out various types of learning activities including environment games, discussion, observation, and practice as well. As part of an afterschool activity peaks, IAR Indonesia held conservation camp and conservation night with Pongo Rangers Pematang Gadung.

“The activities of this camp aims to provide direct learning experience for Pongo Rangers, so they really know and doing real activities in their village forest,” Riyan, Supervisor education and public awareness IAR Indonesia says. This camp activities held in Punggurawan Camp for 3 days 2 nights. Some of their activities include discussions and film screenings about the environment and conservation of orangutans, jungle trekking as well as learn and recall the material that has been studied, observing flora and fauna, games, and arts training. At this time the participants had the opportunity to know and learn more about the environment, especially regarding the state of the community forest.

There were 17 participants who participate in the event, they are still in first and second grade of junior high school. One of the participants, Veronika, said, “I am very pleased to join this camp, we could walk and learn in the forest, and enjoy very fresh nature”. “We also feel closer to nature, and finally know the lanscape of our village forest,” added Syahran, one of the rangers Pongo Pematang Gadung.

After 4 days 3 nights stay in the camp, Pongo Rangers returned to the village and prepare for a conservation night. The conservation night held on the new year eve. “Conservation Night tend to Pongo Rangers to give education to their rural communities with intermediaries art,” reveal Riyan. Some of the art in the show is poetry, poetry rolls, storytelling, song, planting trees theatre. All material created art in itself by Pongo rangers that reflect their knowledge that they’ve got during the afterschool activities.

No less than 100 people of Pematang Gadung attended the Conservation Night that held in Matan Hilir Junior High School yard. “I strongly support this event and feel happy because our children have the opportunity to see the world outside of school by following these afterschool program,” Sarjono says, headmaster of Matan Hilir Selatan Junior High School. This conservation night was very lively and assisted by IAR’s cadre of conservation.

As a closing event, residents are given a quiz about the content of the art and conservation films that have been played. This activity is very good as a trigger spirit of Pongo Rangers in deliver environmental messages that they get from joining afterschool program. This activities will also facilitate Pongo Rangers in reflecting material that they can do in daily life so they can give a good example of positive behavior for the environment around them.