Panji’s Struggle to Find Grass to Pay for Schools

In Gonalan, Magelang Regency, Central Java, there are many strong children with have noble character. One of them is Panji. Even though he is only in the 6th grade, his life is like a roller coaster that goes up and down until he becomes a brave, strong, and tough person.

Panji was born into a ‘simple’ family. His mother, works daily as a craftsman for woven bamboo mats. It takes 3 days for his mother to complete one mat. However, the selling price is only 20 thousand only. This means that in a week she can only earn Rp. 60,000.

While during her spare time, his mother used to look for rice in people’s fields to dry and cook it. Of course he has done this because his mother could not buy rice. So Panji could only pick up rice that had fallen in other people’s fields so that he can meet the rice needs. But he has never felt ashamed or disappointed about the life he was meant to live. Instead, all of this shaped him into a boy who loved his mother so much that he never had the heart to let his mother sleep alone after his father died.

The Struggle of Panji and His Mother Everyday

Even though Panji and his mother have to live in a simple house because it is united with cattle cages such as chickens, it is still grounded, the wooden walls are starting to crumble, many tiles are leaking, and the condition of the room is full of clothes because he and his mother do not have a closet. However, he is still comfortable as long as he can be close to his mother. For him, even though the house condition is not as good as that of others, it still feels comfortable as long as his mother stays with him.

Panji has an older brother. Usually the older brother helps his mother in paying for his schooling. But because her sister is also a farm laborer, her sister can only help with the need for credit worth 17 thousand/week. Seeing that his mother and sister are constantly trying to fulfill their needs, Panji then moves and chooses to exchange playtime with friends to help their neighbors take grass for animal feed.

Every two or three days Panji would take grass to feed his neighbors and earn Rp15,000 in wages. Little by little he collected the money, over the years, until finally Panji was able to buy two goats. Now, Panji just wants his goats to increase and change the lives of him and his family.

Friends of the Initiator, together with Human Initiative, let’s help Panji to continue his education by visiting Solusi Peduli and giving your best support. We’re waiting.