By: Annisa Majesty, Pundi Sumatra
That morning, Amira sat quietly in the waiting room of the Social Security Administration for Health (BPJS Kesehatan) office. Her baby slept soundly in her arms. In Amira's hands was a plastic folder containing important documents: photocopies of her family card, birth certificate, and her and her husband's identity cards (KTP). There was no facilitator or companion beside her. Just Amira and her husband. They seemed to know exactly what to do.
This isn't their first time dealing with public services. Shortly after their marriage, Amira and her husband personally processed changes to their Family Card (Kartu Keluarga) data at the Population and Civil Registration Office (Dukcapil) in Bungo Regency, Jambi. Now, they're back to processing documents for their first child, registering him as a BPJS Kesehatan (Social Security Agency) participant. For Amira, this is crucial so her child has access to immunizations and medical treatment from an early age.
"Back then, our parents didn't know the process. They were confused about where to start. They were afraid of being rejected because they spoke a different language and couldn't read or write. They wanted a chaperone to accompany them," Amira recalled.
But that story is starting to change. Amira isn't the only young Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) member demonstrating the courage and confidence to handle administrative documents independently.
Like Siska and Manto, two teenagers from the SAD community in Bungo who had just graduated from vocational high school. They decided to go to the Civil Registration Office on their own to register for their electronic ID cards. They were not accompanied by a facilitator. The two teenagers knew when to arrive, what documents were needed, and how the process worked. At the service area, they stood in line with other residents without any awkwardness.
"The staff inside guided us through the forms, so we could complete them ourselves without any difficulty," Manto said.
Another story comes from Sarolangun. Jaini, a member of the SAD community in Pematang Kejumat, actively helps other residents manage their BPJS Kesehatan (Social Security) program. She visits the service office to communicate her community's needs. Jaini not only handles her personal data but also acts as a bridge between SAD residents and the public service system.
“I help those who don't know how take care of"Sometimes the elderly or women don't understand. But now they're starting to be brave enough to go to the service office," Jaini explained.
It may seem quite ordinary, but this change didn't come suddenly. For the past three years, Pundi Sumatra, through the ESTUNGKARA Program, supported by KEMITRAAN, has consistently provided assistance to the SAD community in two regencies: Sarolangun and Bungo. At the beginning of the program, field facilitators (faslap) accompanied the community through every step of the process, helping them collect documents, explain procedures, and even speak with service officers.
However, over time, this approach shifted. The focus of mentoring was on building understanding, fostering courage, and strengthening the role of local cadres. The cadres were provided with information about service flows and administrative rights, and trained to independently communicate community needs. They also learned to store important documents, record data on residents who lacked ID cards, BPJS (Social Security), or birth certificates, and plan collective service visits. This significantly assisted them in accessing basic services provided by the state.
Today, the results of that process are beginning to show. Cadres like Amira, Siska, Manto, and Jaini are not only able to process their own documents but are also starting to help other residents. Pundi Sumatra's assistance is not intended to make the community dependent, but rather, to foster empowerment. This story is proof that when indigenous communities are given equal space, knowledge, and support, they can overcome existing stigmas.
