WREP Action: How the PKM IPB University Team Strengthens Children’s Gender Identity, Preventing Sexual Deviations Early on
The PKM PM IPB University team succeeded in providing an alternative solution to prevent sexual deviations from an early age by strengthening children’s gender identity. This step was taken by initiating a program entitled WREP Action which was carried out at the Mizan Amanah Orphanage.
The IPB University student team was led by Alfiah Azqy Ritonga, with members Rahma Azzahra, Aida Kamilah Syahidah, and Alifah Nur Hasanah and supervisor Dr Anggraini Sukmawati.
“The high number of sexual deviations that occur is still an urgent problem in Indonesia. The crisis of children’s gender identity and the lack of gender education in society, especially in orphanages, is one of the important factors causing this,” said Alfiah.
Quoting Gill Helden’s statement, Alfiah said that the process of forming children’s identity requires the role of parents as their gender role model. Meanwhile, children who are in orphanages do not get the role of parents that they should.
For this reason, she said, “The PKM-PM IPB University team designed this program to provide an alternative solution for orphanage children who do not get the role of parents in shaping their gender identity.”
By partnering with Mizan Amanah Orphanage, this program aims for orphans to get gender education and knowledge which includes biological understanding, stereotypes, and how to prevent sexual deviations that occur.
Through three main sub-programs designed, namely Watch in Animation, Read with Team, and Practice in Games, 15 children of Mizan Amanah Orphanage actively participate in the program packed in various fun learning activities. Starting from watching animated videos, reading WREP Action storybooks, playing with various educational games, to speaking skills and expressing their opinions.
“The most fun moment was when they toured the campus of IPB University to see life in the campus environment, saw various animals in the Equestrian Park at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SKHB), and made handprints on canvas using acrylic paint. The tears of happiness could not escape the eyes of the children, the orphanage mothers, as well as the students of the WREP Action team,” she said.
“The children of Mizan Amanah Orphanage are very excited to participate in our various activities, especially when they tour IPB University, visit and see various animals at the Equestrian Park, there they see gender representation in real life,” she added.
According to her, the WREP Action program implemented at the Mizan Amanah Orphanage has brought positive changes in increasing children’s gender understanding and understanding of how to prevent sexual deviance early on.
“In an orphanage environment that lacks a full parental role, this program proves that orphanage children really need to get gender education,” she said.
This education, Alfiah continued, is important to understand children regarding their proper gender roles and identities, in order to be a provision to prevent all possible sexual deviations that occur in the future. “Let’s save the future of the nation’s children, for a better Indonesia,” said Alfiah. (*/Rz) (IAAS/FAE)
