Alanda Kariza
Alanda Kariza | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 February 1991 |
| Nationality | Indonesian |
| Education | BINUS International University, Jakarta |
| Years active | 2005 - present |
| Organization | The Cure For Tomorrow |
| Known for | Initiating the Indonesian Youth Conference |
| Awards | CosmoGIRL! of the Year Finalist (2006) ASHOKA Young Changemakers Awards (2010) |
Alanda Kariza (born on February 23, 1991 in Jakarta, Indonesia) is an Indonesian writer and activist. She established a non-profit organization, The Cure For Tomorrow, when she was 15 and became the youngest finalist of CosmoGIRL! of the Year 2006 in the same year. Alanda became Indonesia's representative for the Global Changemakers and initiated the Indonesian Youth Conference as a tool for young people in Indonesia to speak up and address their aspirations.[1]
Family and education
Alanda lives in Jakarta with her parents and two younger sisters. Her maternal grandfather is the late Prof. Moenadjat Wiratmadja, the first plastic surgeon in Indonesia who pioneered plastic surgery in Indonesia.
She went to Pembangunan Jaya primary school where she was entitled to receive full scholarship under the Pendidikan Jaya Foundation Awards in two consecutive years. Alanda continued to study in Al-Azhar 3 Islamic Junior High School. In 2009, she graduated from SMA Negeri 82 Jakarta (82 Jakarta public high school as the best student from natural sciences major. Alanda is currently studying in BINUS International University, Jakarta, majoring in International Business, as the first person who has ever been entitled a full scholarship for three years.
Writing
Alanda started writing when she was still studying in the primary school where she was appointed to be one of the school magazine's journalists. In her early teenage years, she began to write fiction and poetry. She published her first novel, Mint Chocolate Chips (Terrant Books), when she was 14 years old[2] Following her novel debut, Kariza continued to write as a freelancer for a number of teen magazines, such as Hai, Gogirl!, kaWanku, and Provoke! magazine.[3] In 2010, she published an anthology of short stories, Vice Versa (Terrant Books) and participated in the writing of Pertama Kalinya! (Gramedia Pustaka Utama), a project initiated by Sitta Karina where some of the book sales royalty is going to be donated help Indonesian less-privileged children to go back to school.[4]
She published her latest book, Dream Catcher (GagasMedia) on April 10, 2012.
Activism
Alanda began to be interested in community activism when she has just graduated from junior high school in 2006. She wanted to become a volunteer in any international NGO and was extremely enthusiastic about it. Unfortunately, two international NGOs she applied to have a policy of not letting a minor volunteer in the institution. Alanda then decided to establish her own social community along with her friends. The Cure For Tomorrow was established in 2006 working on small projects such as collecting donations for the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, holding recycling workshops, amplifying Stop Global Warming! campaigns, and the like.
In 2009, Alanda was appointed to represent Indonesia in British Council's Global Changemakers Guildford Forum 2009, where she got the chance to meet 59 other young activists from more than 36 countries.[5] Following her initial involvement in the Global Changemakers, which is an international forum of young activists, she also represented Indonesia in the Global Changemakers at the G-20 London Summit where she got the chance to address young people's unprecedented solutions for the Financial crisis of 2007-2010 to former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the President of Mexico Felipe Calderón, the President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as well as other prominent figures such as Cherie Blair, David Miliband, and Hassan Wirajuda.[6] Later in 2010, she departed again to the Global Changemakers' annual event, now as one of the peer facilitators along with National Youth Orchestra of Iraq's Zuhal Sultan.
Indonesian Youth Conference
As one of the Global Changemakers ambassadors, Alanda is obliged to propose and hold a community action project. Having met young activists from all across the globe, she realized that Indonesia ought to have an accessible platform for young people to speak up, considering the nation has more than 62 million young people living in the country.[2] Based on this vision, the Indonesian Youth Conference became her brainchild.
The first Indonesian Youth Conference was held on July 1–4, 2010 in Jakarta, bringing the It's about time for us to be heard. It was divided into two kinds of activities. The Forum was held for the first three days, involving 33 young activists who represented 33 provinces in Indonesia, consisted of a series of workshop to nurture the participants' entrepreneurial skills.[7] The participants were expected to identify problems happening within their respective provinces, draw up plans to address them, and realize the plans after they got back from the event. The Festival was held on the last day. 400 people bought admission tickets to attend the festival comprises 16 seminar and talk show sessions on 16 different topics, closed by musical performances from prominent young musicians and an angklung ensemble, Saung Angklung Udjo....
Recognition
Alanda became the youngest finalist of CosmoGIRL! of the Year 2006. She became the youngest among Media Indonesia's 40 Most Influential People in 2010. On early 2010, Kariza received the ASHOKA Young Changemakers Awards 2010: Innovation in Clean Water and Sanitation due to her voluntary work through The Cure For Tomorrow.[8]
References
- ^ Sofyani, F. "Outspoken youth demand to be heard", The Jakarta Post, July 11, 2010, accessed October 31, 2010.
- ^ a b Petersen, Z. "My Jakarta: Alanda Kariza, Youth Activist", The Jakarta Globe, September 3, 2010, accessed November 23, 2010.
- ^ "Alanda Kariza's Personal Website", accessed November 23, 2010
- ^ "Pertama Kalinya! Website"
- ^ Gibbons, Z. "Alanda Kariza Wakili Indonesia di GCGF", "ANTARA", January 20, 2009, accessed October 10, 2010.
- ^ "A young Indonesian Global Changemaker goes to the London Summit", "British Embassy Jakarta", accessed November 9, 2010
- ^ Danaparamita, A. "Youth Leaders Tackle Troubles as House Squabbles", The Jakarta Globe, July 4, 2010, accessed August 7, 2010.
- ^ Ronny, A. "Bisnis Lingkungan The Cure For Tomorrow", "Green Radio FM", April 7, 2010, accessed November 23, 2010.