| Brilianto’s Recycling Efforts | ||||
| By Yuliati Translated from Indonesian into Chinese by Li Jia-yun and Chen Ya-ru Translated into English by Tang Yau-yang | ||||
Brilianto Pratama doesn’t mind if others see him collecting garbage. “Such efforts are good for myself and for others,” he declares with conviction. His parents have the same mindset. They proudly support him in his recycling endeavors. Bags of PET bottles in a corner of the house and plant pots converted from PET bottles neatly lined up on the top of a wall represent Brilianto Pratama’s labor of love. Brilianto, 13, lives in Kampung Sawah, Bekasi, in the Indonesian province of West Java. He is a recipient of Tzu Chi tuition aid. He started recycling after messages about the importance of preserving the Earth struck a chord with him during Tzu Chi events held for tuition aid recipients. He picks up garbage on his way home from school, and goes back out to collect trash when he has finished his homework and chores at home. His yard at home has been converted into his own little recycling station, where he sorts what he brings home. PET bottles account for most of the garbage he collects. He removes the caps, washes the bottles, flattens them, and separates them by color before storing them in a corner of his home. When he saves enough of them, he sells them to a recycling dealer. He uses the proceeds to buy school supplies and, if there is any left, donates it to help others. The boy also makes PET bottles into everyday items or handicrafts. “I once made lanterns from PET bottles,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t have much time, so I made just five of them. I sold them for 15,000 rupiah [US$1.08] each.” Brilianto is not in the least embarrassed or shy when he picks up recyclable garbage. “What I do is good for myself and for others,” he declared. His parents think like him; they support and are proud of their son’s recycling work.
Heartwarming care Brilianto’s father, Krisna Sederhanawan, is very appreciative of Tzu Chi’s financial aid to his son. He said that at first he didn’t think the foundation would grant his son tuition assistance because they live in the home of a wealthy relative. “I was sure no foundation would help us after they had visited where we lived,” the father said. “In fact, living with a wealthy family is more torturous than most people know. Tzu Chi volunteers know how we feel. They not only care about our material needs—they are mindful of our feelings as well.” The father used to deliver bottled water, earning 1.5 million rupiah (US$108) a month. With four children in his family to raise, that money did not go very far or last very long. He sometimes could not give them spending money. “I just didn’t have the money,” he said wryly as he looked at his son. “Luckily, he has never complained.” When he watched his son walk to school, he agonized over the long distance he needed to cover. Later, he found a better-paying job as the custodian of the storage room at a church. That job has enabled him to better provide for his family. The downside is that the church is very far from his home, so he has to live away from home. Tuesday is his day off. He spends that day with his family and works alongside Brilianto picking up recyclables and sorting them out. He helps his son’s recycling effort another way as well—he has asked his previous employer to donate and deliver used water bottle caps to Brilianto’s little recycling station. Brilianto uses the money from selling recyclables to buy books, dictionaries, and school supplies or to pay for classes at tutoring centers. The remainder is donated to Tzu Chi. “Tzu Chi benefits many people, especially families receiving its aid,” he said. “I know that many people need help more than I do.” He is happy to do his part for the Earth while helping needy people at the same time. He said that although he works very hard at picking up garbage, he can make at most 50,000 rupiah (US$3.60) every two or three weeks. Even so, he is very grateful. He is earning money with his own labor and sweat while turning otherwise useless garbage into something useful.
I used to litter, too Brilianto’s participation in Tzu Chi events has helped him greatly. Among other things, he has made friends with other tuition aid recipients. They cheer each other on. Krisna said that his son has become more mature since Tzu Chi entered his life. “I used to litter,” Brilianto said, “but now I remind people not to do it. We should recognize the importance of environmental preservation, and, to that end, change our own behavior.” He wants to invite his friends to join him in recycling. “Some people think that this stuff is just garbage, but to me it is quite valuable,” he said. He enjoys trying new things, and he is curious. He asks volunteers at the Tzu Chi recycling station in Kelapa Gading about the things that they do. When he saw plants potted in refashioned PET bottles at the parking lot of the recycling station, he began making pots out of PET bottles to grow vegetables and flowers too. Brilianto aspires to be a pastor. He believes that God created him for a purpose, which is what motivates him in doing something useful for the world. He does what he can to ease the financial burden of his family, and he helps others and protects the Earth. He surely is a good example for others to follow.
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