Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Dam Febrianto and I am a Jesuit priest. Before joining the Society of Jesus, I worked in an aquaculture industry.

What brought you to serve refugees?

I was first introduced to the work of JRS Indonesia during my candidacy programme to become a Jesuit. I was impressed by their work, and I started to think that if I were accepted as a Jesuit, perhaps working with refugees would be my future ministry. So, after I finished my philosophy programme, in the time when we, Jesuits in formation, work in one of the Jesuit ministries in Indonesia, I chose to work with JRS. The Provincial accepted my will, and in 2016, I joined JRS as a Field Officer.

Can you tell us more about the local context where you work? And what are the main challenges for the people we serve?

Currently, JRS Indonesia serves refugees and asylum seekers. But, before 2010, we served people displaced internally (IDPs) by social conflicts, and also by natural disasters, such as the 2004 tsunami, in which many people lost their lives.

We currently run two projects, “Journey Project” in Bogor and Jakarta, and “Protecting Refugees” in Aceh. When we talk about refugees in Bogor and Jakarta, we mean refugees living in urban settings. They live among the local people. When we talk about refugees in Aceh, we mean people living in temporary camps.

The number of refugees in Indonesia is not high – It is around 12,500 people. But the problem is that refugees in Indonesia cannot work. The government forbids refugees to work or engage in income-generating activities. That’s why it is very difficult for them to fulfil their basic needs.

How is JRS responding to their needs?

In Bogor and Jakarta, JRS provides the basic needs and conducts psychosocial and educational activities in collaboration with refugee communities. We offer not only financial assistance for daily needs, but also assist them for health care, because it is difficult for them to access hospital as they do not have the money to access the medical treatments they need.

JRS Indonesia is not the only organisation working with refugees in Indonesia. There are other organisations providing assistance in the country. JRS, through a need assessment, steps into the gaps, tries to understand what is still needed, what is missing. If we find that financial assistance is still needed, we help the refugees financially. And if they want to increase their skills, to prepare for when there is a chance to resettle in a third country, we also work in this area, providing education and certified training.

The principle of our community service is that we collaborate with refugees: we collaborate with refugee communities in running centres, such as education centres, in creating psychosocial activities, such as handicrafts, sewing, tailoring and some education or language learning programmes. We do all these things together with them. Previously we had a JRS learning centre, but now we call it our refugee community centre. In this way, the refugees can use the facilities and work with us to develop a programme and then implement it together.

Can you tell us a particularly transformative encounter or event that continues to inspire you in your commitment to JRS?

I think the personal encounter with the refugee is very important. And it has transformed me. Accompanying refugees, it’s not just about delivering services, but it means being with them, talking to them, and being inspired by them. So, this is what has motivated me to continue working with refugees for almost five years. For three years I was a field officer.
I met the refugees in daily basis. I was inspired by their talent, their willingness to serve others despite many difficulties. They have all their personal problems, but they are still willing to serve the community. So, it is very important to get to know this reality, and that is why I think personal encounter is important.

What are your hopes for the future of the communities you work with?

This is also the hope of our refugee friends who are actively engaged with the community and have initiatives to serve the community, they want to get out of their homes to do something good, especially the young refugees. It is thus important that refugees maintain hope for a better future, that they do many positive activities, that they study, that they take responsibility, that they accept opportunities to increase their skills. So, it is very important, while they are in waiting period in Indonesia, to do something good for themselves and for the community.