Education Indonesia Project #73051

Give Indonesian Youth Power to Shape Their Lives

by BASAibu

Give Indonesian Youth Power to Shape Their Lives

Project Report | Jun 9, 2026
Shifting Civic Participation to Youth

By BASAibu | Team

As our work has grown across regions, we’re excited to share a simple but meaningful change. All of our platforms now carry one shared identity: BASAibu Wiki What was previously BASAbali Wiki, BASAsulsel Wiki, BASAkalimantan Wiki, and BASAntb Wiki will now be known as BASAibu Wiki – Bali, BASAibu Wiki – South Sulawesi, BASAibu Wiki – South Kalimantan, and BASAibu Wiki – NTB, all accessible through BASAibu.org (https://basaibu.org) where you can also sign up for our newsletter.

At its core, this work supports young people to bring their ideas into public decision-making, creating solutions that improve their lives—from education and mental health to environmental sustainability and child protection. Our platforms and in-person dialogues are the vehicle. The deeper impact is seen in how youth and government increasingly work together to shape those solutions.

Over 6 million people have accessed our platforms since 2014. Today, more than 153,000 young people have participated directly in civic dialogues and Wikithons, 60% of whom are young women. More than 15 government programs now reflect BASAibu youth-generated proposals. Just as importantly, public institutions are creating more regular pathways for youth voices to be heard.

BASAibu Wiki – South Sulawesi: From Youth Opinions to Formal Commitments

So far this year, youth voiced opinions on digital literacy, sustainable waste management, and child protection, feeding into policy dialogues that led to formal agreements with the Makassar Education and Environment Offices. The collaboration has continued to deepen, from implementation commitments with the government, to collaborating with a Dictionary Goes to School program (which led to the above award from the Makassar City Government) to BASAibu Wiki-Sulsel bridging government and local NGOs to prevent school dropouts. Youth are seeing their ideas built into real systems!

BASAibu Wiki – NTB: Ideas from Youth, Adopted in the Village

In NTB, a Wikithon literacy-boosting idea became reality when a child-friendly village library was launched with support from village government. Partnerships with universities and public agencies have helped strengthen the work, while youth winners were also invited into the Planning Board’s 2026 development planning discussions, a meaningful sign that youth participation is being recognized within formal governance.

BASAibu Wiki – Bali: From Dialogue to Institutional Partnerships

In Bali, recent months have brought new momentum through youth dialogues, growing partnerships, and continued expansion of the wiki itself. From policy conversations on mental health and tourism, to collaboration with schools, ministries, and media, the work continues to deepen. Even the digital dictionary grew through reinforcing how language and participation strengthen one another. The Bali team is also now in a new office. Visit us in what was Taman Baca Kesinam!

BASAibu Wiki – South Kalimantan: Priorities Taking Root in Practice

In South Kalimantan, a winning Wikithon idea on mental health became a youth-led public campaign in Banjarbaru. The campaign concluded with Bilik Bakisah, a safe space where young people could speak openly and know they were not alone. The work also moved into policy dialogue, as the Kalimantan Youth Council presented a youth-authored Policy Brief to local officials—another example of youth ideas moving into action.

BASAibu Wiki – Java: A Fifth Province Joins the Network

This May, a new chapter begins as BASAibu Wiki launches in Java, bringing this approach to millions more young people. We’re very excited for what this next expansion will make possible!

With each new step we take, this work helps redefine how public life is shaped.

Thank you for growing this movement with us.

BASAibu Team

Links:

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Feb 23, 2026
Impact: When Young People and Gov talk together

By BASAibu | Team

What started with a question about language has become a place for civic participation.

Over a decade ago, BASAibu began by creating digital space for local languages to exist online. What we’ve learned since is this: language creates access, but voices that are heard create change.

This short video traces that journey. From building Indonesia’s first community-led Balinese dictionary to supporting young people across Indonesia as they move from sharing ideas to influencing real decisions. We invite you to watch and see how far this movement has grown.

Across Indonesian provinces, our work looks a little different, but the pattern is the same: young people are speaking up, leading, and being taken seriously. Here are a few recent stories from our sites:

BASAibu in Bali: From Silence to Leadership

For youth like Frisca and Adrian, our online competitions (“Wikithons”) became a turning point. What began as hesitation turned into confidence in researching public issues, speaking directly with officials, and stepping into leadership roles. Today, youth who once felt invisible are sitting at policy tables and shaping conversations that affect their communities.

BASAibu in South Sulawesi: Ideas That Move Beyond the Page

For Lindan Malik, Yusriah Nirmalasari, Novi, and their peers, writing opinions was only the beginning. Their ideas on mental health and education evolved into dialogue with government, media, and community groups. Together with partners like the Street Children Care Community (KPAJ), they helped reconnect out-of-school children with education, proving that with the right support, youth voices can move systems, not just conversations.

BASAibu in West Nusa Tenggara: From Suggestions to Action

In West Nusa Tenggara, youth like Aisyah, Fitri, Rahman, and Siti turned sensitive topics into collective action. From school campaigns on sexual violence prevention to village workshops on body consent, their ideas reached classrooms, communities, and even provincial planning spaces. These young leaders are proving that courage and voice can change how communities talk and act.

BASAibu in Kalimantan: When Small Shifts Add Up

For Riska, Dian, and Fajar, small ideas sparked visible change. From reducing plastic waste in schools, rethinking digital habits, to reclaiming public spaces, their initiatives grew beyond digital competitions into city-level action. What started in a Wikithon now lives on in daily habits, public policy, and shared spaces.

Each story is different but they share a similar shift: young people moving from observation to ownership.

This is how lasting change takes root: not through programs alone, but by shifting entire ecosystems—so that young people expect to be heard, governments expect to listen, teachers expect to facilitate, and communities expect youth voices in decisions that shape their lives.

Thank you for being part of this growing movement.

BASAibu Team

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoVsase85Qk

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