The limited access to education in Baburia Village, Keerom, Papua, did not dampen the spirits of Police Brigadier Batias Yikwa. This member of the Keerom Police Department established a Reading House in 2023 as an alternative learning space for children who have difficulty accessing formal schools.
The officer, from the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Keerom Police expressed his concern for the community in Baburia Village. He hopes the local community can become more prosperous.
Therefore, Brigadier Batias considered various ways that could benefit the residents, leading to the establishment of a Reading House in Baburia Village. According to him, access to learning is still a barrier for many children. Not all villages in the area are close to schools. “As a result, there are children who should be eligible for school but are not attending,” said Bripka Batias.
He also took the initiative to build a Reading House so that children would still have the opportunity to learn. “I took the initiative to build a library, so after studying in the morning, the children can spend their afternoons at the library,” he said.
His library is not only popular with children but also attracts the attention of adults. He mentioned that there were some people who couldn’t read yet, so he also helped teach them.
In addition, the library also provides books on agriculture, which has made the mothers in the village interested in learning as well. “There are parents who are still illiterate, so I teach them. There are also agricultural books for the mothers. “I teach how to plant well, choose seedlings, and use fertilizer,” he explained.
However, the struggle was not always easy. The library founded by Batias caught fire in November last year. “I heard the library burned down after 3 days. It happened during the dry season, so the fire from burning trash spread to the roof. No one in the community told me, maybe they were afraid I would get angry,” he explained.
This saddened and discouraged him for a while. However, he didn’t dwell on his sadness. He then asked the village to provide a room in the village office as a temporary library. “That day I was sad, but after I asked around, it turned out it wasn’t intentionally burned, it was an accident. “I wasn’t angry, then I asked for a room in the village office for a library,” he said.
Batias hopes that the presence of the Reading House can be a solution to help the community, both children and adults, continue to learn and develop their reading skills. “As a native Papuan, I want this program to continue. “The hope is that the community can live more independently, with more enthusiasm, and that the future will be brighter,” he emphasized.
The Head of Human Resources at the Keerom Police, Commissioner I Ketut Arnaya, appreciated the initiative and hoped the Reading House could improve the education of children in Baburia Village.
Mr. Yikwa is very good at providing non-formal education knowledge there. “There is already a library, and we are also collecting books to donate there so they can be used as learning materials,” said the Commissioner.
https://www.tribunnews.com/nasional/2025/08/19/kisah-bripka-batias-yikwa-dirikan-rumah-baca-untuk-anak-anak-papua-di-kampung-baburia
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