Many OeAD scholarship holders are involved in different campaigns in the fight against COVID 19. Lisa Esti Puji Hartanti is a doctoral student at the Communication Department of the University of Vienna and receives an Ernst Mach Grant – Asea Uninet. We have asked her to write about her activities.
I have a mind free, even though my body isolated.
That sentence is the basis of my motivation for doing something. Because, I am now staying far away, but doesn’t mean I cannot do anything for my country. For one week when I stayed at home in Vienna, I did a video conference with my community in Indonesia. Then, we discussed the things that we can do for our society. Because, my community is young people, so we decided to make a campaign in social media about ‘The Dangerous of Coronavirus’.
Indonesia has 34 provinces with 652 local languages, we want to translate the message from the central government to the simple content and using the local languages. We started to make the poster for publishing on Instagram with the content about things to do avoiding the coronavirus. Then, our community member who is representative of the diocese (youth commission of catholic church) in Indonesia, translated the message to the local languages and published it to their social media. Moreover, they created creative videos about how young people keep their parents from the coronavirus, one of which is by self-cleaning up after returning from activities outside the home.
Besides that, I also join the community of digital activist academicians, namely Japelidi (japelidi.id). We created the poster titled ‘Safe yourself and family from the coronavirus’ and then translated it into 42 local languages and spread it to the local and national online news. We also printed and distributed the poster to the community to be posted on their residence. In creating content, we strived to use simple words and not to use English terms, such as social distancing, and lockdown. So, people can well understand the message. Because until now, many people do not obey the role from the government about social and physical distancing. Thus, causing the number of people infected with the coronavirus to continue increasing. The Indonesian government only want us to help them spreading the three messages to society are stay at home, wear a mask, and wash hand.
Meanwhile, I was also with the student in Austria (Indonesian Student Association in Austria or PPI Austria) initiate the online workshop titled ‘Webinar; how to maintain your positivity during Covid-19 situation?’ This workshop targeted the student from Indonesia who stays away from home. The participant not only the student in Austria, but also in other countries, such as Estonia, UK, Canada, Germany, etc. The workshop was hosted by a mental health psychiatrist to explore the deepest desire from the student that has a positive value to strengthen ourselves that we are not alone.
I did all the activities online, and I was happy because I can give anything that I have to others. In the current situation, I choose to see it as a time gift by staying productive, and not just thinking for myself but for others. So, I invite the scholarship holders, let’s do something for others in need as part of our leadership.
By Lisa Esti Puji Hartanti Ernst Mach Grant-ASEA UNINET Scholarship Holder 2019
Doctoral Student at Communication Department University of Vienna
