15 February 2023
With a proud smile, Beatriks Rumaseb kissed her son, Perez Rumaseb, who will be going to Java Island as part of the Papua Football Academy (PFA) team on Saturday (11/2/2023) morning local time. Perez also had tears in his eyes after receiving a kiss at the entrance to Mozes Kalingin Airport, Timika, Papua. His expression blushed with embarrassment because several national media covered it in front of him, including Kompas.com.
The quick meeting was a rare moment for Perez with his mother. Perez is one of 30 lucky children who became the first batch of Papua Football Academy. Perez only had the opportunity once a month to receive visits from family while studying football and formal education for two years at the PFA headquartered at Mimika Sports Complex (MSC), Timika.
PFA is a football school and boarding school for Papuan boys. This program is PT Freeport Indonesia's commitment to developing the Papuan community, one of which is in the sports field. "I am very proud because I did not expect Perez to be part of the PFA from the many children who took part in the selection," said Beatriks. "I'm also grateful because PFA can provide opportunities for the younger generation in Papua."
Even though her son had only joined PFA a few months ago, the woman, who is a member of the National Police at the Mimika Police BInmas Unit, said that she could already see big changes. "Our family is very grateful because these children enter individually, like Perez, who is very close to his mother," he added. "However, since joining the PFA, the changes have been enormous. He is now very independent." "In the past, he used to call 'mommies' at home. However, since PFA, he is no longer doing that thing. He is an adult who can be very independent and do things on his own."
Building Character and Culture of Papuan Children
The development of the maturity of Perez and also his other colleagues is exactly what PT Freeport wants to achieve for the next generation in Papua. "This is how we develop humans, I think PFA is a right way. I am happy because these children are amazing," said Claus Wamafma, Vice President of Community Development at PT Freeport, at a dinner at Freeport's Kuala Kencana complex on Thursday night. "We have a dream, one day maybe children from the PFA can play in the Indonesian national team," he continued. "But what's most important, is that after they learn playing football there are values that they bring back to society. This is important."
"PFA has to become a mini-Freeport. Its values are corporate culture: you can't hit people, bully people, respect each other, don't throw garbage anywhere, queue at airport counters, enter on time, don't be tricked," said the football enthusiast. "We have to deliver these values."
He continued that PFA is like a mini laboratory where all parties can learn about cultural values and bring them back to their respective families. That is a message that is expected to be delivered by PFA students to the wider community. "We teach it to children, and when they return to society, they can be ambassadors of good things. They speak good and true," he said. "We knit a dream to see the best soccer talents in the Land of Papua become players who can show at the national level and even one day represent Indonesia at the international level.”
The same thing was said by coach Wolfgang Pikal who became Director of the PFA Academy. "The focus at the PFA is so that the players are not only good technically and tactically but also have the good qualities to be good human beings and professional players," he told Kompas.com. He added that PFA teaches three important pillars: Daily life skills, including discipline and hygiene; Academic schools where they continue their formal education; and the third is football. "The hope is, first, all the children here become good and productive human beings in their extended family environment," he said. "Then, hopefully, half of our students can become professional players."
Kami menghimbau para pencari kerja untuk berhati-hati dan mewaspadai beragam modus penipuan perekrutan yang mengatasnamakan PT Freeport Indonesia. Dalam setiap proses rekrutmen dan penerimaan karyawan, PT Freeport Indonesia maupun konsultan rekruitmennya tidak memungut biaya apapun.
Untuk melihat lowongan, silakan akses melalui link berikut: ptfi e-recruitment
Untuk melihat informasi magang, silakan akses melalui link berikut: Internship Program
