Dessy Phorenthine, Dayak (Tahak Village, West Borneo)Youth Ambassador

Plorentina Dessy Elma Thyana or Dessy, was born in Balai Semandang village, 10 December 1996. The Dayak Simpakng youth from Tahak village, Ketapang regency, West Borneo, Indonesia. Since she was kid, Dessy always went to the forest with her parents to gather the food, traditional medicine and attend the rituals. Her love of her culture, tradition, and local wisdom brought her with her family to established Yayasa Arus Kualan (the customary School Arus Kualan), where it has becomes the place to preserve the traditional knowledge and values, connect the new generation to the elders to learn about the Dayak traditional knowledge, traditional music, games, food, medicine, rituals, local wisdom, language,  traditional story and carving. Furthermore, Yayasan Arus Kualan also facilitates the kids in the literacy class and encouraged the Dayak youth to make a Documentary film, recording the story from the elders and community. And now, Dessy has already established 5 Sakolah Adat in 5 different places with the total 149 students. Her dreams is to build the building for the school in the forest and involve many people, especially the Dayak people in to join and keep the Dayak identity.