In a time of deepening inequality, systemic neglect of the working class, and persistent informality in youth employment, PPMP–YCW Indonesia stands as a bold symbol of grassroots resistance and hope. For 35 days, from March 5 to April 8, 2025, the field visit by the Asia-Pacific (ASPAC) Coordinator of the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) cast a clear spotlight on the daily battles and inspiring determination of Indonesia’s young workers' movement.

Despite the crushing weight of financial precarity, limited national staffing, and geographical fragmentation, PPMP–YCW Indonesia is not retreating—it is advancing. It continues to sow seeds of revolution in the informal sector, organize platform workers, mobilize youth and students, and hold tight to the dream of liberation through collective struggle.

Last year’s successful hosting of the Regional Key Leaders Meeting (RKLM) and the National Council was not just a milestone—it was a declaration: young workers will not wait to be saved. They are building their future with their own hands, even without full-time staff or sustainable funding. This spirit of defiance and self-reliance was amplified during this year’s field visit, which aimed to strengthen their organizational backbone, consolidate membership development, provide political formation, and push forward the agenda for the IYCW Centenary Celebration in Belgium and Germany.

Grounded in Struggle: From Ciheulang to Majalaya, the Fight for Social Protection is Real

On the frontlines of the movement, base groups like Ciheulang are showing what militant organizing looks like. In a powerful act of collective education and resistance, local leaders—with the support of the ASPAC Coordinator—launched a campaign to enroll informal workers into BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, Indonesia’s labor insurance program.

From fisherfolk to online motorcycle drivers, young workers are demanding not just protection, but recognition. Twenty informal workers in Ciheulang alone have committed to register. This is not charity—it is worker-led justice. YCW Indonesia is showing that when the state fails to protect, workers organize and build alternatives rooted in solidarity, dignity, and action.

Meanwhile, in Majalaya, the movement is standing shoulder to shoulder with women workers of PT. Hyojintex in their courageous struggle against unpaid wages during illegal company leave. Though PT. Hyojintex is not a formal base group. YCW Indonesia’s commitment is clear: every exploited worker is our comrade, every abuse is our fight.

No Liberation Without Education, No Future Without Funding

But the struggle is not without deep cracks. PPMP–YCW Indonesia operates without a single full-time staff. National leaders—young, committed, unpaid—juggle jobs, studies, and family while carrying the movement on their backs. Monthly in-person meetings are rare. Funds for leadership formation, educational programs, and base group visits are practically nonexistent.

And yet, their courage is uncompromising.

The Centenary of the International YCW is near, and Indonesia is determined to be there. Due to budget constraints, only one delegate—President Hamdani Haliman—will represent them. Even then, the preparation is bold: t-shirt fundraising campaigns, strategic church networking, and seeking support from religious institutions like CICM and Waringin Church. This isn’t mere participation—it is a statement that young workers from working class in Indonesia have a place on the international stage, and they will claim it.

Faith That Organizes: Church Solidarity and Interfaith Dialogue

PPMP–YCW Indonesia’s advocacy has also reached the Church. Fr. Thomas Waluyo has stepped up not just as a spiritual guide, but as a political ally, offering support letters and accompaniment for the Centenary. But this movement is not bound by denomination—it is ecumenical, interfaith, and revolutionary. Collaborations with JAKATARUB, LBH TOHAGA, and SBSI expand YCW’s reach into human rights, legal defense, and formal labor unionism.

Together, they are will organizing Paralegal Trainings, preparing leaders not just to resist but to defend and win. YCW is forging a new kind of worker—conscious, organized, and unafraid.

The Road Ahead: Organize, Educate, Resist

The visit concluded with a sharp reflection: more needs to be done. Grassroots groups need political formation. Extension areas like Maluku, East Java, and Brebes must be reached. Leaders need to be trained, English skills developed, and data systems updated. Above all, the movement must break free from financial dependency by developing a real solidarity economy and securing international support.

But one truth rings out: PPMP–YCW Indonesia is alive, organized, and fighting.

In the face of systemic injustice, they refuse to bow. In the heart of exploitation, they choose to organize. In the shadows of neglect, they shine with militant hope.

Young workers of Indonesia are not victims. They are builders of a new society. And their struggle is ours.