They say that when there’s good news and bad news, people tend to share the good news first to soften the blow of the bad. But let’s do it the other way around, shall we? If you’re wondering what’s happening right now in Lombok, here’s the story.

Indonesia is set to reach its peak in 2024—a moment many have dubbed the “golden generation.” But reading the news and stories on the ground, it seems this might end up being just another catchy phrase.

As the years pass, that vision of a golden generation feels like it’s slipping further and further away. Honestly, I’m not sure when these predictions were made or what they truly meant. Maybe they were referring to the year 2045 instead.

But, let me refresh your mind, The Golden Generation 2045 is a discourse and idea in order to prepare the young generation of Indonesia who are qualified, competent and highly competitive.

This prediction stems from the fact that, between 2012 and 2035, Indonesia is expected to experience a demographic bonus—a period when the number of people in productive age will far outnumber children and the elderly.

Sounds pretty optimistic, doesn’t it? We can only hope to live up to that potential. But as of today, the latest report from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of NTB Province, which includes Lombok, paints a different picture regarding employment trends in the region.

Unemployment

The head of the NTB Province Central Statistics Agency (BPS), in his official statement on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, said that the composition of the workforce in August 2024 consisted of 3.11 million people who were employed and 87.01 thousand people who were unemployed.

Compared to August 2023, there has been an increase of 216.34 thousand people in the labor force. Among them, the working population grew by 212.57 thousand, while unemployment rose by 3.77 thousand.

According to the official statement, these numbers are accurate. But don’t you think they’re just the tip of the iceberg? With all the talk about the golden generation, an increasing number of unemployed people doesn’t exactly signal progress. It feels like we’re heading down the wrong path.

The Stunting Issue

Another story worth addressing is the issue of stunting.

Sometimes we don’t think we’re paying much attention to problems, but we think this is an important issue. From NTB stunting data in 2024, there was a decrease of 8.89 percent from 34.49 percent since 2018 to 24.6 in 2023.

Even with the mention of “reduction,” we believe that stakeholders in NTB must be compelled to focus on rigorous monitoring and evaluation to achieve the national stunting reduction target this year.

Surely, they understand that distributing eggs and milk is not a magic fix. Spending the budget on such activities without addressing the root causes of the issue is clearly not a sustainable solution.

Vineyard and Batik Art

Let’s move to the “lights at the end of the tunnel” kind of news.

One of a farmer in North Lombok, has been successfully developing a vineyard. During the two years he has been in this business, he said he make a little fortune. He claimed that, grape production in KLU is also known for its sweet fruit quality.

What’s even more fascinating is that he manages everything himself—seeding, maintenance, and every other task—on just 8 acres of land.

It’s a story worth highlighting because, despite his efforts, he has yet to receive any government assistance to support his vineyard. “So far, everything has been funded out of our own pocket,” he shared.

An inspiring story, don’t you think?

There’s also the story of another young person. Maybe in other parts of the world this would be normal, but because it’s in Lombok, it feels like something interesting. A local resident, a graduate of ISI Yogyakarta, is developing a batik with the motive called Pelecing Kangkung (Water Spinach Salad) and now she’s getting a lot of orders.

Harvia Hayati, or Pia as she’s called, has created many amazing works. Her love for batik started from her hobby of creating things. Especially in KLU, Pia said there wasn’t much batik art. Every piece she creates is sold through the business she started.

It’s called UMKM Sasakriyatif, which was previously named Tjejanting (2020).

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We want Pia’s work to be more widely recognized, so you can check out more about the business she runs.

Maybe we’re being too pessimistic, huh? There are so many other things we should be thankful for, it seems like that’s the case.