Let’s Colour and SOS Children’s Villages Indonesia welcome 2021 with hope

Although the Covid pandemic brought many uncertainties and challenges in 2020, AkzoNobel Indonesia continued to empower the young people of SOS Children’s Villages through several online mentoring and training programs. To welcome the New Year with enthusiasm, young people and volunteers added color to the SOS Children’s Villages office in Yogyakarta, as a symbol of togetherness and hope.

Staying resilient during challenging times

After dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire globe entered the ‘New Normal’ phase. The pandemic resulted in severe economic and social impact around the world. Vulnerable young people belong to the group that was hit the most by the disruptions the pandemic has caused. Many of them are at risk of being left behind in education, opportunities, and health and well-being during the crucial stage of their development.

In accordance with the World Youth Skills day on July 15th, AkzoNobel Indonesia and SOS Children’s Villages organized several virtual “Youth Resilience in Dealing with New Normal after Covid-19” sessions. The goal was to equip young people with the necessary skills and knowledge, so they can successfully manage evolving challenges and develop the resilience to adapt to future disruptions. With these and other online training sessions, more than 260 young people across 8 SOS communities were reached in 2020.

“We understand that the ‘New Normal’ is a new phase of life that will affect young generations as well. As part of our sustainability strategy pillars ‘People, Planet, Paint’, AkzoNobel Indonesia and SOS Children’s Villages Indonesia will carry out mentoring to empower teenagers to embrace the ‘New Normal’ phase in the long run,” said Indra Laban, President Director AkzoNobel Decorative Paints Indonesia.

Empowering young people

Next to developing soft skills that are considered crucial to increase the employability prospects for young people, practical training and experience also contribute to the development of their professional and personal skills. That’s why on December 17^th AkzoNobel employees delivered a virtual training program through the Dulux Painters Academy for 50 youngsters from 10 communities in Yogyakarta.  During the virtual training, the participants learned all about research and development, paint production, different types of paints, and how to apply them.

Spreading the spirit of hope and togetherness

On December 19th, 38 young people and 9 SOS and AkzoNobel volunteers gathered to add color to the SOS Children’s Villages Yogyakarta office. This Let’s Colour activity demonstrated togetherness and enthusiasm in celebration of the 4 year-long partnership in Indonesia and colored the New Year with joy and hope.

The painting theme was the social meaning of the SOS organization, which shows the basic rights of children such as receiving love, education, and participation. This theme is a part of the SOS Children’s Villages 2030 strategy and is aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals program of the Indonesian government.

Find out more at Dulux Indonesia.