NEWS
ECCO Foundation Expands Impact to NTB Through Collaborative Youth-Led BASAibu Wiki Program
In a major step forward for sustainable education and regional advocacy, ECCO Foundation has officially expanded its impact initiatives to the Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) region. In strategic collaboration with the Bali-based Yayasan Basaibu Wiki, ECCO Foundation launched the BASAibu Wiki-NTB program since February 2025, an ongoing citizen engagement initiative explicitly designed to amplify youth voices in public affairs.
By building digital literacy, fostering critical thinking, and preserving local cultural heritage, ECCO Foundation is actively bridging the gap between grassroots youth aspirations and regional government policies.
This program represents a key pillar in ECCO Foundation's mission to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing directly on SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
Driving Impact: The 3 Pillars of ECCO Foundation’s NTB Initiative
Rather than focusing on passive learning, ECCO Foundation structured the BASAibu Wiki-NTB program as a functional pipeline that guides young leaders from identifying local problems to presenting real-world solutions directly to lawmakers.
1. Navigating Regional Priorities via the NTB Youth Conference
To establish a clear roadmap for advocacy, ECCO Foundation kicked off the initiative by bringing together students, community organizations, academics, and government officials. This summit allowed youth leaders to collaboratively map out the most critical public policy and environmental issues facing the NTB community.
2. Digital Literacy Through the Public Participation Wikithon
With the issues mapped out, ECCO Foundation moved the program into the digital space. The Public Participation Wikithon is a web-based opinion-writing platform that challenges youth to articulate creative community solutions.
To ensure inclusive representation and local cultural preservation, submissions are accepted in three distinct languages:
- Indonesian (National unity)
- Sasak (Preserving indigenous NTB heritage)
- English (Connecting to global development audiences)
3. Policy Dialogues: Securing Seats at the Decision-Making Table
The ultimate goal of ECCO Foundation’s strategy is long-term policy advocacy. Through organized Policy Dialogues, the foundation facilitates direct forums where Wikithon winners present their action plans face-to-face with government stakeholders. These solutions are formally compiled into policy briefs to influence actual community development plans.
Real Impact, Sustainable Futures
By providing platforms that value both local languages and digital skills, ECCO Foundation ensures that community development in NTB remains inclusive, sustainable, and youth-led.
Cultivating Tomorrow's Civic Leaders
The true success of ECCO Foundation’s program is shown in how these young participants are now perceived within local leadership. They are no longer just onlookers in the policy process; they are trusted stakeholders.
Thanks to the frameworks established by ECCO Foundation and Yayasan Basaibu Wiki, these young change-makers are now frequently invited as speakers and consultants for both government forums and grassroots community initiatives. By giving youth the right tools for digital literacy and a direct channel to leadership, ECCO Foundation is successfully empowering a new generation to shape the policies that govern their communities.