Batam, Indonesia

Spirit of resilience, by Jennifer Teo

Executive summary by darmansjah

This is Tanjung Uma, a century-old fishing village with houses built on stilts over the waters. One thing that struck me was how happy the children were, all smiles and singing songs even though they were living in what the world would term ‘squatter settlements’. One could  sense a feeling of freedom in the air, despite the fact that much of the village is in ruins and its infrastructure destroyed. I truly admire the spirit of resilience within that helps see them through every single day.