David Rampisela

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Starting Point

Like many other communities in Ambon, Maluku Youth Creative Hub was birthed under a different name: Paparisa Ambon Bergerak. This interethnic community was founded in 2012, although its activities came to a halt following the passing of its founder. In 2023, it was rebuilt under a different name—Maluku Youth Creative Hub—although the spirit remains the same.

MYCH emerged under the patronage of the State Intelligence Agency, adopted from a similar model that was formerly initiated in Papua. The agency recruited 12 young activists with experience in fostering interethnic alliances among youth and empowering them with economic and socio-cultural programs. David Rampisela was recently appointed as the Head of MYCH, a young entrepreneur with a decade of experience related to youth activism under his belt.  

Peace Journey

MYCH has 5 divisions under its structure: Agriculture, Creative Economy, SMEs, Socio-cultural, and Sports. Each category has its purpose in enriching the communal life of Ambonese youth. They held cultural review discussions on Ambonese pop culture products, formed agricultural groups in several villages, arranged several sports competitions, and initiated an annual pop-up market where several SMEs promote and sell their products. 

David expressed his wish for Ambon to become a livelier, more viable city for youth to develop their potential. Compared to Jakarta, the capital city where he went to university, it is difficult to garner funding for youth events in Ambon. There also aren’t as many opportunities for youth to grow, especially when the local government officials aren’t exactly supportive. During his tenure as the Head of MYCH, David wished to bridge the gap between the officials and the youths, as well as the parents and their young adult children. He jokingly said that parents need to realize their children can succeed without having to work as public servants, for many Ambonese parents still deem a career in the government office the pinnacle of success. 

Success Stories

MYCH smoothly arranged the Pattimura Street event, an SME fair where small, local businesses could participate in selling their products. The event lasted for 2 days each, with the first fair amassing 20 SME tenants, and the second one with as many as 44 tenants. Within those 2 days, it was estimated that the total transaction value for the second fair reached 400 million rupiahs. A total of 12.000 visitors visited the fair, which was located in the heart of the bustling city of Ambon. 

David told us the story with sparkling eyes. He spent a good chunk of his twenties in Jakarta, but his heart always belongs to Ambon. He’d like to think of it as tough love, he loves the city and its people, even though he still believes that the Ambonese youth need to build strong will and critical awareness. Quite a few of them only joined communities to boost their CVs, whereas David said one needs compassion to actually participate in those communities. He encouraged youths to enjoy the process, to reflect within themselves, and to collaborate in developing a youth-minded community.