Conflict Transformation Comic Book Programme

Gebora (Geng Bola Gembira - The Happy Football Gang), the first series of the Comic Book programme , was piloted and published in January 2003, and is now into its fourth episode. This fun colourful series of 12 episodes is set in a fictional kampung or village called Pagar Bukit in Kalimantan and tells the story of five teenagers from different backgrounds who form a football team. Through their love of football Dara (Dayak), Nurli (Chinese), Ical (Dayak-Malay), Matra'i (Madurese) and Beben (Javanese-Sundanese) discover that despite their differences they make a good team and form a gang who go on to have many adventures, learning about each others' differences and commonalities through positive and negative experiences along the way.

Gebora is a funny, easy to follow comic series which conveys messages of tolerance in a humorous way. The stories are in serial form, so each book builds on the story in the previous book. While it is too early to properly gauge audience responses, anecdotally it is clear that children are keen to read the comics and are able to pick up on some of the messages in the books.

The overall aims of the Comic Book Programme are:

• To influence the attitudes and behaviour of teenagers, who are particularly prone to involvement in violent conflict;



• To create a comic book which, while entertaining, provides practical information about conflict and how to deal with it in different (non-violent) ways;



• To utilize an adapted version of the comic book as a part of the school curriculum in several areas prone to conflict.

Gebora is distributed through local partner organisations in Madura and West Kalimantan who use them for educational activities with teenagers in conflict vulnerable areas.

Future plans include other series set in different parts of Indonesia.

For more details go to:

• Preparation and Research



• Production



• Activities Related to Comic Book Programme

Contact Persons:

Contact persons: Dewi Watson
Media Programme Manager
E-mail: dwatson@indocg.org

Ary Wahyu
Programme Officer
E-mail: ary@indocg.org

Tanti Budi Suryani
Comic Programme Assistant
E-mail: tanti@indocg.org