Prolog
Jakarta – Wilson Lalengke, yang akrab disapa dengan nama Shony, adalah seorang pria penuh inspirasi yang lahir dari keluarga Lalengke. Ia dibesarkan di pedalaman Sulawesi Tengah, tepatnya di sebuah kampung kecil bernama Kasingoli, yang kini telah ditinggalkan penghuninya. Shony adalah putra dari pasangan Wuranggena Kulua dan almarhum Sion Lalengke, seorang petani sederhana yang mewariskan nilai-nilai kerja keras dan ketulusan pada putranya.
Masa Kecil dan Pendidikan Awal
Shony memulai pendidikan dasarnya di SD Negeri Inpres Lee, Kecamatan Mori Atas. Setelah lulus, ia melanjutkan pendidikannya ke SMP Negeri Tomata, di ibukota kecamatan tersebut. Namun, ia hanya sempat belajar setahun di sana sebelum akhirnya pindah ke SMP Negeri 2 Poso. Di sinilah Shony mulai menunjukkan ketekunan dan semangat belajar yang kuat. Setelah menyelesaikan SMP, ia melanjutkan ke SMA Negeri 2 Poso, sebuah langkah penting yang membawanya lebih dekat ke cita-citanya.
Merantau dan Meraih Pendidikan Tinggi
Setelah lulus SMA, Shony merantau ke Pekanbaru, Riau. Di sana, nasib membawanya bertemu dengan keluarga dr. Chris Rumantir, seorang spesialis saraf yang memberikan dukungan besar dalam perjalanannya. Berkat bimbingan dan dorongan keluarga tersebut, Shony berhasil lolos Sipenmaru dan diterima di Universitas Riau pada tahun 1987. Ia menempuh pendidikan di Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan dengan program studi PMP-KN, jenjang Diploma-2, dan lulus tepat waktu pada tahun 1989.
Sebelum merantau ke Pekanbaru, Shony sempat mencoba peruntungan di Bandung pada tahun 1986. Di sana, ia mengadu nasib dengan harapan menemukan pekerjaan. Meskipun penuh tantangan, pengalamannya di Bandung memperkaya wawasan dan ketangguhannya dalam menghadapi hidup.
Pengalaman Internasional
Tahun 1994, Wilson Lalengke melanjutkan kuliah program Sarjana sambil bekerja, untuk kemudian menjadi pengajar di SMA Unggulan Provinsi Riau. Selama menjadi guru SMA Unggulan tersebut, Shony mendapatkan kesempatan berharga untuk mengunjungi Jepang melalui program Youth Invitation tahun 2000, sebuah program yang disponsori oleh Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Ia terpilih dari ribuan guru di Indonesia, sebuah pencapaian yang sangat membanggakan. Kesempatan ini memberikan pandangan baru bagi Shony tentang dunia luar dan semakin mempertegas impiannya menjadi seorang diplomat.
Karier dan Kepemimpinan
Setelah menyelesaikan pendidikan pasca sarjananya atas dukungan beasiswa Ford Foundation dan Erasmus Mundus di tiga universitas bergengsi di Eropa, Wilson Lalengke terus mengukir prestasi. Salah satu puncak kariernya adalah ketika ia menjadi Ketua Umum Persatuan Pewarta Warga Indonesia (PPWI), sebuah organisasi yang menaungi pewarta warga di seluruh dunia. PPWI kini memfasilitasi ribuan media online, memberikan ruang bagi jutaan warga untuk berperan aktif dalam dunia jurnalistik.
Sebagai pemimpin PPWI, Shony tidak hanya dikenal karena kemampuan manajerialnya, tetapi juga karena visi dan misinya untuk memberdayakan masyarakat melalui jurnalisme warga. Di bawah kepemimpinannya, PPWI berkembang pesat, dan namanya dikenal hingga ke mancanegara.
Penutup
Wilson Lalengke adalah sosok yang menginspirasi banyak orang. Dengan latar belakang sederhana dari sebuah kampung di Sulawesi Tengah, ia mampu menembus batas geografis dan sosial untuk meraih cita-citanya. Perjalanan hidupnya yang penuh liku dan kerja keras menjadi teladan bagi generasi muda Indonesia bahwa dengan pendidikan, ketekunan, dan bantuan dari orang-orang yang peduli, mimpi besar dapat diraih.
Getting to Know Wilson Lalengke, from the Lost Village to Tokyo and London
Prologue
Jakarta – Wilson Lalengke, who is familiarly called Shony, is an inspiring man born into the Lalengke family. He grew up in the interior of Central Sulawesi, precisely in a small village called Kasingoli, which has now been abandoned by its inhabitants. Shony is the son of Wuranggena Kulua and the late Sion Lalengke, a simple farmer who passed on the values of hard work and sincerity to his son.
Childhood and Early Education
Shony began his elementary education at Inpres Lee Elementary School, Mori Atas District. After graduating, he continued his education at Tomata Public Middle School, in the capital of the district. However, he only had time to study there for a year before finally moving to SMP Negeri 2 Poso. This is where Shony began to show his perseverance and strong spirit of learning. After graduating from junior high school, he continued his education at SMA Negeri 2 Poso, an important step that brought him closer to his dreams.
Migrating and Achieving Higher Education
After graduating from high school, Shony migrated to Pekanbaru, Riau. There, fate brought him to meet the family of Dr. Chris Rumantir, a neurologist who provided great support in his journey. Thanks to the guidance and encouragement of his family, Shony successfully passed Sipenmaru and was accepted at the University of Riau in 1987. He studied at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education with the PMP-KN study program, Diploma-2 level, and graduated on time in 1989.
Before migrating to Pekanbaru, Shony had tried his luck in Bandung in 1986. There, he tried his luck in the hope of finding a job. Although full of challenges, his experience in Bandung enriched his insight and resilience in facing life.
International Experience
In 1994, Wilson Lalengke continued his undergraduate studies while working, and then became a teacher at a leading high school in Riau Province. While he was a teacher at the leading high school, Shony had a valuable opportunity to visit Japan through the Youth Invitation program in 2000, a program sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He was selected from thousands of teachers in Indonesia, a very proud achievement. This opportunity gave Shony a new perspective on the outside world and further strengthened his dream of becoming a diplomat.
Career and Leadership
After completing his postgraduate education with the support of a Ford Foundation and Erasmus Mundus scholarship at three prestigious universities in Europe, Wilson Lalengke continued to achieve. One of the peaks of his career was when he became the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Citizen Journalists Association (PPWI), an organization that houses citizen journalists around the world. PPWI now facilitates thousands of online media, providing space for millions of citizens to play an active role in the world of journalism.
As the leader of PPWI, Shony is not only known for his managerial skills, but also for his vision and mission to empower communities through citizen journalism. Under his leadership, PPWI has grown rapidly, and his name is known internationally.
Conclusion
Wilson Lalengke is a figure who inspires many people. With a simple background from a village in Central Sulawesi, he was able to break through geographical and social boundaries to achieve his dreams. His life journey full of twists and turns and hard work is an example for the young generation of Indonesia that with education, perseverance, and help from people who care, big dreams can be achieved.
Writer Warsito Chief Editor of Berita Istana
