Jakarta – Mahmud has been a contract teacher for 28 years, earning only Rp 500,000 a month. Since 2002, the father of three has been scavenging garbage outside of teaching hours to provide for his family.
"To become a teacher, one must be willing. I would have left my job years ago if I was not willing," said Mahmud, 46, who teaches math and natural science at an Islamic junior high school, Madrasah Tsafinatul Husnah, in Cengkareng, West Jakarta.
In the last two years, he has been the principal of the school with a basic monthly income (before benefits) of Rp 350,000 (about US$38.5).
"I started scavenging five years ago when I was only earning Rp 200,000 as a teacher. How can I say no to scavenger work when it provides an additional monthly income of up to Rp 1 million?"
There are a total of 32 contract teachers at the school, which is also home to an Islamic elementary school, Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Tsafinatul Husnah.
A contract teacher currently gets Rp 5,000 per hour, meaning that in an eight-hour working day a teacher can earn Rp 40,000. Benefits, such as a transportation allowance (Rp 5,000 to 8,000 a day) and a snack allowance (Rp 1,000 a day) are scarcely available.
Mahmud said he learnt from one of his students, who was scavenging garbage to help pay for his education. "He was always late. I asked him why and found out that he scavenged before school." The two schools currently have as many as 300 pupils.
Mahmud, who graduated from the Academy of Educational Science in 2005, said he was hesitant at first about scavenging.
"Teaching is regarded as a noble job, while scavenging is about dirt and garbage. Most people just can't see how the two jobs fit together. I thought about it for six months before I worked up enough courage to go to the garbage site," he added.
When asked why he choose not to teach privately as a side job, Mahmud said "I don't think I would be able to teach optimally after school hours, as my mind is too exhausted. I don't want to jeopardize my students' futures for the sake of my own economic needs." Mahmud scavenges at a garbage site located behind the small bamboo hut he has been living in for the past ten years.
He collects glass, which is worth Rp 5,000 per kilogram, plastic bottles worth Rp 1,500 per kg, plastic bags worth Rp 600 per kg and paper worth Rp 1,500 per kg. He said he had more time to scavenge back when he was just a teacher.
"Ever since I became a principal, I have had to be present at the school from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m every day, (therefore) I can only scavenge after school. Besides, there are more and more scavengers here nowadays. So, my scavenging income has dropped to some Rp 200,000 or Rp 300,000 a month."
Mahmud's wife, Jumiati, 42, said "I'm still grateful though. Because of the garbage we can put decent meals on the table."
The couple has three children: two daughters, one of whom has graduated high school and one who is still studying at high school, and a son, who is still pursuing his university degree. Jumiati was diagnosed with brain cancer two years ago, but has not had any medical treatment due to a lack of funds.
However, both Jumiati and Mahmud still express their gratitude, by saying "Alhamdulilah, we don't owe money to anyone. That's what is important. We can sleep tight and eat well because we don't have to think about debts".
Mahmud, who often talks with motorcycle-taxi drivers and porters that live in his neighborhood, said "I have learned to be thankful from those people. I don't have it as hard as some of them".