A decade ago, on September 13th, 2015, David Svoboda sent out what he describes as the hardest email of his professional life. After building Indonesia’s very first content delivery network, a steep shift in currency exchange rates and licensing fees forced an impossible decision. Bleed money for years and risk losing everything, or shut down a groundbreaking company. The board chose to close operations immediately.
That same night, Svoboda’s phone buzzed with a message from Robert and Sophia Blake, the United States Ambassador and spouse in Indonesia. The message was short but carried weight: “Heard you have some free time on your hands now, can you come over for breakfast?” When the U.S. Ambassador invites you to the official residence, you go.
When Svoboda arrived the next morning, representatives from UNHCR, UNICEF, and Noor Traavik – the wife of Norway’s Ambassador to Indonesia Stig Traavik – were waiting. They briefed him on a crisis few outside the region understood: an estimated 49 million Indonesian children were undocumented.
Unlike debates around “undocumented” status in Western politics, this issue had nothing to do with immigration or borders. This was pure poverty. Babies were born in remote rainforest villages or rice fields to families earning the equivalent of two dollars a day. These families had no ability to travel to hospitals or government offices to register births. The consequence was catastrophic. These children grew up unable to legally attend school, obtain identification, secure a driver’s license, or get a passport. In the eyes of the system, they simply didn’t exist.
The Indonesian government’s poverty data didn’t even include these children, because they were never recorded. They were born Indonesian, to Indonesian parents, yet excluded from the nation’s official statistics and social safety systems.
That morning, over coffee in the Ambassador’s residence, the group proposed something bold. They wanted Svoboda to help with a national telethon that would air live during Saturday night primetime. The initiative would raise awareness and fund the retroactive documentation of these children. The cost was projected at roughly 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah per child – a life-changing sum for families who couldn’t afford it.
Svoboda accepted. And then he went to the mountains.
He headed to his weekend retreat in Puncak, a peaceful area of Java surrounded by tea plantations and volcanoes. He invited his friend Stephen Laurence Harvey, who had just postponed a photography project with Bradley Cooper. As soon as Svoboda explained the mission, Stephen offered a demo song he had co-written with Brenda Russell, the five-time Grammy nominee known for The Color Purple.
From that moment, the project accelerated.
Returning to Jakarta with renewed purpose, Svoboda secured a donated studio from MD Studios and filming locations from the Ritz-Carlton Jakarta. He began calling every major artist and celebrity in Indonesia. The pitch was simple: “We’re creating a project for the undocumented children of Indonesia. When can you come into the studio? Any time of day or night.” For six straight weeks, he didn’t go home – bouncing between studio sessions, sponsor meetings, and filming locations.
The result became the largest collaboration music video ever produced in Indonesia, paired with a record-breaking telethon that UNHCR and UNICEF had never experienced before in the country.
On October 17, 2015, the GIVE BACK project premiered live on national television through SCTV during Noor Traavik’s telethon. The audience in the studio included some of the wealthiest donors, most influential politicians, and biggest cultural figures in Indonesia. Svoboda introduced the project on live national television, marking one of the most ambitious social collaborations the archipelago had ever witnessed.
In the years that followed, the ripple effects were significant.
Since then, Executive Producer, David Svoboda, (IG @milliondollarflightattendant) has taken other social projects that pushed a social message or cause. One of the most notable was his ICBANANA project which saw him trending as the number two trending topic on Twitter in Twitter’s largest market, Indonesia. He is releasing a new book “Life Hacking Tips from the Million Dollar Flight Attendant”
Photo Courtesy: David Svoboda
Where They Are Now – The GIVE BACK Contributor
- Kafin Sulthan (IG @kafinsulthan) became an AMI Award winner for Best Children Male Solo Artist.
• Sandhy Sondoro (IG @sandhysondoro_official) won the Grand Prix at the White Nights of St. Petersburg International Music Festival.
• Marcelia Lesar (FB @marcelia.lesar1) became CEO of Festival Jazz Internasional PUNCAK and founded the Soundtuari International Music Festival.
• Kyla Christie Hambali (IG @kylachrst) won multiple gold medals at the World Championships of Performing Arts and founded the award-winning “Sing to Build Nonprofit.”
• Syaharani (IG @syaharani.id) expanded into film and theater while continuing her music career.
• Jamie Aditya (IG @jamieadityag) won Best Supporting Actor at the Asian Academy Creative Awards and continues performing globally.
• Brianna Simorangkir (IG @simorangkir.brianna) expanded into TV, film, and music, and also became a mother.
• Paul Arnold Latumahina (IG @paullatumahina) launched the pop R&B group T-Five and continues producing for major artists.
• Reza “The Groove” (IG @rezathegroove) remained one of Indonesia’s most recognizable R&B voices.
• Teza Sumendra (IG @tezasumendra) grew into one of the country’s most respected soul artists.
• Dira Sugandi (IG @dirasugandi) performed internationally across London, New York, and Asia.
• Sabina & Karina (IG @sabina_and_karina) expanded careers across performance, media, and fashion.
• Cherya Murja (IG @cheryamurja) continued releasing jazz and pop music.
• Indah Winar (IG @indahwinar) pursued new creative projects across Indonesia’s music scene.
• Titiek Puspa & Duta Cinta (FB @titiekpuspa) continued influencing Indonesia’s musical and philanthropic culture.
• Once Mekel (IG @oncemekelofficial) maintained legendary rock status with new releases and tours.
• Calvin Jeremy (IG @calvinjeremy) continued acting, releasing charting pop music, and recently became a father.
• Gita Gutawa (IG @gitagut) expanded across acting, music, and production.
• Clarice Cutie (IG @claricecutieofficial) grew her international performance career and social following into the millions.
• Basuki Tjahaja Purnama “Ahok” (IG @basukibtp) returned to public service and authored influential works.
• Yohana Yembise Susana continued championing women and child protection issues.
• Josh Sihombing “The Magic Man” (IG @themagicman.id) continued touring Southeast Asia and embracing his girl dad era.
• Agnes Monica (IG @agnezmo) expanded globally in music, fashion, and lifestyle.
• Joe Taslim (IG @joe_taslim) starred in major international films across Hollywood and Asia.
• Mike Lewis (IG @mike_lewis) continued acting, modeling, and hosting across Southeast Asia.
• Farah Quinn (IG @farahquinnofficial) expanded her culinary and media empire.
• Stephanie Yoe (IG @stephanieyoe) remained active in lifestyle, fashion, and content creation.
• Bimo Setiawan Almachzumi “bim-bim” Slank (IG @slankdotcom) continued touring as part of Indonesia’s iconic rock band.
• Mohammad Ridwan Hafiedz “ridho” Slank (IG @ridhoslank) continued creating and performing with Slank.
• Raline Shah (IG @ralineshah) expanded acting, modeling, and philanthropy across Asia.
• Olivia Marzuki (IG @oliviamarzuki) continued her international journalism and broadcasting career.
• Shireen Sungkar (IG @shireensungkar) expanded her acting and entrepreneurial ventures.
• Narabite (IG @narabite) grew as a music and visual content creator.
• Asha Kenyeri Bermudez (IG @ashabermudez) continued work across music, film, and creative consulting.
• Mahir’s Band stayed active in Indonesia’s music community.
• Evan Sanders (IG @iam.evansanders) continued acting in film and TV.
• Dimas Beck (IG @dimasbeck) expanded into lifestyle ventures and acting.
• Randy Pangalila (IG @randpunk) continued acting and performing.
• Gideon Tengker (IG @gideontengker) remained active in music and environmental advocacy.
• Iskandar Widjaja (IG @iskandarwidjaja) became one of the most internationally recognized Indonesian violinists.
Ten years later, GIVE BACK stands as one of Indonesia’s most ambitious and consequential celebrity-driven social projects. It proves what can happen when the entertainment world, diplomatic community, and local organizations unite behind a single mission: giving the invisible a chance to be seen.
