EDUCATION PROGRAM

We have provided extremely successful free grassroots educational programs, supporting 1000’s of children through the years.
Our Learning Centers have very popular libraries, which is usually the first time children have contact with books which are not school text books.
We brought internet and computers as well as computer lessons to remote areas. This was often the first time both teachers and children had seen a computer/laptop.
Secondary school students are using the internet with confidence to research their homework.
Some of our older children gained part-time employment in computer related jobs instead of having to work in brick factories.
We set up Typing and Computer Training Program for children and when needed additional classes in the evening for youth and adults.
We expanded our Educational Support Program which now teaches History, Science, Geography, Social Science, Indonesian, Math’s, Arabic, English, Environmental Studies and Health Education.
We often (funding permitting) provide school uniforms, bags, books and stationary at the start of the school year to encourage
enrolment to Primary and Secondary school.

Achievements since 2009

THE RESULTS

All our Kindergarten aged children passed their entrance exams for Primary School and were accepted.

Children queue in front of the libraries in the afternoon to access our books and read.
Despite the extreme hardship of their living conditions, the fact that their parents are for the most part illiterate and cannot help
them with their learning, and many as young as 6 are given their baby siblings to look after while at our Program, the children of
the villages have shown incredible enthusiasm to learn and will go to great lengths to attend classes.
We are witnessing learning abilities developing rapidly among the children and their witnessing their joy and enthusiasm for attending the classes.
Locals are supporting the education program in any way they can, working for free and donating whatever they are able to, as a result of the extraordinary community spirit which they witness in the children.
Teachers from the local schools are coming to us to exchange ideas and discuss the needs of their students.
Local government education services have become interested in our Programs and have lent their support.

We run a number of no-cost Programs, including health workshops on various health care issues such as diabetes, TB and dental hygiene.

We have contained and facilitated treatment of many Malaria and Dengue cases through our education, protection and prevention program.
We developed a very close working relationship with the main hospital of the province in Banda Aceh, and when there was an out break of malaria or dengue fever were able to bring a medical team to the villages to run mass treatment programs.
Children who had been taught awareness of how to identify causes of and prevent malaria and dengue fever have passed this information to their parents who proactively covered stagnant water in and around their homes.
We had the same impacts with our TB awareness campaign, with children covering their mouths when coughing.
We have organised and/or obtained funding for numerous operations for hernias, hydrocephalous, tumours, congenital heart disease, cataract operations, hair lip, cleft palettes and a young burn victim.

THE RESULTS

Despite the rainy seasons we witnessed a dramatic decrease of stagnant water areas in the villages.

Some areas had reported being Malaria and Dengue fever free for over 18 months.
Inhabitants of the region gained a higher understanding of how to prevent and identify diseases which are prevalent in the area and protect their children from them.
Children are aware of dental hygiene and began to look after their teeth.
Local government health services have become interested in our Programs.

We run a number of no-cost Programs, including:

A small library of educational materials and books to which all villagers
have access has been founded. This has been met with enthusiasm by the
whole community and has encouraged reading and learning as well as
reinforcing the message that education is a way to lift the community out
of poverty. Parents have witnessed the incredible effect of education on
their children and those who can read are borrowing their children’s books
and reading in groups in the evenings and some parents are sitting in on
classes as well.
A Disaster Reduction Program, teaching swimming to mothers and babies, infants, children, youth and adults and are running life saving classes - this is invaluable in rebuilding confidence with water after the trauma of the tsunami -many children are still terrified when it rains.
We established the community activity of showing documentaries to the whole community on a projector, as many parents complained their children were becoming ‘more clever than us’- this entails no cost for us and brings the community together.
We have obtained funding for a hand tractor which allows 31 families in Lam Asan alone to cultivate more of their land more efficiently, enabling them to grow more food for their own consumption and surplus for sale.

We run a number of no-cost Programs, including a system to monitor and record the children’s height and weight this was set up in order to monitor and target malnutrition and other health issues.
We have created a record of the local children living within problematic families or children with disabilities, health issues or living in extreme poverty.
We have built a close working relationship with teachers in schools in the region to ensure children are monitored constantly to make certain that any children at risk and not part of our programs are receiving the assistance we can provide.