Fixing Marsudirini School

My name is William Broder. I currently attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in New Jersey. Over the summer of 2017, I took a trip to the land of my ancestors in Sumba, Indonesia. I volunteered at a local school called SD Marsudirini in Tambolaka Sumba teaching English. Upon my arrival, I could not help but notice how cramped, dirty, and damaged their facilities were. Even though the school was in bad shape, the kids were so enthusiastic about learning and were all very friendly. 


In total, there are 563 kids from grades 1-6 in the school. Each grade is split up into 3 or 4 classrooms where they stay throughout the school day. The teachers of different subjects circulate around these rooms. The rooms themselves are cramped and are not structurally sound. The toilets especially are very dirty for there is no running water. Even though the school is not fit for learning, the kids are so excited about school because it is the highlight of their day. Many kids return home to poor families where food is scarce, so the kids are forced to work. School becomes a place where they can see their friends and they can learn various subjects that interest them. Unfortunately, the school is struggling to provide them a safe clean place to learn and grow. With your support, the Marsudirini Grade School will be able to build new classrooms, repair damaged buildings, and fix the bathrooms for these kids to use.

Thank you.