Serangan School Project - Lombok Indonesia
To All Family and Friends
Many of you will now know that Cathy and I are embarking on a project to help underprivileged children in Lombok, Indonesia. Having travelled there earlier this year, I met an expat called Gian and was incredibly fortunate to have seen what Gian and his expat friends are doing with regards to education for underprivileged children there. The "school" facilities were basic to none quite frankly, just a piece of wood as a chair (if there were even enough), an old piece of cardboard as a substitute blackboard, a roof where you hoped it didn't rain too much etc.... And yet the children were so excited to be given the opportunity to learn, even under these challenging circumstances. Education is priceless, and yet in our world we take it almost for granted! Believe me, in places like Lombok, it is a luxury that very few children have!
We would like you all to look deep into your hearts, hopefully see that what we are trying to achieve with the children is incredibly beneficial to them, allowing them to obtain an education and therefor find a job, build a life, and then bring back their skills into their community so that everyone there can grow and prosper, as we have in our world been lucky enough to do!
I ask you all to please read the story below - Serangan School Project - and if you feel it is something you believe in and could support, to donate accordingly. Any amount, large or small, is valuable to these children and this project.
Feedback on the process is being set up via social media and monthly status reports, you will be able to see on a regular basis where your money has gone to, and the benefit you will be bringing to these children. Every single cent raised here will go directly into building a school, paying the monthly costs and purchasing materials etc for the children - there are no additional overhead costs! This is for the children, no-one else!
So dear friends and family, I kindly ask you to read this story below and contribute to what will be an incredible project, changing the lives of many underprivileged children - together, we can make a difference!
The Serangan School Project - Our Story
Brief Background
Serangan is a beachside community located in rural southern Lombok, Indonesia. The area is very isolated, consisting of many small villages. Gian relocated to Serangan several years ago to further develop his construction business, but at the same time, was passionate about assisting the local community with future development.
Gian integrated extensively with the local community and spent significant time with the local children, realising that by being able to provide increased access to education, he would be able to help transform the experiences and lives of these children - creating a more prosperous future for them and their community.
Gian started conducting informal classes in the local 'warung' every Sunday morning, teaching English to those who were interested. Within no time at all, word had spread and within weeks, attendance had increased to over 30 children. Needing more assistance, a team of approximately 5 expat volunteers and some local surf instructors who due to the pandemic have no work joined the project and assisted with teaching and organising. The concept was born!
Going Beyond the Classroom
Whilst a combination of natural curiosity and the opportunity to learn has so far proven to be enough to attract a large group of children, Gian and his team also provide food for all of the children after class. But lessons come first!) Certainly based at least on the speed with which the food disappears down hungry mouths, this is a clear winner!! Motivation to learn indeed.....
Furthermore, every 2 weeks, a field excursion is made to different parts of the island which assists greatly in helping the children to stay engaged, motivated and keen to continue their lessons. Many of these children have never ventured out of their local area so seeing their island and the beauty it has to offer for the first time is a joy to behold. The video below is an example of this where a field trip was organised to a local waterfall, only some 30 minutes away from where these children live, and yet many had never been there.......
These expat volunteers not only donate their time to the project and the field trips but also purchase essentials for the children such as pens, paper, notebooks, blackboards etc. In addition to the above, the volunteer teachers are trying to instil the right values and also respect for their surrounding and the environment. Prior to class, the children clean the beach collecting plastic for example and are educated to be kind, respectful and polite to one another and their surroundings. The video below demonstrates the love!
Interest has skyrocketed
The team are absolutely thrilled with how quickly the interest in attending English class and school generally has spread throughout the community, it is very special indeed and extremely rewarding.
However, with this influx of interest and students, it has presented several challenges. With so many children having vastly different levels of English, our volunteer teachers have found the best way for the children to learn is to separate them into smaller groups based on their level which certainly assists in maintaining their level of interest as it challenges them more to improve. But space is very limited - at least under the roof! Faced with these and other restrictions, the idea of the Serangan School Project was born - a dedicated school with 3 open air classrooms, a kitchen (to provide food and motivation after class) and clean bathrooms! The children will be able to learn and study in a more focused, structured and controlled environment.
The Project - A dedicated school!
The video below provides a 3D concept of the build as currently envisaged.
Land for the school has been loaned/donated by a local Serangan family. The building has been designed in such a way that should this family's circumstances change and they require the land for another purpose , it can be easily dismantled and re-assembled in another location. Thanks to Gian's expertise as a building contractor and using the many contacts he has developed, Gian has been able to secure high quality materials at extremely economical rates. The details and an initial budget are shown in the photo below.
This cost at current exchange rates is approximately USD12,500. With all the required pieces in place to commence the build and provide a more conducive learning environment for the children, we are currently trying to raise funds. Current estimates indicate that once funding has been secured, the construction could be completed with approximately 2 months, providing the children with a roof over their heads to learn prior to the wet season beginning! Monthly fees including food, field trips, school supplies, electricity, running water and a security guard are estimated at USD250-USD300 per month at this stage.
Making this a Reality for the children
As we begin this exciting project, we recognise that feedback of where your donations have been spent is essential to build trust and faith, amongst other considerations. Progress will be documented via social media and also we envisage a quarterly newsletter that will be distributed to all our donors and supporters, highliting updates on construction, the learning process, the children and importantly, messages direct from the children as their English progress's. We are all incredibly grateful for this opportunity and hope you will join us in making this a dream come true for the children.
We thank you in advance so much for your support!!
With kind regards
The Serangan School Project Volunteer Teaching Team.
