Progress Report of Children Learning Community on February 2012

Hello my dearest friends


Happy Chinese New Year 2563 for you who celebrate it.
May we all be in the prime health, happiness and receive abundant blessings in this Dragon Year.


The Children Learning Community activities run well in February.

We received several guests, in groups or individually, who wanted to get to know the children and our alternative learning activities.

On Saturday, 4 February 2012, we have Legion of Mariae group from Cijantung – East Jakarta Parish. The ladies were involved in the children activities, gave some advices and encouragement to the children to keep studying, obey to their parents and keep the manners well. Mrs. Antonia taught the children to sing and dance ‘Potong Bebek Angsa’. They brought some gifts from their friends of St Andrew community. The children were happily singing and dancing together, especially when they then received some snacks, milk and red pocket money.

Thanks to the Presidency of Legion of Mariae Ratu Putri Surgawi, Cijantung Parish who deigned to visit us and share their concerns, happiness and some material supports to the children.

On Saturday, 18 February 2012, Kak Alfin Nadjib and his friend visited the Learning Tent. We gathered and chatted with them. Kak Alfin was in the process of finishing his works for several days in Jakarta, he came from Texas USA to know the children better. He brought some stationery which we really need. There were whiteboard, marker, ink, eraser and magnet pins. We also then took group photo. Kak Alfin Nadjib then farewelled and wished to be able to visit us again.

Thanks to Kak Alfin Nadjib for his support, concern and generosity. We for sure will use the stationery in our alternative learning activities. Thanks to Kak Ita who introduced us to Kak Alfin Nadjib.

On Saturday afternoon, 25 February 2012, we received old friends, Kak Edwin Vega and his wife, Kak Violeta, who brought some of their work colleagues from Soho Pharmacy. In 2009, Kak Edwin Vega and Kak Violeta together with their university friends visited us. At the time, we just built our Learning House, nearby the rice field. Now, they brought their work colleagues to visit us in Cakung. They brought us some lunch. Therefore, our Healthy Menu program was replaced by this event.

We were about to start the Learning Activities. As usual, the children start it by clipping their nails and washing hands, and then they gathered to sing together and drinking milk. All the guests came after they drank the milk. We got to know each other and sing together. Then, they enjoyed the lunch provided. Before the guests leaving, we took a group photo.

Thanks to Kak Edwin, Kak Violeta and friends from Soho Pharmacy who deigned to visit and entertain the children and provided lunch and some funds for the many programs in our Children Learning Community.


Alternative Learning Activities

a. Cakung Children Community

This activity is held every Friday and Saturday and we now have many new children joining us from nearby the rice field. Usually, there were maximum 30 children to participate in Friday session however, it is now 49 children. Not to mention every Saturday. During this February, every day we always have new children, with a total of 14 new children in February. Mostly they are very young children who we then put them within Category 0. The rest go to groups within Category 1, 2 and 3.

We were finally able to fix the bookshelf on the last week of February. It was done after we completed the making of other bookshelf. Now, we can use these bookshelves to store stationery, art and craft materials and tools, reference books and text books for the facilitators and children.

In February, we learn and practice about Appreciation Value (as part of Living Value Activities). This activity is held every Saturday for a month. We started with Self Appreciation, Appreciation towards Others and Appreciations towards Environment. Kak Ari was in charged to lead and coordinate this month activity.

On the first quarter of the year, we introduced the values of peace, appreciation, love and responsibility. These activities are scheduled on every Saturday, after studying together. As the consequence, we moved the Vocational Skills session to Fridays.

On Friday, 24 February 2012, one of our facilitators, Kak Mona, who used to help us in Cakung Community in 2010-2011, came to visit and help children from Category 0. She left us in 2011 as she needed to return to her hometown, Balikpapan.


b. Muara Baru Community

The Learning Activities run every Sunday, where we have studying together as well as reading books from our little library.

The activity starts at 10AM and finishes around 2PM. After studying together, the children usually read books and play scrabble.

We had less children came for studying but we had more children for joining the reading and playing together. They were interested to read books and play scrabble. Most boys came in the afternoon then they read and played scrabble.

This gameboard is a new thing for Muara Baru community. The children enjoy composing words. From this game, we all learn new Bahasa Indonesia vocabulary.


We thank for all the collaboration between the facilitators, the children and residents of Cakung and Muara Baru.

Thanks to Kak Mona, Kak Uju, Kak Qori’ah, Kak Uwie and Kak Ari.



Library

We open our library on every Wednesdays. Mostly we start it with book registration and numbering, then we put covers on the books.

In the early month of February, our plan to make up a bookshelf was into a realization. We completed it on the last week of February 2012.

We received many donated books, including school text books and general knowledge books.

On Thursday, 9 February 2012, we received school text books from Mrs Danik. On Tuesday, 14 February 2012, we received general knowledge books from Kak Vera. We collected the books directly from their houses.

Thanks to Mrs Danik and Kak Vera for their loyal support to our library activities.


Nutrition Improvement for Children

During February 2012, the nutrition improvement activities run well. On the last Saturday of the month, we did not provide healthy menu – except still providing milk – as we received several guests who brought some lunches. They are Kak Edwin, Kak Violeta and their friends.

The healthy menu for this month is bread with jam, boiled peanuts and hard-boiled eggs. The menu was prepared by one of the residents, Tia’s mom, at their house, who followed the agreed schedule and menu established in Children Learning Community Program in December 2011. Starting from the last week of January 2012, the demand of milk has been 2 boxes for milk powder every Saturday. Therefore, for the coming months, the total amount of milk powder boxes required for a month will be 8 boxes (800grams per box).

We thank to the team who organized it and to Tia’s mom who had prepared the menu for February.


Scholarship

In February, Indri and Mala, both are scholarship recipients who are now in their last grade of their high school, came to help our community on routine basis. They helped after they finished their school and study.

Usually, they helped whenever they can including during the study break, art and craft session and nutrition improvement for children.

Yana, their friend, who had received a scholarship (but could not continue studying at school due to family commitment), came to help the children in their study. She was in charged to help accompanying the children in Category 0 in Cakung Community every Friday and Saturday as well as in Muara Baru Community every Sunday. She stopped her school as she has to take care her little siblings and to do chores.

There were several routine expenditures for high school students, especially for them who were in the last grade. It was for their tuition fees, exam fees, and photocopy as well as internet rental for searching their study references.


March 2012 Activity Plan

1. To learn and practice making papercard quill, making carton box for beads and knitting works. These activities are prepared for Category 3 together with their facilitators and program committee team.
2. To make additional study desks for children in Category 0 and 3.
3. To re-register books in library and to re-arrange the books in bookshelves. This activity will be the responsible of library committee team.
4. To buy milk powder for Nutrition Improvement for Children program.


Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to all friends who continuously supporting us in their prayers, through donations, materials and time. Without their support, our activities would not be realised.

Thanks to the funds which we use for operating our activities in Children Learning Community. Thanks to Mrs.Vina-Mr.Arend-Michelle Maramis, Mrs.Hanaria Putri, Mrs.Rina Anwar, Mrs.Tjandra Hartati, and Ms.Arry Fitriana. Thank you so much to Ms.Anita Linggar for translating the monthly progress report.

Again, our sincere thank to all of you. May God bless all of you abundantly and may our collaboration will continue well.

May God bless all of us.

Warmest regards
On behalf of Children Learning Community

Debby


P.S.
You could give donation via bank:
Acc.holder Debby Maitimu or Dwi Resmi Sari
BCA Branch office Matraman, East Jakarta, Indonesia
Acc.no.342-2792161
Swift code : cenaidja
or contact me for material support on +628129685594