Progress Report of Children Learning Community in April 2012

Hello my dearest friends

Happy Easter 2012 to all of you.
May the resurrection of Jesus Christ give us strength and spirit to give and serve others.

The Children Learning Community activities run well in April. On the 1st week of April, the learning activities were off because of Easter holiday.

On Wednesday morning, April 11th, 2012, while we held the monthly evaluation of program and curriculum at the house of activities, our friends, Ms. Anita and Ms. Agnes visited us. Ms. Anita was in vacation to Jakarta, she took her annual leave from her office in Australia. Ms. Agnes accompanied her along her vacation. This was their first time to visit the learning tent, after the location demolished, also at the house of activities, where we usually gather for evaluation and library activity.

On that day, Ms. Anita and Ms. Agnes came here just for us. They brought the donation from Ms. Paramita Rai and Mrs. Meilda Rassias. They came to get to know the children who are the program committee closely and intend to follow the meeting. After evaluation, children continued their life-skill activity. Some children showed their products which were ready to sell. Ms. Anita and Ms. Agnes bought some.

We were so happy being visited by our friends, especially the program committee. Thank you so much for Ms. Anita and Ms. Agnes who would like to visit and bring the donation. Thank you so much to Ms. Paramita Rai and Mrs. Meilda Rassias. We hope one day, we could meet and know each other. We will use the precious donation well, particularly for the operational of activities.

On Friday and Saturday, April 20th and 21st 2012, we had a visitor who came from far. She came to teach the methodology of KAF (Self Financed Communities). KAF is inspired from a community cooperative organisation in Indonesia. It has been modified therefore it is applicable for the people who have low income.

Finally, the plan for building the community cooperative organisation in April for the people of Cakung was realised. Thanks to our friend, Jahn Schlosser who introduced us to Ms. Arianne.

She is a program leader of ACAF in Asia. She is a Spanish lady who stays and develops the methodology at some villages in Lombok and Bali.

For two days, the women in Cakung area attended a workshop to identify the family needs and to prioritise them. The women were so enthusiastic participating in the workshop. Almost all members were brave to voice their problems and needs.

On the last day, exactly on Kartini’s day, April 21st 2012, KAF group in Cakung was built. After elected the Board, the first meeting was held and there were 14 members, including the Boards (leader, treasurer, cash box keeper and key keeper).

The next meeting will be held every last Saturday of the month, at 3 PM during the children study break.

Thank you so much for Ms. Arianne’s support. We hope the newly built group will be able to grow and we wish these helpful activities will be spread around amongst the people who need it.


Alternative Learning Activities

a. Cakung Children Community

The Children Learning Community activities run well in April. On the 1st Friday and Saturday of April, the learning activities were off regarding the Easter celebration.

The activities began on the 2nd Friday of April.

We should hold the making and fixing process of the learning desks and other old desks as the committee members were busy. In addition, we held the 1st quarter of the learning evaluation at the end of April.

On the last Friday of this month, the children refreshed the learning material that was given during the 1st quarter. Then on Saturday, April 28th 2012, the children were ready to follow the learning evaluation.

Children in a 0 category were facilitated by Yana and Mala, while the children in the 1st category were facilitated by Indri, the next category group was facilitated by Ms. Debby, and the last category group was facilitated by Ms. Ari.

The children who attended the program can do well in the study evaluation for the 1st quarter. Some children who could not follow the study evaluation – eventhough they attended the program – were asked to read the books we prepared.

The study evaluation was held for about 1 hour. Then we informed the result. Each child received gifts, such as stationery and books. The examination was not merely based on their competency in studying but also their attitude, diligence, cleanliness and sense of solidarity amongst friends.

The moral education activity (Living Values Activities) which we learn every Saturday was off during Easter holiday and during study evaluation. We usually pick a sharing theme to learn this activity (such as understanding the task as a child, a student, or the tasks for everyone), singing, playing together (such as playing role and change role, talking about how to pursue the future), and meditating.

In this month, children learn the values of responsibility towards themselves, others (including parents, teacher, brother and sister, friends and the environment). They learn not to throw trash in wrong places. We acknowledged there are some young children who unconsciously throwing rubbish not in the right place. We train the children to collect the rubbish as part of or after the learning activity.


b. Muara Baru Community

The learning activity runs every Sunday. We usually study together as well as reading books from our little library.

Since April 2012, we have given an opportunity for children from RT 14 RW 17 Muara Baru to join this activity. We found a big enthusiasm in them. We came and got to know each other. The learning activity starts with 9 children from age 6 to 14 years old.

They have a study room which is used for activities for play group age children and for studying Arabic language which is very favourable for Moslems.

Now the learning activities in Muara Baru are held in two locations, RT 01 as the library and learning class and RT 14 for other activities.

We assist and regenerate future facilitators through our activities. There are three of them who are now facilitating the children in both Cakung and Muara Baru. They are Yana, Mala, and Indri. Every Wednesday, we gather at the house of activities to do library activity, discuss and prepare the learning materials.

Finally, we thank for all the collaboration between the facilitators, the children and residents of Cakung and Muara Baru, especially to Ms. Ari, Ms. Mona, Ms. Lisa, and Ms. Iyoh, as well Yana, Mala, and Indri. Thank you to Ms.Arianne who taught us some English songs and dance. Children love to learn dance and sing some new songs.


Library

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

In April, the library activity was off due to some personal needs of the program coordinators for preparing their national exam. Therefore, we replace the activity by learning and practicing some craft skills and talking about the preparation of learning materials for the children.


Nutrition Improvement for Children

In April 2012, the nutrition improvement activities run well.

The healthy menu for this month was tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, and mixed steam vegetables. We still provide them with milk. Due to Easter holiday, the healthy menu was provided on the 2nd week of April. The menu was prepared by one of the residents, Windy’s mom, at their house.

In relation to celebrating Easter, we decorated the hard-boiled egg with water colours. By doing it, we were also practicing the craft skills for the children in 3rd category. The facilitators provided some materials and tools.

On the 4th of Saturday, instead of having pecel (steamed vegetables and peanut sauce), we changed the menu with turmeric rice and other the simple dishes, such as scrambled egg, fried tempe with chilli, fried rice noodle, sambal, and crackers. This special menu was provided as we celebrated Windy’s 3rd birthday. We gave some money to Windy’s mom for preparing the necessities for Windy’s birthday celebration.

Happy birthday Windy! We wish you a long life, be always healthy and become a smart and creative child as well as obey to your parents.

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


Scholarship

In April, Indri and Mala, who receive scholarship for their last grade at vocational high school, granted a break to not facilitating the children on learning activities in Cakung and Muara Baru. Therefore, they can concentrate in preparing themselves for the national exam.

They did the national exam well in the middle of April. Then they will have a school break until mid of May. They will then participate in the school farewell activity.

After the national exam, they decided to facilitate the children in Cakung and Muara Baru again eventhough they were free not to be involved in April.

We’re experiencing an increment on the school expenditures this month, particularly for the students in their last grade of vocational high school. They had to pay school fee for this month and the next two months at the same time as there will be school holiday after the national exam. They also had to pay the school farewell activity in mid May. They have paid the instalments since the early April and had to finish it by mid of April.

Until to date, Mala and Indri were still considering whether they want to pursue their education or just taking some courses to support the children learning activities development.

There was an increment on the costs of photocopies, internet rent, school materials and musical instruments for primary school students.


May 2012 Activity Plan

1. To make some learning desks as part of craftsmanship skills for children in Category 3.
2. To make a bookshelf for our library in early May 2012.
3. To buy milk powder for Nutrition Improvement for Children program.
4. To provide a scholarship for enrolling an elementary school student (from the 1st category) for registration.

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 for the funds which we use for operating our activities in Children Learning Community. Thanks to Bu Vina, Pak Arend, Michelle Maramis, Ms. Jenny, Ibu Rina Anwar, Ms. Elissa, Ms.Paramita Rai and Mrs.Meilda Rassias. Thanks to Ms. Agnes for the schoolbags.

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