Evangelische Bank eG
IBAN: DE85 5206 0410 0000 0001 24
BIC: GENODEF1EK1
Indonesia: Boarding Homes
Indonesia: Boarding Homes in Makassar
Since Indonesian village schools are poorly equipped, many parents send their children to secondary schools in the city. There the children find lodging and supportive care in Christian boarding homes.
Indonesia
255 million inhabitants, of which 25% complete secondary school
In the rural regions of South Sulawesi the schools normally provide only primary school education. They have poor staffing and financial resources and are unable to prepare pupils for a solid working career. Pupils receive a better education in the capital city of Makassar. But many children and young adults who are sent to the city must live with host families and work for their keep as exploited workers. They wash the family laundry, do garden work or have to clean the house. They only have time to learn at night which is particularly difficult for children. So it is no surprise that they achieve very little academic success. A better life is impossible without education – neither in the city nor back home in the villages. This is why the Christian Church in South Sulawesi (GKSS) has started boarding homes so that children can grow up and learn in a relaxed environment based on Christian values.
Living and learning in a protected environment
Many pupils of both genders were sent by their parents or their grandparents and some of them have no more contact with their parents since their parents have long separated and the children are simply in the way. All of them have found a home in a GKSS boarding home until they can stand on their own two feet. At present, about 70 children live at these homes in a Christian community which accompanies them in their daily lives and helps them learn and do their homework. Now the pupils have enough time to study. In their spare time, they help in the garden and do household chores so that they know how to run a household later. Educators of both genders who supervise dormitories and assume the role of parents accompany the everyday lives of the children and young adults and look after their concerns and needs. Indonesian boarding homes offer a safe haven to children and young adults in the unfamiliar big city and help them deal with alcohol, drugs, juvenile crime or sexual exploitation and the risk of AIDS.
Investment in the future of people, the country and congregations
What does a day look like at the boarding home in Makassar? Before school, there are prayers. After school and lunch, the children and young people have time to study. In the afternoon, they help in the house and garden. During the daily routine between school and living in the community, they have time for prayers, devotions and worship services. They remain close to their congregation and the Christian life they know from their villages and are not uprooted by living on the big city. The church is investing both in the children's future, the level of education in rural areas and in the future of Christian communities in Indonesia.
Project goals
The boarding homes of the Christian Church in South Sulawesi (GKSS) in Makassar offer children from poor backgrounds and remote regions the chance to complete their schooling. There is a lack of good education, especially in rural regions. There are few teachers and hardly any secondary schools. The project of the GKSS offers young Christian women and men in Makassar the chance to attend secondary schools. The work of the Christian Church in South Sulawesi ultimately raises the level of education in the remote regions of the island.
Project work
During their stay in Makassar the pupils live in boarding homes run by the GKSS. There they not only have a roof over their heads, they also receive hot meals and are looked after by church co-workers. With their support, young adults can concentrate on school and time to study. In addition, they learn how to run a household or cultivate their own garden at the boarding home. This gives them the best resources for their future.
Project partner
The Christian Church in South Sulawesi (GKSS) lives and works in a Muslim environment. At the outbreak of World War II, the GKSS had about 10,000 members; in 1952, membership dropped to 600 people after two waves of persecution. Today, membership is back up to 6,000 congregation members. Although it is small, the GKSS has decided to offer self-help measures and missionary work in poor rural communities. This includes a training centre for village development work.
We are pleased to hear that you are interested in this project. If you have any general questions, please use the contact form below. We are also happy to help you personally if you have any questions or require further information – by phone or by E-mail.
Djoko P. A. Wibowo
Liaison Secretary Indonesia
+49 711 636 78 -36
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