The first time I heard the name of this school, I smiled to myself. This school’s name is SD Inpres Harapan. As I heard ‘harapan‘ (or hope), I believe that there is no chance of giving up. Or, there will always be chances for what we hope for. Something like that. Heheh…

 

SD Inpres Harapan, Sentani Timur, PapuaThat was how I first arrived at this school. Together with Bapak James Modouw, Papua Education expert staff of the Ministry of Education, I visited SD Inpres Harapan.

This little friend from Grade I is giving presentation in the presence of her mother. 🙂

As we arrived, the school was conducting a school activity in which every student gives presentation on what they have learned in the presence of their parents. The parents, who are mostly women, were present to witness the presentation and discuss with their kids regarding lessons they have learned in one semester.

So serious?! 😀

I was touched when I visited the first grade and witnessed the students giving presentation before their parents.

Library Full of Cupboards and Bookshelves

SD Inpres Harapan has a library building and a scheduled library period. However, the existing books have not met the needs of 392 students at the school. The narrow library building also makes the library less comfortable for the kids to be inside.

The unused village library

Fortunately, there is one unused building initially established for the regional library. Therefore, Ibu Tini, principal of SDI Harapan requested that the building is to be used as Rainbow Reading Gardens library. We are lucky that the village chief agreed! 

Working together!

After a meeting with the committee, some of the parents as well as teachers worked together to clean up and set up the building. Some kids even got involved. They worked together to realize their dream which is to have a comfortable and child-friendly library.

Working together happily! 🙂

We provided around 1300 story books to accompany their school life. Teachers at SDI Harapan have also been trained to guide students in the library.

Why so serious? 🙂

Ibu Tini admitted that having a comfortable and fun library at school is one of her dreams as a principal (she was assigned to be the principal in July last year), and the presence of Rainbow Reading Gardens is the answer to her prayers.

Ibu Tini (left) symbolically received the donation from Rainbow Reading Gardens 

The long awaited day has finally come. After working in the past month, on Saturday, May 6, 2017, the 57th Rainbow Reading Gardens library was inaugurated. The Head of Sentani Timur District, Police Chief of Sentani, Head of Education Section at Education Department of Jayapura Regency, Village Chief, Head of Committee, Principal from neighboring schools, as well as representatives of parents and children were present.

 

Opening dance performance at the library inauguration ceremony
This sweet little girl was singing “Tanah Papua”.
Excited to be at the new library! 🙂

The bright day during the ceremony as if described the feelings of everyone in this inauguration ceremony.

The presence of Rainbow Reading Gardens at SDI Harapan is a result of our collaboration with VISA. On behalf of the children of Rainbow Reading Gardens at SDI Harapan, we express our greatest gratitude to VISA. Thank you, VISA!

Thank you, Visa!

With the love to books and becoming good readers, may the students of SD Inpres Harapan dare to dream higher and be the hope for Papua and Indonesia in the future.

 

Sentani, May 2017
Monik