Fiery! That was and has always been the impression i have for SDI Kekawii of Ende sub-district. Located in Ndetundora 1 village way up in the mountainous Nuabosi, homeland of the famous Ende Cassava, high enough to provide cold temperature throughout the year, yet this school gives out a blazing effect. I think it has a lot to do with their ever so passionate principal, Ibu Ursula Rifai. She runs the school  of 113 students & 10 teachers with such authority and vigor that it can easily be mistaken for ferocity. Throughout the long layered process of the child friendly program assessment, I
have learned that she is indeed an active, caring & highly dedicated woman whose energy is spent for the betterment of the school. She is capable of transferring that energy and excitement to the faculty, the parents & their local community that we cant help but include SDI Kekawii among 19 other elementary schools in Ende District that join the library partnership of cycle 3.

I visited the school for its first assessment back in September 2017, exactly a year away from their library opening day. Now back in September 8th 2018, 11.30 AM, I arrived back in the school. No longer going solo for I’ve brought with me the founder of Taman Bacaan Pelangi, Nila Tanzil. Joining her from Jakarta was her mother & daughter Yuri Tanzil and Sienna along with our supervisor Eva Muchtar and our project manager Armand W. This time, we come to celebrate the 1st official day of SDI Kekawii’s library. And it’s not just us, also present was Bapak Hilarius Raja , Ibu Siska Sare & Bapak Yeremies representing Ende’s Department of Education. Through lines of children dressed up in traditional Ende clothes, we all walked the rocky road leading to the gate. There, we were greeted by the village Mosalaki and the escorted with Wanda Pau dance to a canopied area where students parents had waited for us to celebrate together.

The ever so energetic Ibu Ursula giving us a library tour back in September 2017. A lot has changed since then, not her excitement thankfully.
The ribbon cut that marked the beginning of the 94th library in SDI Kekawii.

One could tell that everyone there was already in the mood for party, that those who were in charge of delivering speeches kept them brief & playful. Ibu Ursula even gave highlighted suggestion in her welcome speech for our team to stay and dance in the afterparty. But before we get to that, off to the ribbon cutting. We had to wal around the school to get to the indigo blue & pink painted library where Ibu Erlin, the librarian had waited with the scissor. She handed it to Nila Tanzil, Ibu Ursula & Bapak Hilarius and the three officiated the library together. It’s finally official! The it was time for the parents & the children to explore the library and that they did.

While the children filled themselves with stories, the adults went out and filled themselves with food and entertainments performed by some of the students. Later every child & grown up got together for Gawi to 2 Jari dance and any other dance of the sorts. The Parents were delighted, so was the faculty and off course Ibu Ursula. Amusing celebration it was, i remember sweating and smiling a lot that afternoon. By the time we excused ourselves around 3 PM, Ibu Ur held us close and cheerfully whispered, “Stay longer & enjoy yourselves some more, why don’t you.” Well, keep it fiery Ibu Ursula! I hope SDI Kekawii can maintain the same and even more excitement for the library development.

Nila Tanzil & Eva Muchtar smiling ear to ear for the group picture with the faculty of SDI Kekawii, Bapak Hillarius Raja, Ibu Siska Sare, Ndetundora 1 village Mosalaki, Representatives of Ende’s Department of Library.
In Gawi we party. Everyone is invited to have a merry-go-Gawi.
“Stay longer & dance with us some more, Kakak!”

J.J.