How can we create young people who will change the world?
This is a great question for us to ask as a foundation that is passionate about the well-being of the children of Indonesia, of the future of Indonesia. . Dr Wagner in his book, Creating Innovators. The Making of Young People who will Change the World argues that our future leaders will be the ones who solve social problems creatively, collaboratively, and sustainably. Creative innovators will be required to solve society’s biggest problems such as global climate change, world peace and pollution.
The question becomes, how can we create students who will be future leaders who can change the world? What would our schools look like, if we want to create future leaders and creative innovators? This is something that is very important, as it separates good schools, from great schools.
Where does it start? How can we inspire students with the desire to change the world, and how can we help them build the skills to make those changes happen? Dr Wagner explains that students must start with passion, the journey of innovative leadership begins with play, the activities young people find most fun, engaging, even whimsical, and then advances into an energizing and motivating passion, finally flowering as a deep and abiding purpose. The path to success lies in students creating their own personal journey of play to passion to purpose.
We are fortunate to work closely with Singapore School, Pantai Indah Kapuk (SIS-PIK), a school desperate to stretch beyond its academic program. The school wants to give students opportunities to explore their passions beyond the classroom, they want students to grow from play to passion to purpose. We, SISwa Peduli Bangsa provide a framework for students passionate about service, and improving the local community. SIS-PIK students have put forth proposals to eliminate plastic at school, sell metal straws, and fundraise for local causes. We hope that we have provided inspiration for SIS-PIK students to be the best they can be.
These are the seeds by which we can grow children who will change the world.
Giving back to Indonesia
SISwa Peduli Bangsa is a charity for children by children.
SISwa Peduli Bangsa is a foundation structured as a legal entity. It provides a framework to guide students of its partner schools to run a transparent, accountable charity, with the main purpose of empowering children in less fortunate conditions. Not only does it help support our local community when it is in need, but also develops a sense of responsibility for the students of its partner schools; it builds character, and generosity of spirit.
The purpose of SISwa Peduli Bangsa is to inspire students to care for their local community and aspire to make a difference. SISwa Peduli Bangsa provides the support to empower students to start their own projects. This may be small, such as donating supplies to a local orphanage, or larger projects such as providing emergency supplies after a national disaster.
On principle, SISwa Peduli Bangsa has systems and procedures so that:
- Students of partner schools are empowered to create their own charitable activities
- Every charitable activity must benefit the beneficiary
- All student projects are vetted and audited so all projects are fully accountable
Creating a Culture of Kindness
2018/19 has been a difficult year for Indonesia. We have been devastated by earthquakes and tsunamis in Lombok, Palu, Donggala and Lampung. Last October, the second term of the 2018/2019 Academic Year at SIS-PIK opened with a moving, full school assembly to remember the fallen in Sulawesi. The school stood united, in a minute of silence to remember those who lost their lives. This was yet another heartbreaking earthquake, one in a series of many, shaking Indonesia to its core. The ceremony was incredibly touching. Our teachers and non teaching staff shared prayers from all the religions represented at SIS-PIK. We stood united in prayer, faith and peace.
As we stood in silence to remember those who have lost homes, loved ones and even their lives – amongst the despair and sadness of the ruins of Sulawesi, we felt a glimmer of hope. We felt hopeful because even in our darkest moments, the love of the SIS-PIK community thrives. The response from the students was incredible, they were so keen to fundraise, eager to help and excited to be part of rebuilding Sulawesi. They are what makes SISwa Peduli Bangsa. The students care deeply for those less fortunate than themselves. They care fervently for their fellow Indonesians facing adversity and hardship. At every opportunity – they want to extend a caring hand to help. This is the Culture of Kindness created by SISwa Peduli Bangsa.
SISwa Peduli Bangsa is supported by a school joyously filled with children who want to give back. Our children strive to make the world a better place. This is the legacy of SISwa Peduli Bangsa.
SISwa Peduli Bangsa focuses on sustainable development that is key to empowering the community’s future generations.
In 2017/18 together with SIS-PIK we engaged in our first SISwa Peduli Bangsa project. We worked together to help the children at SDN Oematmuti in Kupang NTT.
SIS-PIK Secondary and JC students visited the school SDN Oematmuti in far off Kupang in October and December of 2017. They taught English to the children and played with them, making every child feel special. It was so wonderful to see SIS-PIK students connect with the SDN Oematmuti children and see their smiling faces.
This was an incredible experience for SIS-PIK students, and inspired them to do more for the local community. One of our first goals for SDN Oematmuti was to provide the children with a two-classroom school building with walls and a roof without leaks. This initiative was even more urgent since the school had recently lost 2 classrooms to bad weather in the area. However, to build the school, we needed concrete, requiring a lot of water. In October 2017, we started drilling a well. Digging the well was challenging; the ground was rocky, and the water table was low. After many months, we finally hit the water table, and the well began to fill. We cannot describe the joy and happiness of the people of Oematmuti. They saw the well as an incredible gift. The water in the well was very clean, and provided excellent drinking water. With a reliable source of water, construction of the classrooms could begin. We have built two classrooms and a library. This was an incredibly ambitious project, and was a heady start for SISwa Peduli Bangsa.
SISwa Peduli Bangsa also collaborated with SIS-PIK in a One Student – One Shoe drive for the children of SDN Oematmuti, SD Inpres Keifatu, SDN Oebon, SD Oeuki, and TK Kartika in Kupang. The children were incredibly delighted to have their first pair of leather shoes for school.
We are so fortunate to be working with students who understand the importance of our work in Oematmuti being sustainable. SISwa Peduli Bangsa has an obligation to continue to support the community long term to ensure the change we create is permanent. This takes discipline, persistence and perseverance. Hence, building upon our past projects is key.
SISwa Peduli Bangsa was very active for the 2018/19 academic year.
The main focus and initial idea in establishing the foundation was mainly to empower children all over Indonesia to contribute to a better Indonesia. However we cannot sit still when area after area in Indonesia were hit by natural disasters in 2018. After all, many of the victims were children, and not only were many schools destroyed, but life and education came to a halt when homes and infrastructures were destroyed.
Lombok was struck by a series of earthquakes on the 29th of July, 5th of August, and the 19th of August 2018. The most destructive quake was on the 5th of August 2018; the damage in Lombok and Bali was extensive. At least 80% of the structures in North Lombok were damaged or destroyed. In the aftermath of the sequence of earthquakes in August, a total of 563 people were confirmed killed while more than 1,000 injured. More than 417,000 people were left homeless.
SISwa Peduli Bangsa, in collaboration with the ever-ready SIS-PIK community, stepped in quickly to provide an emergency relief effort to the people of Lombok after the earthquake. Over the October break in 2018, a team of Junior College students; Hans Kasim, Brandon Nathaniel and Christine Wijaya aided by Mr Guntur and Ms Agus visited Lombok to distribute donations. They handed out food to the hungry, cleared rubble and helped rebuild houses.
On 28 September 2018, a severe earthquake shook Palu and Donggala on the island of Sulawesi. Following the mainshock, a localised tsunami struck Palu, sweeping shore-lying houses and buildings on its way. The tsunami reached a height of 4 to 7 metres, striking the settlements of Palu, Donggala and Mamuju along its path.
Again, SISwa Peduli Bangsa and the SIS-PIK community were keen to take action. Based upon the success of the project in Lombok, we wanted to do even more for Sulawesi. The aim was to go beyond short term emergency support, but to create a long term project rebuilding Palu and Donggala and improving the local infrastructure. The goal is sustainability.
Sadly, the earthquake was very severe, and the lack of infrastructure made it very difficult for the SISwa Peduli Team to visit. To make matters worse, the earthquake caused major soil liquefaction around Palu. This led to mudflows that buried entire villages, causing hundreds of deaths with many more missing. Sulawesi was very dangerous to visit. Our project in Sulawesi is still ongoing. We plan to assist certain schools to rebuild facilities, such as classrooms and sports facilities. SISwa Peduli Bangsa volunteers plan to go to Palu and Donggala in June 2019 to see which schools need the most assistance.
On the 23rd of December, over 430 people lost their lives when a tsunami in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait struck without warning on Java and Sumatra. The tsunami is thought to have been caused by the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano, which may have triggered underwater landslides. The area hit hardest was Pandeglang regency in Java’s Banten Province, site of Tanjung Lesung Beach, and Lampung.
On Saturday, 26th January, again a team of SISwas Peduli Bangsa volunteers, which included SIS-PIK staff and students, visited the people in Desa Teluk, Kecamatan Labuan, Pandeglang (Banten). They visited the people to see how they were coping with the after effects of the last disaster. Donations of cooking oil, canned food, sweet soy sauce, detergent, tooth paste, tooth brush, milk, soaps, cereal, shampoo, sugar, towel, rice, shoes, and medicine, were distributed by SISwa Peduli Bangsa.
From the 28th to the 30th January, Jennifer Anthony, Calista Kurniawan, Prince Arwan, travelled with Ms Diah, Mr Guntur, and other school staff to Lampung. The students worked late into the night to create packages of donations to give emergency relief. After the tsunami, many families came home to find their homes empty; the sea had washed away kitchen utensils and bedding.
The SISwa Peduli Bangsa team put together emergency relief packages including a pail, plates, glasses, bowls, dish sponges, and a bailer/water dipper. To help families cope without any bedding, the SISwa Peduli Bangsa team also donated 100 mattresses to Kodim 0421/Lampung Selatan, received by Kasdim Mayor Agus Waluyo.
Below are student testimonies from the trip:
On January 28, I was in Lampung with my teachers and friends, we went there for charity. I joined this charity to help people who lost their homes due to the tsunami. We give them medicine, beds and shelter. I am very happy to be able to help them with their needs and I really hope our help can make them happy and meet their needs.
I joined this trip because I want to help other people and I want to see what is the condition or the environment after the tsunami. I wanted to see for myself how hard it is for people to live after the tsunami. I also want to help them and try to make them feel happy. I also want to see how the ocean is like in Lampung.
This has continued for the 2019/2020 academic year
Our partnership with the schools in Kupang is very dear to us. We have been working for almost 3 years to create real change for the children at SDN Oematmuti. One area of real pride for our SIS-PIK community is the love and commitment our students show towards the children of Kupang. Please read Eisen’s story as she shares her experiences for her latest visit to Kupang.
On September 29 to October 3, 2019, 13 of our JC2 students travelled to Kupang to conduct our long awaited CAS projects. Prior to the trip, we made sure that all preparations were complete and our trip would be worthwhile. In Kupang, we went to SDN Oematmuti to redecorate their library and the school field. We also interviewed the students and the teachers because we wanted to write their stories in a book. Although there were obstacles we faced on our trip, our team, supervised by Mr Dasrizal, worked as best as we could to overcome them. Through this program, we learnt how to collaborate with others, persevere through difficulties, and be compassionate human beings. The trip was truly an unforgettable and we believe that the values we learnt would stick with us for a lifetime.
Eisen Gabrielle Tan (JC2B)
Thank you for your support
If you would like to support SISwa Peduli Bangsa, donations can be transferred to the following bank accounts:
Beneficiary Name: YAY SISWA PEDULI BANGSA
Bank Name: BCA, KCU Asemka, Jakarta
Bank Address: Jl. Asemka 27-30, Jakarta Barat 11110
Account No: 0017226979
Reference: –
We aspire for our students to uphold our values as each and every one of our students strive to Greater Heights. Thank you for your support.
A final note
One of my inspirations is the pioneering Chinese educator, Zhang Boling who founded the century old Nankai High School in Tianjin. He placed a full-length mirror against the wall just inside the entrance to the school, a building that is now the school museum and still has this original mirror on display. As every student walked into school each morning, they would stand in front of this mirror and look closely at themselves. They were required to pause, and reflect on what they saw. They were expected to look not only at the surface aspect of whether they were correctly dressed but also to reflect on their inner values and character.
Today, if such a mirror existed at SIS-PIK, I feel confident it would reflect their kindness, patience, caring, compassion and integrity. Our students embrace our Culture of Kindness and the ethos of SISwa Peduli Bangsa. I sincerely hope that SISwa Peduli Bangsa continues to grow and is able to foster mutually beneficial relationships with other quality schools.