Community Development in East Java

We have consolidated the community centers in the Yellow Flower Community into one location to maximize our space and staff. We are still looking for the right property for a community center in the Rose Community to hold activities and also the entrepreneurial center. 

Programming Updates: 

• SMART Kids class has continued to flourish with the themes of peace and caring for ourselves and the planet:
  • Tutoring for final exams has begun! We are also preparing for sponsorship mutual evaluations with parents, staff, and children.
  • We started some fun classes like Balinese dance. 
  • In the Rose Community, we had a competition for the kids to help organize their clothes. They learned how to fold clean clothes and separate dirty ones to keep spaces organized and clean, and each child got a laundry hamper as a participation gift!
  • We launched a “Sunday school class” for Christian children at Yellow Flower Cemetery and have one attendee so far. Even though he is currently alone, this boy has consistently attended this Christian faith development class every week over the last two months. He is very excited, and we hope his excitement will spread to other children, too.

• Teens classes are meeting consistently:
• Teen Group meets bi-monthly to create a safe and positive space to gather, share, and find positive support.
• The teens who attend have discussed “Healthy Relationships” and “Trafficking Awareness and Prevention.” They are now going through “Overcoming Obstacles.” 
• Attendees also finished “Teens Finance Curriculum” to equip them with the ability to manage their finances well. 

• Parenting classes are running in both communities:
• They learn and discuss topics such as reproductive health, skin health, and taking care of your body. 
• We also cover the same material that the teens are learning so that parents and children will be on the same page regarding topics such as healthy relationships, trafficking awareness, and children’s rights. 
• In Rose Cemetery, women are learning handicraft skills as a pre-process for an entrepreneurship development program. 
• This month, we held parenting classes at Yellow Flower for the first time in two years. Nine mothers and one father attended. The class atmosphere was happy and active as the parents discussed the theme of children's rights.

• The entrepreneurship program is rebranding! With a staff member's guidance, teens and women are getting ready to launch an online shop to sell their products locally and to expand across Indonesia!

Links:

• Learn more about community development here!