Build Schools in Indonesia from Recycled Plastic

In August a new academic year has started for all schools in East Nusa Tenggara. Out of the 103 schools rebuilt by Happy Hearts so far, almost all reopened their doors for in classroom learning. Only 4 schools on the island of Flores remain closed and practice distant learning. Enrollment has gone up by 23%, but fell below pre pendemic years. 

Many areas in East Nusa Tenggara are still battling the effects of the pandemic and its tight restrictions on schools and other educational facilities. Class hours are restricted to 2-4 hours per day and in some areas the students are devided into groups and shifting model. Novita Nggebu, an 8th grade student of SMP Amarasi in Kupang, Timor shares her hope for the new school year: "I’m happy I can go back to school, because during learning at home I cannot learn well and cannot meet the teacher every day, so very little I can learn. Hopefully the pandemic can be over soon so we can go back to normal". Like Novita most students felt bored and uninspired at home. While distant learning is challenging even in most developed countries, it's a barrier for many students in East Nusa Tenggara. 

Bringing students back to a rebuilt Happy Hearts school where they face proper and spacious classrooms, with table and chairs for everyone to sit on, toilets with clean water facilities and adequate learning tools and books help these kids to be back on track and overcome the setbacks of the pandemic. 

Since the beginning of the year we have completed 25 schools and 4 libraries in East Nusa Tenggara, with 5 more schools under construction. Thank you for your continuous support in providing a better quality of education in East Nusa Tenggara! 

Links:

• #IAMCHANGE - Rebuild 200 schools in East Nusa Tenggara

More than a year into the pandemic, while schools in urban areas are struggling on how to get students motivated in their Zoom classes, schools in East Nusa Tenggara are struggling with basic things that we sometimes take for granted.  Mr. Joni, Principal of Tenau Public Elementary School in Kupang said, "Many teachers here don't even have handphones. Some parents have handphones but their children don't know how to use them."

Even with the lack of technology, Tenau Elementary continues to conduct distance learning or Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh (PJJ) by having meeting points in communities where students live. Since 90% of the students do not have access to online learning, every morning Tenau teachers spread out to the meeting points to teach small groups of students. Homework assignments, tests and exams are conducted in the small group setting.

As vaccinations are rolling out, more and more schools in East Nusa Tenggara are reopening. Students are getting temperature checks at the door and full classrooms are divided into 2 shifts to keep a safe distance. Mr. Joni sees a silver lining in the midst of all this, in which his students are now more independent as they realize that learning doesn't stop in school and they can learn from anywhere.

8 Schools Rebuilt Year to Date

Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms as well as Cyclone Seroja that struck East Indonesia hampered our school construction projects in the area for the first few months of 2021. We restarted our projects on the islands of Sumba, Flores and Timor as soon as weather conditions allowed in April.

This year to date we completed reconstruction of 8 schools in East Nusa Tenggara while 4 more schools and 1 library are in progress. In total we have rebuilt 82 schools in the province. Thank you for your continuous support! Together we can rebuild 200 schools and provide better quality of education for children in East Nusa Tenggara.

Links:

• #IAMCHANGE campaign to rebuild 200 schools in East Nusa Tenggara