Children Should Get Decent Education Since an Early Age
#LombokBangkitKembali - Juarto really concerns about his child’s education. One day, he wants to look for the school for his son. He does not find any school near his house. So, he has to register and bring his child to the district area, about 3km far away from his house. This condition cannot calm him. Since that, his heart is called to create education for an early age in his village.
“I see a lot of children who can only play in the morning but they can have a chance to have an education. They are the kids who should get an education at an early age,” tells Juarto.
With a strong determination, with two friends of him, Juarto decided to build an education organization in 2010. The organization agreed to build a school for an early-age-children, called PAUD Ceria 2. This building is located near Junarto’s house.
“At the very beginning, all children stayed in bamboo hall with coconut leaves as roofs. A few years later, we finally get funding from the government, so we can make a classroom and a toilet. Unfortunately, all of the construction was broken by the earthquake in 2018,” he continues.
The earthquake that hit Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara in July 2018 had destroyed PAUD Ceria 2 building. Nothing is left. However, Juarto said that he was grateful by the time of the earthquake which happened on the night. He never thought how if it happened on the day, the children may not be safe or dead.
After the building destroyed, the students of PAUD Ceria 2 cannot play and learn together for about three months. Until finally Juniarto found the temporary school which is can be used for the students.
Juarto does not have any plan for the school. He does not know how to rebuild the building. Until one day he met Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI)’ staff who responsible in emergency response of Lombok. He told them about the condition of the school.
“They just say that they try to rebuild the school for children in the village,” says him.
That short conversation brings the result. Five months later, WVI comes and decides to build the Children Learning Centre on the land given by Juarto. That construction called ‘Better Shelter’ and supported by Ikea Indonesia. The students will be placed in this building later.
The land of 350 square meters becomes the witness of how care is Juarto for the education of an early-age-children in his village. Now, the progress has been running by the field workers.
Besides the shelter, Ikea Indonesia also gives the education tools and facilities for the playground. Juarto hopes that anyone or organization who want to give the uniforms for the students of PAUD Ceria 2.
Juarto has a big focus on children. According to him, by giving education to children at an early age, it can be a good foundation for children in the future.
“For me, education is the key. Study in a college is important, but education for an early-age-children is more important because it is the foundation of the children. If we build a house with a bent foundation so that we could get a bent house. Children have to get decent education since an early age, so they can face the future,” claims the father of one.
Juarto still has a dream for children in his village. He is still dreaming for a library who can be used for children.
“I love to read. I want to have a library for this village. I want to make a rack in the library, so all children can come and read together. I want to teach them how to save money on the piggy bank, so the money can be used to buy new books,” he hopes.
Meanwhile, after working for affected people in Lombok for about a year, WVI has built 10 temporary schools at North Lombok and East Lombok District. This can be happened because of the support of sponsors and donors through WVI.
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Written by: Putri ianne Barus, Communications Officer Wahana Visi Indonesia
