English-Debate in the City of Sorong
At the end of October, three of our 10th-grade students had the unique opportunity to participate in the English-Debate Contest in the city of Sorong. It was a particularly significant event as it marked the first time students from the remote Raja Ampat were even qualified. Children from a total of 12 schools in the city of Sorong participated. The excitement and anticipation were palpable, especially when the announcement was made during the opening ceremony, that students from Raja Ampat were among the participants. The news were celebrated with enthusiastic applause, a sign that the audience recognized the achievement and breakthrough of our students. Never before had a school from Raja Ampat been part of such an event. Amidst the competitive atmosphere, our students demonstrated their skills, impressively proving that they could compete with the best students from the city of Sorong. The entire event turned out to be extremely successful and touching, not only because of the participation of our students but also due to the positive feedback and enthusiasm they generated among the crowd. This event not only filled our students with pride but also strengthened awareness of educational opportunities in remote areas. Overall, participating in the English-Debate Contest was a triumphant moment for our school, showcasing the potential and determination of our students.
Study Visit Trip to Sorong
As the highlight of the first semester of Senior High School, our 10th-grade students attended a study visit to Sorong. For some, it was their first time leaving Raja Ampat. Over two days, our students broadened their horizons by gaining insights into various professions and lifestyles. During their stay, they visited the state oil refinery, gaining insights into the entire process of extraction and distribution. Additionally, they had the opportunity to explore one of the city's renowned hotels for half a day, going through all departments. The hotel management was impressed with the existing knowledge of our students and offered them internships for the upcoming school year – another significant success that had a positive impact on the motivation of our students. Another important part of the program was the visit to the government's reintegration program for endangered species in West Papua. The students sharpened their skills on the importance of biodiversity and environmental protection. Overall, this short trip was a great success, not only fostering the students' understanding of different professions but also strengthening their sensitivity to environmental issues. Upon their return, the 10th-grade students shared their acquired knowledge through self-made presentations with their younger classmates, who quickly caught the enthusiasm.
Jonas in Tagesanzeiger
As part of his portrait series on emigrated Swiss citizens titled "In 26 Cantons Around the World", Julian Perrenoud from the magazin Tagesanzeiger reported on Jonas. For this, he visited Jonas in Raja Ampat to get a firsthand impression. The result and Jonas' story, is now online in the 12th part of the portrait series and can also be read in the print edition from December 22 before being published in Julian Perrenoud's book: Ausgewandert nach Indonesien: «Hier fühle ich mich so richtig lebendig» | Tages-Anzeiger (tagesanzeiger.ch)
Completion of the School Kitchen
In collaboration with our local carpenter, over the last two months we constructed the new school kitchen. With an area of 3x4 meters, the kitchen now provides the necessary infrastructure to prepare meals for our staff and the students in the dormitory. The designed infrastructure allows students to actively participate in the cooking process outside regular school hours, promoting not only their skills but also strengthening the sense of community. Of particular importance is that the new kitchen now offers an improved hygienic standard. The ability to completely close the kitchen effectively prevents unwanted visitors like rats or snakes from gaining access at night. This measure significantly contributes to ensuring safety and hygiene in the kitchen, creating a healthier environment for meal preparation.
School Operation – Another Successful Year Coming to an End
With joy, we can announce that all our students from all classes successfully completed and passed their semester exams in the first week of December. On December 16, the parents of our students, some traveled from their distant villages, visited to receive the semester's certificate of their children. This gathering not only represents the important ceremonial handing over of the performance assessments but also provides a significant platform for active and open exchange with the parents. This opportunity for personal dialogue and feedback is crucial for the positive development of the students and contributes significantly to the trust relationship between the school and the parents. After the certificate distribution, the students performed their Christmas theater in the evening in front of their parents and the village community – in English! The children did honor to our environmental school, the first bilingual school in Raja Ampat, not only with their acting talents but also with their presented English skills. Joy and pride were evident, especially on the parents' faces. Afterward, the children were released into well-deserved Christmas vacations to recharge for the upcoming semester. The numerous visitors, who travelled from far and the interest of the whole village, demonstrate the continuous support of the local Child Aid Papua community. We are extremely confident that this will continue to contribute to the success and well-being of our students.
Christmas Markets in Switzerland
This year, we were present at two Christmas markets in Switzerland, where we sold our desk calendar, Ocean Warrior T-shirts, and our children's book "Mira and Edo, the Saviors of the Seas". Besides offering our merchandise, however, our main goal is to meet our members and supporters personally, express our gratitude, and expand our network. Unfortunately, the weather did not favor us at both markets this year. Nonetheless, we appreciate the visit of all those who braved the weather and generously supported us again this year.
Thank You
2023 was a very important and successful year for us as a school and as the Child Aid Papua foundation. Not only were we able to further professionalize our educational programs, but the school infrastructure was also sustainably expanded and improved. We have grown on multiple levels simultaneously, and every month in Raja Ampat, we continue to learn. We remain committed to our vision and will do everything in our power in 2024 to provide access to quality education for all children in Raja Ampat. We will continuously expand our offerings and infrastructure - as our financial means allow - and create boarding facilities for the school, among other things. This will allow us to offer more children from outside a place for education. We look to the future with gratitude and confidence.
But first, our students are heading into well-deserved Christmas vacations. We also take a moment to pause and express our gatitude to you, who make all of this possible. We wish you all happy holidays and a successful and healthy 2024.
Thank you very much for your support and your trust.
