Background
Pondok Bocah (Childrens Place) pre-school has been running since 3rd March 2003 from our community in Lenteng Agung, Jakarta. Most of the Pondok Bocah families come from poor backgrounds who have come to Jakarta from remote parts of the country in search of jobs. The socio-economic conditions at that time were very unstable. Many people lost their jobs and most parents could not support the educational costs for their children. Parents were working in a variety of occupations, e.g. as a motorcycle driver, carpenter, or street vendor, in order to support their families and at least get enough money for food. The children were doing nothing during the day or playing in the courtyard of their houses.
After seeing, contemplating and reflecting on the situation we felt called to do something for the children. Initially, we consulted the local community leader for help to get information about the families, the children and the jobs the parents were doing. We visited each of the families in their homes to make enquiries and offer them the possibility that their children could come to our house to study.
Most of them were very open and happy to receive our invitation and to let their children come to our community to study. At the beginning, we used our empty garage as a class room for the kids, but since the community house was re-built in 2017, they now use a purpose-built classroom.
Objective
- To prepare children to become life-long learners and to enter elementary education
- To carry out active, creative, effective and innovative learning activities
- To facilitate a sense of discipline among the children and to create and develop curricula according to local academic and cultural needs.
Activity
The nursery activities take place between 07:30 - 11:00 am, Monday to Friday. We adopted the curriculum from the governments own and made adjustments according to the local situation and conditions and the needs of the children. The subjects they learn are mathematics, reading, painting, dancing (most are traditional dance) and sport. Regular outings take place once a year to the zoo, a cultural garden and to the beach. The children learn about the need to care for their environment and to do some social service. Every Friday for one hour they pick up rubbish from the road around the neighbourhood.
A lay teacher has been appointed (Sept 2019) to take responsibility for the day-to-day teaching with supervision from Sr. Lulud. The live-ins / pre-postulants assist in the pre-school as part of their formation programme.
Outcomes
- Each year, between 15-30 children attend Pondok Bocah.
- They grow in confidence and in their abilities to learn and develop their social skills.
Extra comments :
In 2014 to Sr Jovita Triwiludjeng (Lulud) rscj took over from Sr. Anne O'Neil
People being served
People being served : Children and Young People
Age group : Children 0-17
Number of participants : mai-50
Schedule
Project status : Ongoing
Images
Overview
Society presence : Indonesia
Focus of the project : People
JPIC Imperative : Transforming and Being Transformed, Welcoming People on the Move
UN Sustainable Development Goals : 10 Reduced Inequalities, 17 Partnerships for the Goals, 4 Quality Education
