Foni FRIENDS FOR

Young Teachers from Indonesia Mengajar (Indonesia Teach Foundation) first met Foni when deployed to the remote District of Maluku Tenggara Barat, more commonly known as Tanimbar , where they were assigned to teach for a year.

Young Teachers knew Foni as a high achieving student, passionate about learning with an insatiable curiosity for the unknown.

Foni’s achievements reached its peak when she was selected to represent the Maluku Province at the prestigious Indonesian Children Conference 2011 (Konferensi Anak Indonesia).

Foni is currently continuing middle school in her village. There, her full potential cannot yet be optimally facilitated due to the limited resources and availability of teachers. A classic issue facing education in remote areas across Indonesia.

Seeing this, Young Teachers of Indonesia Mengajar initiated Friends For Foni, a movement aimed to offer Foni the opportunity to continue her studies at SMPK Cor Jesu, Malang, a place that can better accommodate her talent and desire to learn.

Friends For Foni is inspired by a success story of another Young Teacher who had successfully brought Nindy, also a student from Tanimbar, to be schooled at SMPK Cor Jesu.

This Proposal aims to collect funding for Foni, to allow her access to a more supportive educational ecosystem.

IN A NUTSHELL

Jakarta – Ambon 2,839 km

3.5 hours flight

Ambon – Saumlaki 594 km

1.5 hours flight

Getting to Tanimbar from Jakarta

Foni lives in the village of Lumasebu, 90 km from the District center. Young Teachers first knew Foni when she was still in the fifth grade. Those assigned to teach at Lumasebu had the privilege of getting to know Foni more intimately.

28 Young Teachers have known Foni

04 Young Teachers have been assigned to teach at Lumasebu

07 Young Teachers (fourth batch) are still currently in Tanimbar until June of 2015

Indonesia Mengajar Foundation seeks to address the lack of elementary school teachers, specifically in remote areas across the archipelago, by deploying Indonesian graduates to teach and live there for the duration of one year.

Her intelligence is colored by innocence as she was once quoted, “Miss, the clouds in the sky would sometimes resemble animals. That is because the spirit of those dead animals here on Earth flies up to the sky, isn’t that so?”

6 Foni’s parents are farmers, like the majority of those in Lumasebu and her father also works as a caretaker of the local Church. They admitted to never teaching Foni basic literacy or numerical skills at home.

It was the local priest, by the name of Suripatty, who had dilligently taught Foni to read, write and count. Foni would study with her everyday, allowing her to outshine her classmates.

Foni always ranked first in her class ever since the first grade.

As the Maluku delegate at the Indonesian Children Conference in 2011, Foni became among the very few people from Lumasebu to have stepped on a plane and visited Jakarta.

Alfonsina Melsasail, who goes by Foni, was born on January 30th, 2001 in Lumasebu, a village on the eastern coast of Yamdena, the main island of Tanimbar.

FONI FACTS

4 3

5 6

2 1

Foni’s essay told a story about her friend who had accidentally stepped on a neighbor’s plantation, ruining their crop. A sentence in Foni’s essay read, “I wanted to tell the plantation’s owner but I don’t like seeing my friend get hit. I get sad when I see my friends sad.” A powerful statement. A conscious act, to choose to not tell the truth in fear of its consequences. Natural, but rarely expressed. This is the painful reality there.

Funny story, Foni’s preparation to Jakarta:

Head lice is prevalent in Lumasebu and Foni’s head was among those terribly infested. She was first treated before heading to Jakarta. “Miss, my head feels like it is on fire!” she said. The next morning, we got rid of all her lice.

The Indonesian Children Conference held by Bobo

Magazine asked elementary students to submit a

personal essay with the theme “Let’s Be Honest”

Funny story, Foni’s preparation to Jakarta:

In Lumasebu, most villagers do not have access to proper toilets. Children openly defecate on the beach, including Foni. She had to first be taught how to use the toilet, how to flush and how to turn on the shower when in Ambon.

The first time I met Foni, there was nothing particularly special about her. She looked and acted similarly to the others. But then, just like a sponge, she would very fast absorb any learning materials put in front of her. - Diastri Satriantini (Dissa), the first Young Teacher in Lumasebu, also Foni’s homeroom teacher. Dissa accompanied Foni during the Indonesian Children Conference.

Foni would always ask for homework. There was no electricity at night so she would do them in the dark, with only a small candle. By the next morning, she would already have mastered the material. Out of all the students I encountered, Foni is the only one with such persistence. - Siti Soraya Cassandra (Sandra), the second Young Teacher to teach in Lumasebu.

“

Foni is never shy when it comes to public speaking and positions of leadership. She does all of this with such humbleness and kindness. She is brain, beauty and behavior. - Febe Amelia, the fourth and current Young Teacher in Lumasebu. Her assignment ends in June 2015, to be replaced by the fifth and final batch.

A sweet little girl who everyday finds the balance to manage not only her school workload, but also her responsibility as a caretaker of her baby sister, a helper around the house and a loyal assistant to her parents around their crop plantation. - Nindya Intan Putri (Intan), the third Young Teacher in Lumasebu

ABOUT FONI, OUR TESTIMONIALS

“Once the studying starts, it is impossible to not notice the star within Foni. “Foni’s best quality lies in her undeniable resilience.

“An absolute brave heart who is constantly open to new things and never afraid to try her best.

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“Down to earth and wise, those are Foni’s biggest assets behind her wit.

“ “

When I grow up In sixth grade, Foni crystalized her dream of becoming a stewardess.

“My father and mother has been so kind to me, nurturing me ever since I was little. When I grow up I want to be a stewardess so I can take my parents on a plane and they can come with me to see Jakarta.”

Foni is the only member of her family that has stepped into a plane, among the few in her whole village who have had such experience.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CONDITIONS IN LUMASEBU

Currently, Foni sits in the 8th grade at the only middle school in Lumasebu, a state school -- SMP Negeri Satu Atap.

Despite these conditions, Foni is still able to excel, earning the top rank in her class every semester.

The biggest challenge facing this school is the lack and poor attendance of its teachers.

In remote and isolated areas such as Lumasebu, its limited infrastructure, lack of electricity and reception, hamper teachers’ ability to optimally contribute.

The education ecosystem in Lumasebu is still unable to explore the talent and learning spirit of a highly driven student like Foni.

Imagine how Foni’s talent would mature if she was in a learning climate that could accommodate the depth of her potential.

SMP KATOLIK COR JESU Jl. Jaksa Agung Suprapto 55 Malang – Jawa Timur 65112 Telp. 0341-321765 Fax. 0341-361719 smpkcorjesu_malang@yahoo.co.id smpkcorjesu.wordpress.com

SMPK COR JESU MALANG

SMPK Cor Jesu Malang is a Catholic middle

school managed by the nuns of Ursulin Malang Community, through the Dhira Bhakti Education

Foundation.

In 2013, a Volunteer Teacher from the first batch, Dedi Wijaya, successfully entered Nindy, also a student from MTB, at SMPK Cor Jesu. The school was very supportive of his initiative and willing to waiver the entry test for Nindy, also for Foni should she continue her study there.

Both a school and boarding house, this is the perfect place to

house students like Foni who will be far

away from home and family.

At the beginning, Nindy worked hard to adapt to the new urban surroundings of Malang. Fortunately, the school also attracted many students from Eastern Indonesia so Nindy was able to have something familiar to home around her.

Nindy is active in many extracurricular activities. She is currently in the volleyball team, Dewan Galang Girls Scout and will be participating in the Bali International Choir Competition in June this year.

THE BREAKDOWN

Items Price First year costs

Second year costs

Third year costs

Notes

Dormitory 1,000 / month 12,000 12,120 12,240 *10% increase per year

Tuition fees 400 / month 4,800 5,280 5,808 *10% increase per year

School activities 1,500 / year 1,500 1,650 1,800 *10% increase per year

Registration fee 300 0 300 300

Entrance fee 5,000 4,000 0 0

Foni’s allowance 450 / month 5,400 5,400 5,400

Lessons fee 300 / month 3,600 3,600 3,600

Semester break 700 / semester 1,400 1,400 1,400 *Visit Jakarta to spend holiday with Young Teachers family

Transport Tanimbar-Malang 3,500 3,500 0 0

TOTAL 36,200 29,750 30,548

OVERALL TOTAL 96,498

Price in Rupiah ’000

* This budget guarantees all of Foni’s basic expenses for the duration of her three-year study. Estimates are derived from SMPK Cor Jesu and Nindy’s past projections. * Note that extra fees for “Lessons fee” and “Semester break” are inserted as it provides necessary support, both academic and psychological/ emotional, as has been shown to be significant for Nindy.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

97 FRIENDS CONTRIBUTE

RP. 1,000,000

194 FRIENDS CONTRIBUTE RP. 500,000 388 FRIENDS

CONTRIBUTE RP. 250,000

WE HAVE FRIENDS AND THEY HAVE

FRIENDS TOGETHER, WE

CAN BE FRIENDS FOR FONI

Although Friends For Foni is a joint effort by Tanimbar Young Teachers Alumni, Sandra (second batch, Lumasebu) initiated the movement and is the official coordinator responsible for all arrangements. Sandra lives in Jakarta and is currently working full time in a private company.

STEPS TO CONTRIBUTE

Picture, Melkias (top boy), Ance, Foni, Sandra, Nia (left to right)

For any inquiries, reach Sandra at: * soraya.cassandra@ gmail.com * 081287726117

BCA 4890-143-887 a/n Siti Soraya Cassandra

Please notify Sandra (email/phone) once a transfer has been made. You will receive a finance report on all expenses made for Foni.

MANDIRI 900-00-203-2626-1 a/n Siti Soraya Cassandra

Be proud to say, “Foni, you’ve got a friend in me.”