In the past two weeks there has been much excitement at Sengkanaung. Five children are returning to an education! The education they receive is run by the Government, but is an informal school that runs every Monday and Thursday night from 6-7pm. Pictured on their first night at this Government School from left is Meldy with Diana and Leah:
Diana has spent her life scavenging for paper and plastic on Sumompo’s rubbish dump. Now that her primary carer is quite old, Diana is an important source of income for her and her sick husband. Diana thinks she is 10, although her carer (extended aunt) says she is 12. Yet, her leathery hands and feet, and rugged face suggest she has lived well beyond her age. She has never been to school, and was thus overwhelmed with fear, shame, and excitement at her first lesson. Meldy sat beside her to take her through the alphabet. Indeed, Meldy constitutes Diana’s informal informal school. That is, she will work one on one with her in Diana’s limited time. Leah is 11 years old and only been out of school for 2 years. She is quite smart and will hope to catch up so she might be able to re-enter a mainstream education.
Pictured on right is Diana and Leah on their way home after school climbing the hill known as "Seribu tangga" or 1000 steps! It is quite a climb, and especially difficult at night.
The Government’s informal school provides a place for people of all ages to decide to go back to school, without facing the inevitable problems of not fitting in being in so much older. The idyllic images from movie Billy Madison do not measure up in reality! For example, there is a 19 year old in Packet “A” doing primary school. There are three programs called Packet A, B, and yes, C. A is for those who never finished primary school, B for those who graduated primary school and C for those who graduated junior high. Graduating Packet C is equivalent to finishing high school. By being at night it allows everyone to still work in the day. At this point, the children still work in the day, which is an incredibly tough working environment. Yet, we consider this the first step in putting them on the path to choice and opportunity.
The Government’s informal school provides a place for people of all ages to decide to go back to school, without facing the inevitable problems of not fitting in being in so much older. The idyllic images from movie Billy Madison do not measure up in reality! For example, there is a 19 year old in Packet “A” doing primary school. There are three programs called Packet A, B, and yes, C. A is for those who never finished primary school, B for those who graduated primary school and C for those who graduated junior high. Graduating Packet C is equivalent to finishing high school. By being at night it allows everyone to still work in the day. At this point, the children still work in the day, which is an incredibly tough working environment. Yet, we consider this the first step in putting them on the path to choice and opportunity.
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