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EdJakarta: Imagination in Session
Registration Form for Jakarta Jog and Jamboree (5K Run/Walk)
- Introduction and Executive Summary
- A Brief History of Indonesia
- Center for Pesantren and Democratic Studies (CePDeS) and Jakarta
- EdJakarta: Imagination in Session
- Goals
- Partners and Supports
- Events and Fundraisers
- Opportunities for Offering Support
- Other Contact Information
World Relief Campaign 2008 Contents
"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children."
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Children at the Center in Jakarta, Indonesia
Introduction and Executive Summary
The Social Action Leadership Team (SALT) is the Spirit-led social justice ministry of the Chapel of the Resurrection in which students in community seek to embody the Christian call to be the ‘salt of the earth’ (Matt. 5:13). Taking seriously this call, SALT students develop and practice a Christian theology of social action, and raise awareness and encourage a Christian response to social justice issues. Having together developed skills of community organizing and fund development, SALT alumni are equipped to lead lives of social justice and serve as change agents in their communities.
As an essential part of this mission, SALT partners with both international and local communities in order to address critical needs within those areas. Every year for the past two decades, SALT has selected a specific project in need of funding and organized a fund raising campaign around it known as the World Relief Campaign (WRC). These projects vary greatly in location and type, but consistently offer a sustainable asset to the selected community. Once the project and target monetary goal are established, SALT works to educate and organize the campus and surrounding community in order to both increase awareness of the need within that region and raise funds.
SALT is excited to announce that the 2008 WRC “EdJakarta: Imagination in Session” will benefit the children in the Lenteng Agung neighborhood in Jakarta, Indonesia. This campaign will fund the purchase of equipment for the establishment of a Child Creativity Center, including books, computers, and children’s music as well as operational costs for the first year the center is open.
A Brief History of Indonesia
Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia between Australia and India. It is comprised of 13,670 islands that span 1/8 of the Earth’s equator. Together, the islands represent slightly less than three times the size of Texas. Indonesia’s capital and largest city is Jakarta, located on the island of Java. With a population of 234 million, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country on the planet.
Trade has played an important role in Indonesia’s history. In the seventh century, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished as a result of trade and the influences of Hinduism and Buddhism that were imported with it. Between the eighth and 10th centuries, the agricultural Buddhist Sailendra and Hindu Mataram dynasties thrived in the region. Muslim traders first traveled through South East Asia in the early 13th century and by the end of the 16th century Islam had become the dominant religion in the region. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Indonesia in the 16th century, but Portuguese interest in Indonesia diminished, giving way to Dutch colonization of Indonesia in the early 17th century. Japan occupied the islands from 1942-1945, and Indonesia declared its independence following Japan’s surrender in WWII. The Netherlands, however, wished to re-establish their rule, and did not officially recognize Indonesia’s independence until December 1949, after a four year armed struggle. President Suharto was the founder of Indonesia’s democracy, though his rule quickly shifted from democratic to authoritarian and his despotic regime lasted until the mid 1990s. After President Suhatro’s resignation in 1998, Indonesia instated major political and governmental reforms, which led to Indonesia’s first free and fair elections in 2004.
Indonesia was the country hardest hit by the East Asian Financial Crisis in the late 1990s, and as a residual it still struggles with persistent poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a fragile banking sector, a poor investment climate, and unequal resource distribution among regions. Natural disasters have also negatively impacted Indonesia’s economy. Though the devastating December 2004 tsunami and an earthquake in central Java in May 2006 both made international headlines, Indonesia annually experiences destructive flooding, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Governmental aid is severely lacking for natural and economic disasters, so the citizens of Indonesia are left to clean and repair their property with their own resources. Of Indonesia’s population that is employed, the majority of the labor force is predominantly agricultural. Independent peasant farmers account for the larger part of production of food crops and export crops while estate farmers are responsible for the rest of production, which is mainly for export. Indonesia’s major exports include crude oil and natural gas to the country’s main export partners Japan, Singapore and the United States.
In attempt to unify the nation, the government has taken the religious stance “One God, Five Religions”. Indonesian citizens must register with the government as either Roman Catholic, Protestant Christian, Hindu, Buddhist or Muslim. Though 9 % Christian and 2% Hindu, 86.1% of the population follows an Islam influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism, making Indonesia home to the largest Muslim population in the world. Geography, history and trade have combined over the centuries to create a sect of Islam that is unique to Indonesia. It was the mainstream Sunni variant of Islam that was found originally in Arabia that spread to this region. Islamic traditions are written into the modern day constitution and serve as a uniting factor for the vast differences in Islamic sects throughout the enormous country. Although the majority of followers of this faith are very peaceful, in recent years there has been a surge from Islamic fundamentalists who through acts of terror attempt to spread their ideals.
Center for Pesantren and Democratic Studies
Center for Pesantren and Democracy Studies (CePDeS) came into existence because of an ardent desire for the existence of open-minded and tolerant Muslims capable of materializing Islam’s vision for humanity. The organization envisions social justice and equality including gender justice and equality in pluralistic Indonesian societies. Their mission is to nurture progressive, open-minded and tolerant Muslims through democracy and human rights education for students of pesantren(Islamic boarding schools) and the communities at large. To carry out this mission, the organization has developed three strategies: capacity building, democracy and human rights education, and publication of relevant materials.
CePDeS’ first boarding school was established in the 1930's in Jombang, Indonesia and since that time has served thousands of children. The current center in Jakarta is two years old and has been serving as strictly a school for the past two years. It serves approximately 75 children and employs four teachers. CePDeS is looking to create another Child Creativity Center in their Jombang location, using the Center in Jakarta as a model.
Eighteen percent of the 234 million Indonesian citizens live in absolute poverty or on less than $1 a day. For them, the cost of basic schooling is beyond their economic capacity. Theoretically, basic education is free and compulsory, but in reality children have to pay the school for the textbooks, uniform and other “voluntary” contributions which prohibit children from attending school. This center is necessary to provide education to those children who would otherwise go without.
EdJakarta: Imagination in Session
The Child Creativity Center (CCC) will provide facilities for elementary and junior high school students in the Lenteng Agung neighborhood in Jakarta. The center will primarily serve street children whose families are unable to afford formal school. These children spend their days on the streets where they are targets of rape, abuse, and other crimes. The CCC will provide them with classes in required subjects so that they will have the opportunity take the national exam, which can lead to a step out of their poverty. For children who do go to formal school, CCC will be a sort of “after-school” program where they can harness their creativity and enhance their potentials in a friendly and joyful atmosphere.
The CCC is a center where children can play, read, watch educational films, listen to music, learn to read the Qur’an or how to use a computer. Periodically, there will be contests and competition to stimulate the children’s learning. The teachers act as facilitators and tutors. The needs of the children, in terms of cognitive, affective, and psycho-motor development will be met. The center seeks to satisfy these needs by providing different kinds of activities and by recruiting as many volunteers as possible to work with the children.
In addition to nurturing creativity, the center also instills the values of respecting differences, including religious differences. Muslim extremists have developed strategies to recruit and radicalize young children by meeting them when they leave school or by approaching children who have dropped out of school. The center will serve as a medium to nurture tolerance and peaceful co-existence among religions, which is important in an ever globalizing world.
Goals
The intended outcome of the 2008 WRC: EdJakarta: Imagination in Session is threefold:
1) First, SALT has set a monetary goal of $11,650 to be raised by May 2008, which will be used to fund the Child Creativity Center in Jakarta, Indonesia.
2) Second, SALT is seeking to educate VU and the Valparaiso community about Indonesia, its culture and people, and the effects of poverty on children.
3) Finally, SALT hopes to equip and inspire student leaders to become lifelong activists.
Partners and Supports
Thus far, the following individuals and organizations have joined with SALT to make this project possible:
Pastor Joseph Cunningham, Dean of the Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso University
Pastor James Wetzstein, Associate Dean of the Chapel of the Resurrection, Valparaiso University
Larry Mosher, Director of the Union, Valparaiso University
Alan Bloom, Assistant Professor of History, Valparaiso University
Elizabeth Gingerich, Assistant of Business Law, Valparaiso University
Events and Fundraisers
April 26, 10am: Jakarta Jog and Jamboree (5K and Carnival)
Opportunities for Offering Support
SALT gratefully accepts any personal and corporate monetary donations. Furthermore, campus and community social organizations are encouraged to plan fundraising events. Anyone interested in working directly with the project may attend upcoming on-campus fundraisers organized by SALT, as well as join our meetings on Tuesdays at 9:30pm in the Lumina Room of Huegli Hall. SALT welcomes opportunities to speak to campus groups, congregations, and community organizations. Finally, SALT invites you to pray for this worthy cause and seek opportunities to serve those in need in your community and around the world.
Donations may be directed to:
Barbara Hoover
Chapel of the Resurrection
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219.464.5093
*Checks payable to Valparaiso University with “EdJakarta” in the memo line
You can donate online here:
Questions may be directed to
Tezra Jennings, WRC Chair
Tezra.Jennings@valpo.edu
734.395.526
Other Contact Information
Center for Pesantren and Democracy Studies: Lily Zakiya Munir, lilym@hotmail.com, cepdes@gmail.com
Contact for Lily Munir in Valparaiso: Nelly VanDoorn-Harder, Nelly.VanDoorn-Harder@valpo.edu
EdJakarta: Imagination in Session Website: http://www.valpo.edu/chapel/saltwrc.php
Committee Leaders
Research: James.Strasburg@valpo.edu, Rebekah.Schmerber@valpo.edu
Activities: Taylor.Acker@valpo.edu, Mallory.Dignin@valpo.edu, Nina.Kiselinova@valpo.edu
New Name: Rebecca.Lohrmann@valpo.edu, Kristina.Mancini@valpo.edu
Records: Jeff.Field@valpo.edu, Janet.Pfister@valpo.edu, Erin.Westerman@valpo.edu
Listening to a story at the Center
Additions
and corrections for this page may be directed to