RUS (Realia Untuk Sekolah)

RuS (”Realia for School”) is a relief program established in April 2006 by Realia Language & Culture Center. The program is aimed at assisting the elementary education recovery process in Bantul regency, severely damaged by the May 2006 earthquake.

A part of Realia’s on-going Social Program, RuS strives to provide books and stationary for heavily damaged schools and scholarship funds for students in Bantul area.

As RuS only receives limited funds from Realia and several donors (primarily Realia students and ex-students living in Indonesia and overseas) and due to the overwhelming number of earthquake-torn schools in Bantul, the RuS program focus a few schools selected from data provided by UNICEF, OCHA and the Indonesian Ministry of Education.

Project 1: Charity Sale

At the beginning of the project, RuS received and distributed donationed clothing. When the earthquake survivors were no longer in need of clothing, RuS held a charity sale and sold the donated clothing to the public. The first charity sale was held in August 2006 in the vicinity of Gadjah Mada University Yogyakarta. RuS used the money collected from the sale to purchase school supplies such as book and stationary.

Project 2: SD Gondosuli

SD Gondosuli (Gondosuli Elementary School) in Imogiri, Bantul was selected as the first beneficiary due to the severity of the destruction there. It has 212 students, ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 6. As the school building was severely damaged the children are taught in tents using anything they can find for equipment. The school has received notebooks, stationery, uniforms, and shoes from other donors, but there was a shortage of textbooks. Upon learning of the situation, RuS decided to provide Indonesian, Maths, Civics, and Science textbook, along with scholarship funds for 40 very poor students. On Saturday, August 27, 2006, the RuS team members including several Realia students delivered the textbooks and scholarship funds. The donation was received by the head of the village on behalf of the school headmistress, Ms. Alfiah.

Project 3: Wonocatur

In August 2006, RuS received a letter from one of the earthquake devastated villages in Banguntapan, Bantul, asking for assistance for the children in the village. As RuS appreciates local initiative, and despite the fact that it was not a school, RuS decided to respond. Based on a discussion with the head of Wonocatur village, RuS learned that the children needed stationery to work on their school tasks. On Sunday, September 3, 2006, RuS team members accompanied by several Realia students delivered 27 packages of stationery and notebooks to the children of Wonocatur. The donation was received by the head of the village.

Project 4: ABA Kindergarten

Rus was delighted to receive donations in many different forms. After receiving some story books for kindergarten kids and children’s stationery theRuS team surveyed several kindergartens and soon found TK ABA in Kotagede. Most of its 91 pupils were earthquake survivors who were in need of something to help heal the trauma. As a means of education and entertainment, RuS donated the books and stationery at the beginning of October 2006.

Project 5: SD Giriwungu

Giriwungu Elementary School is one of the many elementary schools in Imogiri that suffered from the earthquake. Ninety percent of the school building and facilities were destroyed. When RuS found them, they had already received many donations of textbooks, stationary, school uniforms, and funds to rebuild the school building. However, the book donation did not completely cover the needs of each class; Grade 6 students had not yet received Civic and Math textbooks. In response to the situation, RuS donated 25 Civic and 25 Math books which were very much needed since the Grade 6 students would sit on final exams in May. We also donated 20 other Popular Science books. The books were handed over on December 23, 2006.

Project 6: SD Pundung 2

As the school building of SD Pundung 2 was damaged by the earthquake and regarded as unsafe, the students studied in tents. Later, Grades 3 and 4 were moved to a residential building nearby, while Grades 5 and 6 were in an old chapel and two renovated classrooms. Many organizations had given donations ranging from school apparel to books and rebuilding funds. But textbooks were lacking at a time when the students (6 graders in particular) needed them to prepare for upcoming final exams. RuS handed over 70 Indonesian, Science, and Popular Science to help the situation. The books were handed over on December 23, 2006.

As RuS is in the process of implementing more projects, the team members welcome any contributions aimed at helping improve the situation in post-quake Yogyakarta. Should you have any feedback, questions, or suggestions concerning this charity program, do not hesitate to contact us:

realia_untuk_sekolah@yahoo.co.id

Contact Person:
Elok: +62 815 7871 4858
elok.fajarini@gmail.com

REALIA Language & Culture Center

Jl. Pandega Marta V/6 Pogung Utara, Yogyakarta 55281
Ph: +62 274 583 229
Fax: +62 274 581 053
www.realians.com

NEWS UPDATE

As of January 2007, RuS has completed six aid projects in the Bantul and Yogyakarta areas and expects that the program can continue, notwithstanding the limited funds received, since several schools in the Bantul area are still in need of aid and assistance