Java Village celebrates its fifteenth birthday on the 25th of May! Java Village is very proud that in the past fifteen years it has been able to support and initiate projects in the village and help the people of Cisarua, something it could not have achieved without the ongoing and generous support and input from its sponsors, friends and volunteers. So thank you and please continue to support Java Village!

Java Village started as a private effort by its founders. With the establishment of the foundation in 2007, it became possible to help the villagers more professionally with ongoing projects such as our SaS project, our health projects and the saving groups. The initial emergency assistance, has evolved into capacity building and self-reliance. Java Village hopes that it will be able to continue its work in helping the most vulnerable inhabitants of the village and to work together for a brighter future.

In our last Newsletter we announced that two or possibly three students will receive a grant from the Maria Peters Scholarship to complete the second phase of their secondary school education. We are pleased to report that three students will receive a grant. We are confident that through this grant these three motivated and talented girls Hani, Raisha and Hansya will complete their secondary school education which will provide them with an excellent base for their future.

The scholarship was founded in memory of Maria Peters, one of the first supporters of Java Village, who sadly passed away in 2016. In honour of her, her family took the initiative, together with Java Village, to establish this special grant for excellent students.
You can find additional information about this scholarship and how you can support it on our website.

The costs for senior high school or vocational school are higher than those for junior high school, because the government asks a school fee for the second phase of secondary schooling. This means that the total costs for three years are €1650 (€550 per year per pupil), compared to €450 for three years of junior high school (€150 per year; there is no school fee for SMP). Java Village has been supporting junior high school students for the last fourteen years through its Sponsor a Student (SaS) programme (see below). Understandably, senior high school is an even more heavy financial burden, and support for these students is highly appreciated.

Students still go to school in shifts, as we mentioned in our previous Newsletters.That means that they can't attend school the full week. They follow lessons at school in small groups several days a week and on the other days on-line at home.

The Learning Centre continues with its activities. Naufal, a graduate from the ITB in Bandung and one of the founders of the Learning Centre (Rumah Belajar Cisago), still finds time to help young pupils with their computer skills and their on-line lessons. He also gives English lessons.

Naufal giving English lessons to a group of SaS students. This is an activity of the Learning Centre, using a classroom of the local primary school as the school is not yet fully open.

Titi, (fieldworker of Java Village) in the middle with the two girls, also participated in lessons to improve the youngsters' command of English by teaching them English songs! They are very fond of songs by Adèle and Katty Perry and even by older singers like Nika Costa. They hear the songs on the radio and they can easily sing along with the downloaded lyrics.

Remember Odi? Odi is fourteen years old now. She has a severe form of cerebral palsy. Through Java Village she got a new wheelchair at the beginning of last year as she was out growing her old one. For her mother carrying Odi is getting heavier by the day as she is growing fast. The wheelchair recently had a re-fit in Bandung.

On June 6, Whits Monday, Java Village will again take part in the World Fair organised by the Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden. The event couldn't take place for the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Java Village will be present with Indonesian food made by Silvy and her team as well as other Indonesian products. We hope to welcome you at this event and especially at our stall.

Location: Museum garden of the Museum Volkenkunde, Steenstraat 1, 2312 BS Leiden; Date and time: June 6 from 11 am - 5 pm;
Programme: www.volkenkunde.nl

Please do not forget our Sponsor a Student project. This ongoing project supports young pupils so that they can continue their education after primary school. The village doesn't have a secondary school and many families cannot afford the cost of going to a school outside the village. The Sponsor a Student project helps these families. Since the beginning of the project in 2008 Java Village has already helped 130 pupils to go to a junior high school. You can support a student by donating €12,50 per month or €150 per year. Please go to our website for additional information about how you can become a SaS sponsor.

Shop online at your favourite stores via DoelShop.nl (in the Netherlands) or at ShopDonation (in the UK) and they will donate a percentage to Java Village! This is an easy way to support us, without any extra costs for you, making your online shopping even more enjoyable.
For details of how to shop and donate, please go to our website or use the links above.

The Java Village Foundation has been acknowledged as an Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling, ANBI (institution serving public interest) by the Dutch tax authorities. This gives the opportunity to donate with fiscal benefits or leave assets to Java Village. Your donations to our foundation are tax deductible in the Netherlands. We explain how you can make use of this option on our website. Please click here.

Up-to-date news about Java Village is posted on our Facebook page. Visit it to find the latest information, photos of our projects and more that is happening in Java Village and the village of Cisarua.