ISCO HAGIS 2009 celebrating the astronomical year

Jakarta, 15 February 2009:

ISCO invited their sponsored children who live in urban slum areas in North Jakarta to celebrate their high spirit and diligenceness in continuing attending their school classes against all odds. The celebration was held in Planetarium where children learned about planets, the sun, the milky way, and everything about the universe. But more importantly, other than this wonderful fun learning experience, was that the children learned how to share information by transferring these knowledge to their fellow friends who had not understood about it as they were still in pre-school. The children said their prayers before they ate their lunch, learned to say thanks to the people who had helped them show the way to the planetarium. They believe that one day, they will be as bright and shining as all the stars in the universe.

Congratulations for all ISCO children for your school achievement this past year.

You deserve the excitement to watch the stars, and we deserve to see you glow one day in the future.

(HAGIS--HAri Gembira anak ISCO or ISCO Children Happy Day is an ISCO program dedicated to ISCO sponsored children who had great school achievement over the year or those who had great spirit and determination to finish their school by attending both activities at schools and activity centers almost every day. The program invites ISCO children to celebrates the joy to see some educational places, learn, play, and feel blessed while having fun.)

I am so glad I can go to school... (better late than never !)

Sunita could not hide her happiness...
She had a very big smile when she was told that she could attend school immediately. She was already in the age of 9 when she started 1st grade primary school last year. But that had never made her ashamed or embarrased. She was so determined to go to school... just like other children.

Today, this sweet little girl is already in her 2nd grade, SD 08 Rawa Kramat, Duri Kosambi. She loves school, and she does very well in all her school work, despite all the limitations. In fact she has always been top of her class.

Nita lives with her family in a hut made of carton paper, on a piece of land they never knew of the owner, in Duri Kosambi area. She has 2 siblings , all living in the same hut. Nita's parents work as scavenegers, with very uncertain income. They live without electricity nor clean water.

It is so ironic looking at their living condition, right in the middle of the capital city of Jakarta, a modern metropolitan city. During her free time, Nita helps her parents collecting used Aqua plastic bottles and glasses. Nita was very well aware of her family situation. But she manages to make time to study, help her parents, and play with her school friends.

We can learn a lot from her... Her learning spirit, her cheerfulness, her willingness to help out her parents, her time management, her self confidence, her determination to pursue her dream...

ISCO will always support her....!!