Ceruk Ilmu programme encourages students in Malacca to pursue their dreams

22 November 2024, 16:22

EAST NUSA TENGGARA — Maria Kristina Bano Taek, a passionate student of Kletek Junior High School in Malacca Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), proves that distance and limited facilities are not obstacles to achieving goals. Every morning, the teenager who is familiarly called Risna travels on foot for approximately 30 minutes from her home to get to school.

Her enthusiasm in studying can be seen from her habit of leaving for school at 05.30 WITA, arriving at school at 06.00 WITA. While the new learning activities start at 07.00 WITA, he utilises the one-hour break to read books. His diligence is not only seen in his habit of reading books at the school reading corner before lessons begin, but also at home. Her brother’s books are also her reading material.

Risna, along with her friends, reads books from Dompet Dhuafa at the reading corner in the teachers’ room.

Apart from the reading corner, students of Kletek High School also read under the reading tree.

Luckily, when his enthusiasm for reading was so burning, Dompet Dhuafa came to bring hundreds of reading books for schools in Malacca on 12 November 2024. These books are not textbooks, but books with other categories. For SMPN Kletek, the books provided were novels, biography books of national and international figures, science books, and self-development books.
‘The procurement of hundreds of reading books in Malacca District is part of the Ceruk Ilmu Programme to improve literacy culture for school-age children. This programme has been running for several years, targeting schools in remote areas. With the Ceruk Ilmu Programme, it is hoped that students‘ interest in reading will increase and ultimately have an impact on improving learning achievement,’ said Hasairi Arnas, Dompet Dhuafa’s Digital Fundraising Team, who handed over the books.

Hasairi Arnas (second-right) reading with students of Kletek High School under the reading tree.

Risna was listening to the lesson in the classroom.

Knowing this, Risna was very enthusiastic and happy. She immediately utilised the books to enrich her knowledge due to her high interest in reading.
Her keen interest in social studies and civics, especially Indonesian history, inspires Risna to continue learning about her nation. Through reading books, she explores the world beyond Malacca Regency and gets to know inspiring figures across the country.
‘I love reading about Indonesian history because I want to know more about the nation,’ she said on Wednesday (13/11/2024).

Although Risna’s classroom is still wooden and covered with dirt, her enthusiasm for learning never drops.

Risna’s aspiration to become a fashion designer is also inspiring. Her hobby of drawing and her interest in fashion motivate her to keep creating. Despite not having direct access to a sewing machine, her enthusiasm to learn and create should be appreciated.

In an effort to increase the reading interest of school children in Malacca Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Dompet Dhuafa and Bank SMBC Indonesia collaborated again, presenting the Ceruk Ilmu Programme. This is a programme initiated by Great Edunesia (Dompet Dhuafa’s programme partner in education) to improve literacy culture for school-age children. The collaboration between Dompet Dhuafa and Bank SMBC Indonesia in this programme has been established for several years by targeting schools in remote areas. (Dompet Dhuafa)

Text and photo: Riza Muthohar

Editor: Dhika