In August of 2021, Van Empel Goldman Foundation decided to get involved with an educational institution providing education to students in rural parts of Java, Indonesia, which had the aim of bridging the gap between students graduating from a high school education and their introduction to the workforce. Skipping forward to today, the initiatives backed by EGF have started to show encouraging and significant outcomes.
MA Ma’Arif NU Cilongok
MA Ma'arif NU Cilongok is an educational institution catering to children residing in rural areas of Java. Typically, students at this school lack the financial means to pursue a university education, so they transition directly into the workforce upon completing their studies. Unfortunately, their skill sets often fall short of the job market's requirements, putting them at risk of unemployment. To bridge this gap between the student's skills and the demands of employers, the school has initiated two programs: one focused on sewing and the other on welding. The school has reached out to us for assistance in implementing these projects.
As the goals of the school’s initiatives aligned with ours, the Van Empel Goldman Foundation decided to get involved by donating welding and sewing equipment. Up until today, EGF has donated a total of €6,380 to MA Ma'arif NU Cilongok.
Results
The initiatives started by MA Ma’Arif NU Cilongok with the support of EGF have already started to yield positive results. Namely, some alumni of M.A. Ma'arif’s sewing program have been accepted to work in the fashion business in Semarang-Central Java. Furthermore, the extra-curricular programs of the school have gained a very good reputation in surrounding areas, causing student applications to increase and furthering the initiatives’ impact. As evidence of this success, Pak Arif, the school's director, expressed his gratitude, stating, "Thank you very much for the donation of Sewing tools from EGF; it has equipped students to start entering the world of working (business)."
Future plans
Even though we are already very proud of the student’s successes, our involvement with the program does not end here. As more and more students are joining the school and participating in its extra-curricular activities, more equipment is also needed. Therefore, EGF is currently planning to donate an additional contribution to fund ten more sewing machines.
If this inspiring story has motivated you to join our mission, donate now by clicking the button above or reach out to us for other ways to get involved!
