Batam is just an hour’s ferry ride from Singapore. From many parts of Batam, the sky-line of Singapore’s Central Business District can be seen quite clearly on a clear day.
Almost a million people live in Batam—the vast majority from other parts of Indonesia who come to look for employment in Batam’s many factories. When these people first arrive in Batam, the first challenge they encounter is to find an affordable place to stay in. Prices in Batam (especially housing prices) are about the highest in Indonesia because of the large numbers of Singaporeans who work and play there. So most newcomers end up staying in squatter areas where rentals are much cheaper.
Over a year ago, Goducate started weekend English classes in a squatter area in Batu Aji, Batam. Six months ago, we started a kindergarten for the children in that area. Last week we made a decision to expand the kindergarten to cope with the increased demand for spaces. Besides the much lower kindergarten fees, another reason for the demand is that we teach English to the children. This is unusual in Indonesia except in the high-end “international” kindergartens. In Goducate, we believe that the best time to learn a language is when children are young.
Last week our community development workers conducted a public health seminar for the mothers in the community. For most of the mums, it was the first time that they had attended a health seminar. Such education is especially important in a squatter area where toilets are “holes in the ground”, where water for washing is dirty and scarce, and where many of the children are under-nourished and prone to illnesses.
We have also purchased a piece of land in the “heart” of the squatter area to build a Goducate Community Center, where we hope to teach basic livelihood skills (eg, detergent making, welding).
We hope to transform this squatter area to a model community where needy Asians help themselves.
