Dejavato Indonesia Newsletter (6)

Kendal Bilateral Work Camp - IWO - DEJAVATO: 1 - 14 February 2008
Kendal Regency is a new place of Dejavato’s workcamp. Dejavato started to build partnership with a local NGO, called LMDH Wana Lestari in Wonosari Village, District of Pegandon. This local NGO’s activities mostly concern in environment preservation surrounding the village. Besides, Dejavato also cooperated with the local government of Kendal Regency which has given big support and assistance during the project.

Wonosari village is a small village on the hill located about 15 km south of Kendal City. In the past the village was surrounded by the forest, but few years ago the forest had serious damaged because of illegal lodging. So that’s why the LMDH Wana Lestari was formed. Since several years ago, together with local villagers, Forestry Department and local government they started planting trees.

There were 22 participants in this workcamp, that mostly were university’s students. The main activity was building a small house from bamboos for a library for local children and young people. We called this house as a “Reading Center”, where the volunteers also made some bookshelves for putting the books. The Korean volunteers also donated English reading books, dictionaries and English learning books.

The volunteers also had daily activities in teaching English for students in the Wonosari Elementary school. The response of the students and teachers were very great and enthusiastic. The students were so happy having the workcampers taught English and other new skills like making Korean kites, dances, songs, games etc.

During stayed in the village, the volunteers also had cooking session with local people, especially with the ladies. The villager’s ladies and Indonesian volunteers cooked traditional food, while Korean cooked their traditional cuisine. Besides, they also learnt how to play traditional musical instruments called Rebana, mud volley and foot ball competition, discussion, school visit and visiting Borobudur Temple and local tourist objects in Kendal Regency facilitated by the Tourism Department.


DJ-02 Sidorejo International Workcamp: 02 - 14 February 2008
This is the first workcamp was held in Sidorejo village in the beginning of 2008, and we would like also to have workcamps in the same site in the coming months. The type of the worcamp was Renovation and Education.

The volunteers had main activity in renovating (painting) the teachers rooms at SD Sidorejo I (Sidorejo Elementary School I). This workcamp was held to continue the work in renovating some school facilities which also had done by the volunteers in the previous workcamp in December 2007.

They also organized health environmental and campaign with local students by collecting and managing garbage surround the school, promoting the importance of cutting and having clean nails and hair. The volunteers also gave a hand cutting and cleaning nails of the students. In the morning they taught English in the classrooms.

During the free time they visited nearby waterfall, played some games in the river or school yard with students, hiking, and visited the famous Borobudur temple as the camp site is located close to this world heritage site.


DJ-03 Semarang International Workcamp: 02 - 14 February 2008
This was the second international workcamp held in Semarang in the beginning of 2008. The workcamp was held Kedungmundu District, East Semarang. Dejavato cooperated with Ar-Rodhiyah Moslem Orphanage House, an orphanage and a kinder-garden which belong to the Rodhiyah Muslim Foundation. The orphanage is home to 100 orphans. Through this project, we want to support the Rodhiyah Foundation in its work for the future of the orphans and stimulate intercultural encounter.

The volunteers taught English inside the orphanage and promoted both personal hygiene (important for the children) and environmental protection (waste management). They also spent organizing games and leisure activities for and with the pupils, as well as held cooking exchange session. Besides doing main activities in the orphanage house, they also visited a neighboring elementary school for teaching some basics English, songs and games.

During the leisure times they played football with the orphans. The orphans also asked the volunteers to join them in the trekking in the hill behind of the camp site.

Dejavato Indonesia Newsletter (5)

DJ-19 Kemudo International Work Camp: 16 – 27 December 2007
The Kemudo International Work Camp was held from 16th to 27th December 2008 in Kemudo Village, Prambanan District, Magelang Regency – Central Java. The type of this camp was Construction and Education. There were 7 participants in this camp from: CADIP Canada, IWO Korea and Indonesia.

Kemudo village is situated in Prambanan district where there is a famous world heritage lies, The Prambanan Temple. This village was struck by massive earthquake in May 2006. Almost 90% houses were collapsed and damaged. Since then, the villagers lived in plastic tent or temporary house made from bamboos. While the time being, the local people started to build their home step by step. Dejavato also has been doing several projects in this village including conduct free medical check up, sending relief goods, and donated stationary for local students.

The daily activities of the volunteers were mainly building concrete permanent gate of the local grave yard which was destroyed by the earthquake, and teaching English for local students. They also planted trees along the road to the village. The volunteers also did school visit to the local elementary school and did some sport competition with local youngsters. During the camp they also joined the Moslem Sacrifice Day by cutting goats and cows with the local people in the mosque, visited world heritage site, Prambanan Temple., and learning how to paint traditional cloth, Batik.


Sidorejo Bilateral Work Camp - IWO - DEJAVATO: 17 – 29 December 2007
The Sidorejo Bilateral Work Camp was held from 17 – 29 December 2007 in Sidorejo Village, Kajoran District, Magelang Regency – Central Java. The type of this camp was Renovation. There were 21 participants: 17 Korean students with teachers and 4 Indonesian

Sidorejo Village is located about 15 kilometers on the west part of Magelang city, on the slope of Sumbing Mountain. The village is quite isolated and should pass the macadam (the road made from the stones) and surrounded by the rice fields. The volunteers stayed at one of the local family with traditional Javanese house, called “Joglo”.

The daily activities of the volunteer were cleaning and painting the classrooms. They also involved the students in their activities. As mostly the participants were junior high school students, they got working instruction from the teachers and leaders.

During the volunteers stay, they also did some environment activities like hiking and trekking, cultural exchange and performance with local people and students, visiting local interesting places like waterfall in the village as well as visiting Borobudur Temple and Yogyakarta city.


Sokawera Bilateral Work Camp - IWO - DEJAVATO: 15 – 27 January 2008
The Sokawera Bialteral Work Camp was held from 15 to 27 January 2008 in Sokawera Village, Karangtengah District, Banyumas Regency – Central Java. The type of this camp was Education – Construction. This workcamp was followed by 17 participants from IWO Korea and Indonesia, whom mostly university students.

This worcamp was held by Dejavato Foundation cooperated local partner Argowilis Non Formal Education Center. The center was funded by local people to response the needs of non formal education for the poor children in the village. It conducts and provides free school for local children with the teachers are volunteers of the youth and parents itself. They don’t have formal school building, but the teaching activities are conducted at villagers houses and the center. The students not only learn formal subjects, but they also taught with other skills such as making coconut sugar, sewing, making handicrafts, agriculture, organizing outdoor activities etc.

The daily activities of the volunteers were making rabbits cages where the volunteers donated 20 rabbits to the local people. They also taught English and some Korean for students.

During the project, the participants stay at local villager houses, and it gives experience about Indonesian daily life. They also have very good opportunity in learning how to play traditional musical instruments called “Calung”, making handicrafts, discussion, traditional games and cultural exchange, and do some sport competition. The volunteers stay, they also did some environment activities like hiking and trekking to Cipendok waterfall and forest.


DJ-01 Semarang International Work Camp : 19 – 31 January 2008
In the Panjangan neighborhood, where its office is, the Foundation is member of a community of local volunteers whom together take care of the common spaces, the security of the inhabitants and, more important, the harmony between neighbors. As all the land belongs to individuals or to the management of the residential area, there is a lack of public green space and playgrounds for children. In order to improve the situation and to give a good example to the locals, Dejavato decided to beautify a little green space in front of its office/staff house and to create some geographic panels in order to increase the children’s skills and to stimulate learning. The workcamp was also an occasion to promote intercultural encounter and exchange as well as environmental preservation.

The volunteers from Japan, Korea and Indonesia had beautified a green space and created a small public garden for the local community. Volunteers also made and installed panels, showing the names and direction of foreign countries and help the local children to learn about international geography. Besides, the volunteers also held children drawing competition with the theme “My Nature”.

The competition was held for the neighbor children, and their parents were also welcomed to join and draw on the piece of stone, where the result of the stone drawing were put on the wall of the garden. This competition had aim to raise awareness of the children to keep their environment clean, respect to the nature and to keep the garden as theirs.

During the free time, the volunteers played football, taught songs and games for the kids. They also had excursion visited Semarang downtown, Sam Poo Kong Chinese temple, traditional market, Baturaden, Borobudur Temple and Yogyakarta city.

Dejavato Indonesia Newsletter (4)

Dejavato Indonesia – IWO Korea Group Work Camp

DEJAVATO started in hosting group of Korean volunteers from IWO Korea in December 2006, with three group Korean volunteers in three different project sites : Klaten, Magelang and Banyumas Regency. The volunteers worked on education – renovation – social and culture fields such as renovating local school, teaching English or Korean language for local community, learning on traditional music and dance, and do some more environmental activities.


Korean – Indonesian Group Work Camp 2007
Seeing the good result of the previous project, again in 2007, DEJAVATO and IWO Korea organized the similar project started on 23rd July to 06th August held in Sokawera Village, District of Cilongok, Central Java – Indonesia.

There are 21 students of universities join in this work camp : 16 Korean and 5 Indonesian. The work camp is led by two leaders : Ms. Reena (Indonesian leader) and Ms. Kim Jiseon (Korean Leader). The work camp is become more fruitful with the present of American and Dutch volunteers who are doing MTV (Mid Term Volunteer) project in that village for about 1 month.

The Korean group arrived in Indonesian on 23rd July and spent one night in Jakarta before continuing the trip to the project site by train on 24th July from Jakarta Gambir Railway station. It took about 7 hours by Taksaka Train to Purwokerto city, and then the trip continued by bus around 30 minutes to the project site at Sokawera Village.

On the day of the arrival at Sokawera Village, the villagers welcomed the participants by playing “Calung” (traditional musical instruments made from bamboo) from the village border to the camp site. The participants were very enthusiastic with this welcoming event and they also join together with the music players walking along the way.


Activities
During the project, the participants stay at local villager houses, and it gives experience about Indonesian daily life. The main project of the work camp is construction work by helping the local villagers in building the local school and teaching English / Korean for local students and community. They also have very good opportunity in learning how to play traditional musical instruments called “Calung”, making handicrafts, discussion, traditional games and cultural exchange, and do some sport competition.

On 26th July, the group had football competition in the village with transsexual group. It was quite big event in the village with a lot of spectators and attended by the Vice Head of Regency. That sport competition was recorded and shoot by 5 national TV channels. They also had environmental activities by doing trekking at Cipendok forest and visited Cipendok Waterfall and lake with local youngsters.

Until we released this newsletter, the work camp is still in progress and so far the participants really enjoy the whole activities.

Dejavato Indonesia Newsletter (3)

Sidorejo International Work Camp: 08 – 19 August 2007

The Sirodejo International Work Camp was held from 08 – 19 August 2007 in Sidorejo Village, Kajoran District, Magelang Regency – Central Java. The type of this camp was Education – Health. There were 10 participants in this camp from various countries: YAP Italy (1), CB Belgium (1), AFS Netherlands (1), IWO Korea (4), and Indonesia (3).

Sidorejo Village is located about 15 kilometers on the west part of Magelang city, on the slope of Sumbing Mountain. The village is quite isolated and should pass the macadam (the road made from the stones) and surrounded by the rice fields. The volunteers stayed at one of the local family with traditional Javanese house, called “Joglo”.

The daily activities of the volunteers were teaching the classes at Sidorejo Elementary School which is located just behind of the homestay. There were 6 classes and the volunteers were divided into small group of teaching. Besides, the volunteers also did health activities like collecting and manage the garbage surround the school, cutting nails of the students, and cleaning the classes with students. The volunteers also made some wooden shoe-shelves and painted in beautiful colors. The shoe-shelves were put in front of each class, so the students should put off their shoes before entering the classes and keep the classes clean.

During the volunteers stay, they also did some environment activities like hiking and trekking, cultural exchange and performance with local people and students, visiting local interesting places close to the project site, and did rafting in the free time.

The date of the work camp was also matched with Indonesian Independence Day Celebration on 17th August, and the volunteers were also involved in local festival and carnivals, as well as joined the scouting activities with local schools. They also held some funny games competition for local students and did farewell party by presenting performance from each country.


Sokawera International Work Camp: 20 - 30 August 2007
The Sirodejo International Work Camp was held from 20 to 30 August 2007 in Sokawera Village, Karangtengah District, Banyumas Regency – Central Java. The type of this camp was Education – Culture. There were 5 participants in this work camp from IWO Korea (3), YAP Italy (1) and Indonesia (leader)

In this work camp, Dejavato Foundation working together with local partner Argowilis Non Formal Education Center. The center was funded by local people to response the needs of non formal education for the poor children in the village. It conducts and provides free school for local children with the teachers are volunteers of the youth and parents itself. They don’t have formal school building, but the teaching activities are conducted at villagers houses and the center. The students not only learn formal subjects, but they also taught with other skills such as making coconut sugar, sewing, making handicrafts, agriculture, organizing outdoor activities etc.

The daily activities of the volunteers were teaching English and some Korean and Italian for students. They also did small renovation of the new school building in the afternoon. During the project, the participants stay at local villager houses, and it gives experience about Indonesian daily life. They also have very good opportunity in learning how to play traditional musical instruments called “Calung”, making handicrafts, discussion, traditional games and cultural exchange, and do some sport competition. The volunteers stay, they also did some environment activities like hiking and trekking to Cipendok waterfall and forest


Short Visit Program (SVP) : 03 – 16 September 2007
The Short Visit Program is special project that held by Dejavato Foundation provided for an individual or a group volunteer who wants to do voluntary work with the period of projects based on their request. This program is open all year and the applicant volunteers can choose the dates and activities according to their preference and interest. So we can say that it’s such a flexible program. This program is also possible for foreign students or expatriates in Indonesia, and having interest to do voluntary works in short period.

In September 2007, we received 2 volunteers from AFS Nederlands. Both of them did different project in different site. Maarten chose construction-renovation work in Sokawera village by assisting the local workers to build the local school building. During his stay, he lived with local host family and did some other activities like learning how to make coconut sugar, making handicrafts, trekking, and excursion with local volunteers.

While Femke did English teaching work at Theresiana Christian School in Semarang City. During in Semarang, she stayed with local host family in order to give her opportunity of learning daily life and customs of Indonesian family. The host family was Mr. Agus Suwarso who also as one of the teachers in Theresiana School.

Theresiana School is one of the favorite schools in Semarang under the Bernadus Christian Foundation. The school is located close to the downtown, and the campus is used for the students from elementary to junior high school level. So, Femke had chances to do teaching at almost classes in different level.


Koinobori Festival : 13 – 19 August 2007
In order to welcoming Indonesian Independence Day Celebration on 17th August, almost Indonesian people did activities like cleaning their areas, and conducted sport or games competition with their neighborhood or at working site.
Dejavato Foundation created our own way to celebrate this event by making small festival called Koinobori Festival. The festival was held by raising Koinobori ( flags with the shapes of various fish from Japan) in front of Dejavato’s office. This kind of event is the first time held by Dejavato and also was the first time held in Semarang City. This festival had aims to celebrate Indonesian Independence day as well as introducing different culture (Japanese culture) to local people. This event got big appreciation from local people and neighborhood.