Many children in Malaka and Belu are refugees from East Timor or belong to ethnic groups that do not speak Indonesian as a first language. As a result, many children start school without understanding the language and without being socially, mentally and cognitively prepared.
Lack of engaging reading materials and activities further contributes to poor reading habits, along with little awareness among teachers and parents on the importance of creating a reading culture. Moreover, violence against children remains a problem in schools and at home.
Project CERIA
With the support from H&M Foundation, Save the Children ran the project CERIA (an Indonesian word for “cheerful”) in Nusa Teggara Timur, reaching almost 8,000 children, aged 4 to 12, with improved quality of education in. 40 primary schools and centers for Early Child Care and Development (ECCD) were reached with more child-friendly standards; with good classroom practices, non-violent learning environments and effective participation with parents and communities.
Furthermore, the project focused on developing so-called “one stop service centres” where girls and boys aged 4 to 6 received health and protection services in addition to education, all at one place. This also includes early screening and intervention for young children with development delays or disabilities.
