J1240N Efata High School Timor

Situation

West Timor is the province of Indonesia closest to Australia and shares an island with it's neighbour, Timor-Leste. West Timor's population is ranked amongst the poorest in the world, with an estimated 30% of people there living below the poverty line. The main industry of the island is agriculture but the climate is harsh: the dry season is long and the short wet season can bring devastating rain and winds. Education is of vital importance to enable the local population to improve their standard of living, develop the local economy and ensure the children of West Timor can look forward to a brighter future. Unfortunately, many families are unable to afford school fees and many children are unable to complete their studies. The Efata High School in Soe City, West Timor, was established in 1989 by a local church congregation with the goal of providing education for as many local children as possible, regardless of faith, whose families may otherwise have been unable to afford school fees. They are able to provide education at cost significantly below that of local government schools and have gained a wonderful reputation for both academic and sporting success.  

Objectives

Due to the success of the Efata High School, applications have risen sharply and the school is now at capacity, with 860 students enrolled. The school was built with donations from the local church congregation and an international charitable organisation, but funds were insufficient to complete the final three classrooms. These classrooms will have movable walls which will allow the area to serve as the school hall and assembly area. The J1240N project is raising funds to complete these classrooms, improving the amenity of the school, significantly reducing over-crowding in classrooms and enhancing educational outcomes for thousands of wonderful young West Timorese people for decades to come.