Saney, Indonesia

Building Futures’ first project with partner Plan International was the construction, furnishing and equipping of SD Saney School in Aceh, Indonesia, and was fully funded by Study Group.

Project Overview

Located in the sub district of Lhoog within Aceh Besar (greater Aceh District) Saney village is on the west coast and faced the epicentre of the earthquake and tsunami in December 2004. The school and its two local villages, Saney and U Tamoeng, were ravaged by the natural disaster. The school was utterly destroyed and the death toll hit the local community hard with only 200 of its 700 residents surviving. The effects of this on the pupils of the SD Saney School were devastating with only 42 of 130 surviving, and of these 15 lost one parent, and 13 were orphaned.

This project was designed to bring relief and reconstruction efforts to a school and community largely excluded from the reconstruction due to their remote location in the southwest corner of the district. In doing so, Plan rebuilt the school whilst providing temporary educational, nutritional and psychological aid in the interim. The completion of the new school building has brought about an increase in attendance and sustainable high quality education. The involvement of the local community and the pupils of the school was of paramount importance throughout the development of this project.

Current Situation

6 classrooms, 1 office, 2 bathrooms, 3 teachers’ rooms and a prayer room were built in a new location and decorated according to specifications set out by the children, the community and the District Education Officer. A far reaching School Improvement Program (SIP), designed for the Aceh Baser region has also been implemented in partnership with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) enabling children the reach their potential through the provision of an active and creative learning environment. There are currently 46 pupils attending the school with a 100% attendance record.

Community Involvement

The community of Saney village was actively involved in all stages of the project. The project began with consultations with surviving children and parents that identified problems and priorities. Then, in the summer of 2005, Plan set up workshops with the community to discuss the possibility of a new primary school, to identify what facilities the children wished to see in their new school, and determine a suitable location. The land upon which the SD Saney School was constructed was purchased, and is thus owned, by the community who were also involved in the preparation of the land for construction to begin. Despite problems with timing, Plan also ensured that the construction company used materials from local suppliers at all times. Children were furthermore involved in the project through the organisation of socialization events such as the Foundation Stone celebrations in November 2005.

Sustainability

All of the work was undertaken in partnership with the local District Education Office and the Public Works Department, within the framework of the larger School Improvement Programmes (SIPs) implemented in the Aceh Baser region. The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) was another important partner. This participatory approach helped to ensure the long term stability of the project as the local authority will now be able to take responsibility for the future running of the school.

The involvement of the community at all stages of the work will also have a significant impact on the sustainability of the school. Community engagement in all the decision-making processes, from the location and design of the new school, to the building of the school on land purchased by the community, has developed a sense of ownership and responsibility. This will also ensure ongoing commitment to the maintenance and upkeep of the new facilities.

Finally, the SD Saney School’s involvement in the broader School Improvement Programme has encouraged a child-friendly learning methodology for teachers, including study visits to other schools in the South Sulawesi region and the development of key learning tools. The teachers were also involved in counseling programmes designed to help the children deal with the traumas inflicted as a result of the tsunami and return life to normality. The culmination of this is a learning environment that ensures both a better standard of teaching and a greater ability to cope with the psychological issues surrounding loss, both of which will dramatically enhance the sustainability of the school, and the welfare of the children.