Academic scholarships

The Need

For a student living in poverty, tuition fees can be the difference between being trapped or breaking free from the cycle of poverty. In North Sumatra, Indonesia, access to information, education and good-paying jobs are limited by the high cost of higher education, which is beyond the financial strength of most parents who work as daily labourers or seasonal workers. Following high school graduation, most youth are only eligible for unskilled labour such as shopkeepers or gas station attendants, which will barely meet their daily living needs.

The best solution is giving students confidence and marketable skills through access to post-secondary education so they are prepared to enter the workforce. Frontline church partners in Indonesia want to equip their beneficiaries to pursue their field of interest so they can earn a reliable income, improve their family’s standard of living, enjoy greater job security and contribute to society as strong and compassionate leaders.

Compassion Indonesia’s national strategy advocates for the “finishing-well” of registered youth as they graduate from the child development program and enter adulthood. Twelve local church partners have identified 18 youth who have shown great dedication and enthusiasm throughout high school and at their local child development centres. Their track records prove their commitment to academic achievement, servanthood and spiritual maturity. Compassion staff mentors testify that each of these young men and women have earned the chance to pursue higher education so they have the professional and practical life skills to compete in the workplace or become entrepreneurs.

Our Response

Your gift is funding tuition fees for 18 students in Indonesia who are completing three- or four-year college degrees in their programs of choice. With the support of their local Compassion centres, these students are pursuing their ambitions and being equipped not only as professionals in the workforce, but also as leaders in their community.

One of the main institutions students have chosen is Polytechnic Wilmar Business Indonesia (WBI), which specializes in entrepreneurship-based education. Indonesia needs at least 2 per cent of their population to become creative, innovative entrepreneurs to strengthen their economy, make progress as a nation and create new jobs for others. The other main school of choice is STIKES Murni Teguh, which prepares professional, competitive nurses and midwives with excellent soft skills who will serve their nation with compassion, competency and innovation.

As you invest in these young lives, these youth are rising to the challenge, overcoming adversity and working diligently to chase their dreams. Here is a personal update on each of the 18 young men and women you are supporting:

• Fidelia, Imelda, Inriyani, Lesi, Mimarnike, Arlitus and Ribka are studying nursing at STIKES Murni Teguh:
– Fidelia is in her third semester and has a GPA of 3.6. She was born on Nias Island but moved to Medan City to attend college. She connects with her Compassion centre through Zoom and serves at a local Compassion centre sharing health information and counselling.
– Imelda is in her third semester with a GPA of 3.37. She has perfect attendance at her Compassion centre through Zoom and is learning how to be a good nurse, checking on her patients with great care and biomedical skills. She has stayed in Medan since October 2021 and didn’t get to celebrate Christmas with her family in Nias.
– Inriyani has a GPA of 3.68 during her fourth semester and hopes to graduate in 2023. She practises her new skills at the Murni Teguh hospital in Medan.
– Lesi is in her third semester with a GPA of 3.68. She studies every day from morning until afternoon, then participates in campus activities like study groups and organization meetings.
– Mimarnike has a GPA of 3.61 and is in her third semester. She hopes to graduate on time so she can find a good job to increase her family’s economic condition and help support her four other siblings. She has memorized many new medical terms in pharmacy, maternity, therapeutic communication and more.
– Arlitus is in his third semester and has had many experiences in college. Currently, he is learning about managing lab skills and is having on-site classes. His GPA in the second semester was 3.30.
– Ribka is living in a boarding house near campus during her third semester. Thanks to a gift from her sponsor along with some intervention funding, she purchased a laptop to help her in her studies. She is learning to treat patients and use medical equipment.

• Christy, Yesaya, Amanda, Theo and Anju are studying international marketing management at WBI:
– Christy achieved a GPA of 3.93 in her second semester. Currently in her third semester, she is enjoying her classes and making new friends on campus—although she found the new subjects a big adjustment. In her entrepreneurship course, her study group won first place for best venture and idea. Christy is active in her Compassion centre where she mentors as a class assistant.
– Yesaya lives far from campus and has to deal with heavy traffic, so he often arrives late for class. He had a hard time with economics, struggled with Internet connection issues and took a wrong class in semester two. He failed his first semester but is committed to improving.
Amanda is currently in her third semester. The campus uses a hybrid online/in-class learning system, which has made it challenging for her to manage her schedule and assignments.
– Theo has had a challenging few months due to his grandmother’s passing in July 2022. He is studying hard to keep up with his assignments as the study load increases.
– Anju is studying in his third semester. He is now back to in-person classes and is searching for a part-time job.

• Yeni and Aritra are studying horticultural agribusiness at WBI:
– Yeni is currently in semester three and is enjoying following several campus sporting events. Last semester, Yeni received a GPA of 3.5.
– Aritra earned a GPA of 3.53 in semester two and, like Yeni, enjoys being involved in campus activities such as sports.

• Venesia is studying tax accounting at WBI:
– Venesia started her third semester in September 2022. She is learning about accounting costs and assets and practising entrepreneurship on campus. Her first semester GPA was 3.72, a great result despite all the challenges she faced with Internet connection and online classes. She sometimes uses her Compassion centre facilities to complete her homework.

• Selwi is studying informatic management (computer engineering) at Politeknik Negri Medan:
– Selwi is in her fifth semester. In her studies she has also learned basic accounting and an introduction to economics. Selwi is proving to be a good leader. She was elected vice president of the student profession association of management informatics. At her Compassion centre, she mentors younger beneficiaries.

• Selviawati is studying midwifery at University of Imelda:
– Selviawati has learned a lot in her third semester of lectures and enjoys assisting with childbirth. She has a GPA of 3.8. When she graduates she would like to help women in rural areas.

• Cynthia is studying midwifery at Poltekes Kemenkes Medan:
– Cynthia is in her fifth semester and has participated in several fieldwork practice activities. She is already assisting women in childbirth.

Activities

Community involvement: Selwi was elected vice president of the student professional association of management informatics. Christy and Selviawati are active in their churches’ youth programs. Students serve in their local Compassion centres and meet with their mentors to update on their progress and development.

Nursing: Ribka is learning how to communicate effectively by providing preventive health education. Fidelia practises how to measure vital signs such as temperature, respiration, infusion, anthropometry, treating burns and Caesarean wound care. Inriyani practises pregnancy care skills, midwifery pathology care, neonatal care for infants and toddlers and community midwifery care.

Business dreams: Every lecture Theo attends is helping him achieve his goal to become a businessman.

Midwifery: Selviawati chose to major in midwifery because she wants to help women in rural areas. Cynthia learned to listen to the fetal heart rate using a Doppler.

Internships: Yeni and Aritra both completed an internship as part of their horticultural agribusiness program, where they learned about plant multiplication and how to check for signs of insects and other pests.

Capping day: Nursing students attended their Capping Day ceremony, which inaugurates new nursing students into the program with everyone making vows and getting stamped. This is the first step for prospective nurses to work with patients according to the nurse’s promise.

Your Gift Provides...

Your generous gift is covering tuition fees for 18 students to complete three- or four-year college degrees:

• 5 students studying international marketing management at WBI
• 1 student studying tax accounting at WBI
• 2 students studying horticultural agribusiness at WBI
• 1 student studying informatic management (computer engineering) at Politeknik Negri Medan
• 1 student studying midwifery at University of Imelda
• 1 student studying midwifery at Poltekes Kemenkes Medan
• 7 students studying nursing at STIKES Murni Teguh