Where are they now? Ten students received the gift of tuition

The impact of your Gifts of Compassion continue long after Christmastime

Written by: Rebekah Malbrecht

It happens to all of us. We pick out the perfect gift for someone, wrap it up and deliver it with lots of love. Then, time passes and you wonder… Did my gift have an impact? It is a joy to know the gifts we give have made an impact.

We know it is no different with the Gifts of Compassion you give each year. It is a joy when we get a glimpse of how our generosity has made a difference in a child’s life. Today, we want to spark that joy as we catch up with 10 students whose tuition for post-secondary education was covered through Gifts of Compassion last year…

Choosing the perfect gift

Education is key to releasing children from poverty and helping them build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities. Compassion Indonesia believes that children and youth deserve to get a good education and realize their dreams and goals. That’s why our church partners across Indonesia do everything they can to support students in their studies.

In Indonesia, only 57 per cent of students manage to finish high school, at which point they are only qualified for low-paying jobs that provide barely enough to live on. By going to college or university, students gain more specialized skills and can get better jobs. However, higher education is expensive—far beyond what families living in poverty can afford. Most caregivers are seasonal workers or day labourers who struggle to provide for their children’s most basic needs, let alone their education.

The gift that has their names all over it

In the Salatiga area in Central Java, four of our church partners identified 10 promising students who they believed would excel in post-secondary studies if given the chance. These students were deeply involved in their Compassion centres, had excelled in their studies and had shown spiritual maturity. Their churches pledged whatever financial support they could to help these young men and women move forward in their education, but they needed help.

This is how it became a Gift of Compassion last year. We invited you to help these 10 students who had shown so much character, diligence and promise get the post-secondary education that they were dreaming of and to break the cycle of poverty in their lives through the opportunity for education.

How this gift is impacting them right now

With your generous support, 10 young people were able to enrol in further studies. Most of them are attending Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, a private university in Salatiga that offers training in multiple disciplines including medicine and health, economics and business, engineering and more. One student is attending Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi in Salatiga.

Students were enrolled in various programs, ranging from psychology to visual communications and design. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic and having to do nearly all of their studies and campus activities virtually, they have persevered and continue to show excitement and enthusiasm. Most are planning to graduate from their programs by 2023 or 2024.

Let’s meet the students…

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Eliel

Eliel is studying Visual Communication Design at Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (UKSW). He started his studies in September 2019 and expects to graduate in 2023.

Mellyuga

Mellyuga is studying Information Technology at UKSW and also expects to graduate in 2023.

Triana

While pursuing a degree in Counselling Guidance at UKSW because of this Gift of Compassion, Triana received a full scholarship from the government so no longer has need for this intervention.

Enggal

Enggal took Trina’s place when she received her scholarship and he is studying Sociology at UKSW. He expects to graduate in 2023.

Ajeng

Ajeng is studying Psychology at UKSW. She began her studies in September 2018 and plans to graduate in 2022.

David

David is studying Information Technology at UKSW and plans to graduate in 2024.

Riyo

Riyo is studying Management at UKSW and will graduate in 2023.

Bintang

Bintang is pursuing studies in Information Technology at UKSW and will graduate in 2024.

Novega

Novega is studying Management at UKSW and will also graduate in 2024.

Meylina

Meylina is also studying Management but attends Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi in Salatiga. Meylina started her studies in September 2019 and will graduate in 2023.

Oktavian

Oktavian is studying Information Technology at UKSW and will graduate in 2024.

Because of the gift that was given through last year’s Gifts of Compassion, ten young men and women are pursuing further education so they can get good, well-paying jobs, become financially independent and support their families and local communities. They are so grateful for God’s goodness and provision and are developing self-confidence as they build their skills and take responsibility for their studies and serving others. The students have also become more active in their churches and at their local Compassion centres, showing an eagerness to encourage and support other youth and children. Through this gift, church partners have been able to shine a much brighter light on the future for other children and families in their communities. What a priceless gift!

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Hopefully, seeing the impact of this gift in the lives of these 10 students sparked joy for you. Perhaps you didn’t give to this specific gift from last year’s Gifts of Compassion gift guide, but you may be able to find a report for a gift you did give in our Intervention Reports. Every gift in the Gifts of Compassion gift guide meets a real need identified by our local church partners. You can be sure that every Gift of Compassion has a long-term and meaningful impact in the lives of the children who receive them.

Did this gift inspire you to help a student achieve their academic dreams?

The gift of Academic Scholarships will do just that.

Give the gift of Academic Scholarships