Help Promote Good Reading Habits in Kalimantan

The Borneo Football International Academy (BFIA) management recently held an “Anti-smoking” workshop at the YUM library in Bukit Batu, Kalimantan. BFIA is one of YUM’s partner organisations in Central Kalimantan. The focus of this organization is in assisting the healthy development of local children and youths through football. They provide a healthy environment, qualified sports training, and promote sporting values like tolerance and community integration for the children in the area. Most of the children in this organization are also members of YUM’s library.

The event itself ran in three sessions: a presentation, followed by a discussion, and finally poster making. The presentation is about raising awareness of the danger of smoking. The children were given information about how harmful smoking is for their life. These risks include a variety of dangerous health conditions, as well as loss of income. One of our team members from the Australian Volunteers International program, Mr. Mathew, gave a presentation about how harmful being a smoker was. He used the human props to show more details about which part of the body could become damaged due to smoking. After that, the children divided in small groups to make a campaign poster and explain about their poster in front of other students.

We hope that byimparting information on the dangers of smoking to the children, we canhave a better and healthier generation. Without smoking, the children will be more focused in their study and activities, which could lead them to a better quality of life in the future.

Thank you as always to our supportive GlobalGiving donors for your trust and support to continue providing quality education and facilities for the children in Bukit Batu, Central Kalimantan.  

As children are energetic, active and love music, one of the fun and educational activities that is running at the YUM Community Library Kalimantan is the Dance Club. Every Wednesday, the children come to practice dance. They practice traditional dances from Central Kalimantan, including Manyadiri, Bawi Kinyah, Khanjak and Dayak Ngaju.  Sometimes they also practice the Yapong dance, originating from Jakarta, the Tanggui dance, originating from West Kalimantan, as well as Pendet from Bali and modern dances too. 

There are more than 30 children that participate in this activity. They are divided into 4 different groups according to their ages, ranging  from 8 to 12. Miss Yeyen and Miss Diana are passionate and patient dancing instructors. They love teaching the children. They are also able to create simple and fun dances for the smaller children so they can also enjoy this activity.

In 2016 the children have performed in several official ceremonies, such as YUM Creativity Day, Subud National Congress, the Global Issue Network Congress and National Solidarity Day. The last event was particularly important, because their dancing was watched by president Joko Widodo.

Thanks to your generous support through GlobalGiving, YUM can continue to  accommodate and facilitate these talented children from Bukit Batu, Central Kalimantan. Your support will help provide more dance rehearsals, music instruments and dance instructors to keep the activity running. This positive activity will enable the preservation of original Indonesian culture, as well as help to build character, regional pride, and self-confidence for the children themselves.