Over 17,000 islands comprise the archipelagic nation of Indonesia. With 34,000 miles of coastline, rising sea levels are an ever-present threat to the numerous rural communities that once thrived along the coast. Experts predict that by 2050, thousands of small islands and millions of houses in coastal areas across Indonesia will disappear under the rising sea.
While Indonesia has made huge strides economically, positioning itself as a “newly industrialized country”, many residents along the coast in rural communities grapple with the failing infrastructure in the face of climate change. One school in Subang, West Java reports that they lose three to four months of school time each year due to the school being flooded by seawater. Students have become accustomed to studying in classrooms with ankle-deep water.
For poorer communities, moving away from the coast is simply not an option. Being displaced is never ideal under any circumstances, so life must go on. As most of their resources go to survival and fighting against the rising of the sea, other parts of life suffer, such as children's education. While educating children is an agreed-upon necessity, it is difficult for families to supply their children with much-needed supplies to help them learn and succeed in school.
On September 2nd, LIFE’s Back-to-School project commenced in rural areas of West and Central Java. This humanitarian project placed backpacks filled with school supplies in the hands of 600 underprivileged youth.
While residents, including children, observe firsthand the effects of climate change starting to destroy their communities as they also carry the heavy burden of poverty, many live in a state of despair. These backpacks are a reminder that they are not forgotten, and there is still hope. To further uplift the communities, many fun activities were hosted for the students and families as the supplies were distributed. Children were even giving demonstrations on how to properly use life vests, as drowning is always a concern in these flooded coastal areas.
Ria, a 5th-grade student at Sakti Mulya, West Java, smiled as she expressed her happiness. “I have never experienced activities like this before during my 5 years of studying at SDN Sakti Mulya. Too much excitement today, too many games and prizes. I am very happy!”
LIFE would like to thank our generous donors who made this possible. You not only gave these children the supplies they needed to succeed in school but also gave entire communities reasons to feel hopeful for a brighter future.
