Higher education for youth

Thanks to your generous gift, 20 students from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, have had the opportunity to pursue a post-secondary degree of their choice and follow their dreams. Without your support, these students would not have been able to pursue higher education and would have little hope of overcoming generational cycles of poverty. But thanks to your support, these students have been excelling in their studies and are nearing graduation. Some have already finished and have entered the workforce, prepared with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their fields.

Here are a few updates from some of the students you are helping:

Uria is studying nursing and is in her seventh semester. Her last GPA was 3.58. She has been working very hard at school—during her last semesters, she had such heavy course loads that she was in school from 9:00 am until 6:00 and 7:00 pm. She particularly enjoyed the family nursing and disaster nursing courses as they employed diverse teaching methods such as role-play and presentations. Uria indicates that role play helps her understand the course material better.

Yehezkiel is working on his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. He recently completed a six-month internship at a precast concrete factory where he learned about the planning, production and delivery of concrete, as well as the operational aspects of the factory from the central office. His grades during the internship increased his GPA to 5.51. Currently, he is working with a team of 16 students in his department to complete a community service project. They will spend two months working on building a mosque, constructing retaining walls to prevent landslides and planning the construction of a road for easier access to the village. As part of his final project, Yehezkiel is participating in a research group led by a university lecturer on mortar mixture in cultural heritage buildings.

Marrifa is completing her bachelor’s degree in accounting. She recently completed her 8th semester with a GPA of 3.57 and is in the final stages of completing her thesis. Although she has no class schedules anymore, she is still busy with two student organizations she is involved in: the Audit Study Group and Financial Audit Board. She is preparing the audit team for the examination of the financial reports of student organizations on campus. She is also very involved in social activities on campus such as anti-corruption education for children and continuously works to build connections with external parties such as the Corruption Eradication Commission of Anti-Corruption Educators, Friends of Jogja.

Fresca completed her diploma in tourism at STIPRAM Yogyakarta in July 2023. She earned a GPA of 3.89 and currently works in the food and beverage product department at a Chinese food restaurant in a five-star hotel. She has a passion for Chinese food and specializes in preparing a variety of dumplings, buns, rolls and other menu items. Fresca is thankful that she found a good job immediately after graduation. Although she works long hours and weekends, she is still able to attend her local church for Sunday morning worship. Fresca hopes to be a blessing to her family and the surrounding community, especially serving as an example for younger children at her Compassion centre so that they are motivated to pursue higher education.

Novebria has been pursuing veterinary medicine and working hard at her degree. Having successfully completed her thesis defense in April 2023, she is currently undergoing a 1.5-year advanced veterinary professional education program. After completing this advanced program, Novebria will obtain a licence to practise veterinary medicine. Currently in stage one of seven, she is being trained in how to diagnose diseases in animals through laboratory checks. At the end of each stage, she will complete a report and a presentation as the final assignment for that stage. Novebria is grateful for the opportunity to achieve her dreams!

Danasia also recently completed her studies in veterinary medicine. She finished her thesis defense in April 2023 and has started to develop her dream of becoming an entrepreneur by establishing a farm and becoming a writer. During her studies, she started her own online business that offered a variety of journals, stickers, candles and other stationary items to help support her throughout her academic journey. Her upcoming book, titled The Rules to Always Being a High-Value Woman, is set to be published early this year. She also writes articles for her website. Despite being busy, she attends church every week. Danasia says this program has helped open doors for her to achieve her dreams!

Sifra completed her studies and graduated in April 2023 with a GPA of 3.63. She is currently working as the Research and Development Supervisor in the Formulation Division at a company that produces herbal drinks and traditional medicines. Her department is responsible for the packaging, administration, registration and development of new and existing product formulations.

Thanks to your generous support, all 20 participating students are excelling in their programs and are well on their way to graduation. A few students have already graduated and now have the education, training and skills required to compete in the labour market. These students have been studying civil engineering, nursing, veterinary medicine, law, psychology and other professional fields that will not only allow them to find great jobs but also make a positive impact on their communities. We look forward to providing you with more updates as these students finish their degrees, enter the workforce and reach their God-given potentials!