JP\/20\/RICHRD<\/p>\n
North Maluku refugee always top of the class<\/p>\n
Jongker Rumteh
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Manado<\/p>\n
In mid-June this year, several representatives of the Sampoerna
\nFoundation came to Manado, North Sulawesi, to select senior high
\nschool students to receive scholarships.<\/p>\n
Five high school students received a scholarship to cover two
\nyears' study abroad. The five have received a scholarship of Rp
\n50,000 monthly from the foundation for six months. A
\nrepresentative of the Sampoerna Foundation, Hendri B. Satrio,
\nsaid that the foundation would continue to monitor the progress
\nof the five while abroad. If their academic achievements were
\ngood, the foundation would offer them a further scholarship.<\/p>\n
One of the five is 16-year-old Richard Waery, a second-grader
\nat Manado senior high school No. 5. The eldest of three, Richard
\ncomes from a refugee family from North Maluku. His parents are
\nZadrak Waery, 40, and Adrientje Sipola Waery, 39. His sister
\nFandy, 6, attends elementary school while brother Adrian, 15, is
\nin his second year of senior high school.<\/p>\n
Richard was born in Daruba village, South Morotai, North
\nHalmahera, North Maluku, on Sept. 20, 1988. He attended
\nelementary school and junior high school in Ternate, North
\nMaluku.<\/p>\n
Generally a quiet boy, Richard is quite loquacious with the
\nright people. Besides which he always helps his parents.<\/p>\n
Richard and his family have lived in a refugee shelter in
\nManado since 2000. Despite this, Richard has always been top of
\nhis class although -- unlike the other four recipients of the
\nSampoerna Foundation two-year scholarships -- he has never had
\nany extra tuition.<\/p>\n
To prepare for his departure for the United States, Richard,
\nwith sponsorship from the Sampoerna Foundation, is now taking an
\nintensive English course.<\/p>\n
When, early one morning, a number of reporters and
\nrepresentatives from the Sampoerna Foundation met him in the camp
\nfor North Maluku refugees in Manado, Richard was shoving and
\njostling with dozens of other refugees for a pail of water from
\nthe only well in the camp.<\/p>\n
\"We get up at 5 a.m. My brother and I then collect some water.
\nThen we open our small kiosk to help the family. Mom cooks for
\nus. Dad finds a job just anywhere,\" said Richard, who appeared
\nsurprised by the visit from Sampoerna Foundation representatives
\nand TV reporters from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
As they have to run the kiosk, Richard and Adrian sometimes
\nget to school late. Richard said that he studied at night in a
\ncamp packed with over 100 refugees. It is located in an old
\nbuilding owned by the North Sulawesi administration.<\/p>\n
\"I used to want to be a doctor, but now I don't think I could
\never study to become one as my parents cannot afford to send me
\nto medical school. Now, I have changed my mind and want to be an
\naccountant so that I can quickly find a job and help my family,\"
\nsaid Richard, who added that he and his brothers always studied
\ntogether.<\/p>\n
However, when he learned that he had won a scholarship, he
\nsaid that he could perhaps return to his old ambition. He added
\nthat except for singing, he could easily learn all the other
\nsubjects at school.<\/p>\n
\"I always get the highest marks for all subjects. Last year, I
\nwanted to take part in the Math and Physics Olympiad but my
\nparents were against the idea as they were afraid that the
\njoining fee was too high.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, my school wanted to put me through a selection
\nprocess for model students at Manado level but my parents were
\nagainst the idea, too, as they did not have enough money for my
\ntrip to the selection site, which is outside Manado city,\" said
\nRichard, who added that he had ranked first in the class every
\nyear since he was in the first grade of elementary school.<\/p>\n
As he usually helps his parents at home, Richard, who likes
\nplaying soccer and the guitar, does not actively take part in
\nextracurricular activities. On Sundays, he teaches in the Sunday
\nschool of his church and reads the Bible.<\/p>\n
His father said that he had never pushed his son hard to
\nstudy.<\/p>\n
\"I used to be a sidewalk vendor in Ternate and now earn a
\nliving as a construction worker in Manado. Every day I walk
\naround Manado to find a job. Sometimes I go to Ternate in North
\nMaluku to see the remaining part of our plantation.<\/p>\n
\"Clearly, I have no time to monitor my children's studies.
\nLike me, my wife hardly every pushes our children to study. We
\nbelieve God has bestowed intelligence on all our children. Every
\ntime they get a report card, their teachers tell us that they are
\ntop of the class,'said Zadrak, who had to move to Manado with his
\nfamily in September 2000 owing to the riot that broke out in
\nNorth Maluku.<\/p>\n
Zadrak, who said he could hardly believe that Richard had won
\na scholarship to study in the United States, attributed the
\nabove-average intelligence level of his children to their diet of
\nvegetables and fish.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the principal of Richard's school, Joni Sualang,
\ntold The Jakarta Post that he and his colleagues were surprised
\nto see that Richard, who came from a refugee family, always
\ntopped the class.<\/p>\n
He said that owing to his excellent academic records, Richard
\nwas always chosen to represent the school in contests but that,
\nunfortunately, he could never make it as his parents could not
\ncover the expenses. He added that Richard's younger brother,
\nAdrian, was equally intelligent.<\/p>\n
\"We are proud that Icad has won the scholarship as it means
\ncatapulting the reputation of Manado school No. 5, \" said Joni,
\nreferring to Richard by his nickname.<\/p>\n
The school, he added, tried to find scholarships for gifted
\nstudents from less well-off families. Apart from the Sampoerna
\nFoundation, scholarships have also come from the North Sulawesi
\nNational Education Office (Rp 30,000 monthly for each recipient)
\nand also from the government oil fuel compensation scheme (Rp
\n25,000 monthly for each student). This year 24 students received
\nthese two types of scholarships.<\/p>\n
Joni also said that the entire school hoped that Richard would
\nmake excellent progress in his studies in the United States so
\nthat ultimately he could complete a master's degree.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp20richrd-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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