14 Taiwanese Students Conduct Community Service in Indramayu
A group of 14 students from Taiwan’s National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) is participating in a community service programme in Juntiweden Village, Indramayu, West Java, from 2 to 25 August 2026. Li Fang Liang, the supervising lecturer, expressed hope that the students would gain valuable experience after living with local residents for nearly a month. “This is certainly a very valuable opportunity for us, a group from Taiwan, to learn from the Indonesian community,” said Liang, who has conducted decades of research on migration, including Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan.
Juntiweden Village Head Carsudi welcomed the Taiwanese students and said he felt honoured that his village was chosen as the location for the foreign students’ community service. “I hope the residents and community in Juntiweden Village can learn a lot from these Taiwanese friends. I hope the students feel comfortable and at home staying here,” he said.
Migrant CARE Indramayu acted as the host, facilitating all the Taiwanese students’ activities. Indramayu was selected because it is one of Indonesia’s largest migrant worker-sending regions. The community service programme is part of Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen relations with Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, through the MOE Overseas & New Southbound Internship Programme.
The programme is broadly divided into two parts. The first focuses on community empowerment for migrant workers, former migrant workers affiliated with the Migrant Worker Care Village (DESBUMI), prospective migrant workers, and children of migrant workers. This is delivered through workshops on safe migration, workers’ rights in Taiwan, cultural differences, and mental health awareness. During the programme, the students also provided education to prospective migrant workers, particularly those planning to work in Taiwan, to help them avoid fraud, forced labour, and placement through illegal channels. Additionally, they conducted training on Taiwanese-style waste management and participated in activities commemorating Indonesia’s Independence Day.
The second part of the programme focused on educational activities at SDN Juntiweden II, featuring Mandarin calligraphy lessons, reading Mandarin-language books, and various play-based activities with the pupils. The interaction is intended to encourage students to pursue education abroad, rather than solely seeking work in the informal sector.