Binus adopts neighboring school
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
"I've got love down in my heart," said Nigel Jukanto, a grade two student of Bina Nusantara (Binus) elementary school.
Nigel was one of the Binus students who took part in the giving of Rp 5 million in assistance to SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang, which is located on Jl, Mesjid Anur 3, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta on Monday.
The money, which was raised by students and parents of Binus through selling a variety of food and snacks, singing and organizing a movie show at the school, was intended to help the 175 students of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang to purchase textbooks.
Each student of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang pays around Rp 300,000 per semester for textbooks.
"With the money that Binus students and parents donated, each student of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang will pay Rp 50,000 less than the stipulated amount," said Elsie Bait, Binus elementary vice principal.
Apart from the money, Binus also donated a number of books for the library of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang, which has a total of 388 students.
"Without books, the education of our children will never be complete," said Marino, the principal of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang.
Binus students also plan to paint the library of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang, which is situated in a flood-prone area.
Some 213 students of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang will also get a gift hamper from Binus on Oct. 27. Every year, Binus students give gift hampers to residents near the school.
Binus has adopted SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang as its sister school, which is just five minutes walk from the Binus School, which is situated in Simprug.
Binus students also regularly conduct an English course with students of SDN Grogol Selatan 12 Petang.
Students and staff of SDN Grogol 12 Petang visited Binus School and played futsal with Binusians on Sept. 16.
"Our guests from SDN Grogol 12 Petang came so that we could reach out to them and give them an opportunity they may otherwise never be able to afford. But when it was time for them to leave, we realized that we had received even more than they did," said Binus teacher Manoharan Karthigasu.