Educational program for cart drivers

Educational program for cart drivers

BANDUNG: Mitra Mandiri Foundation, an affiliate of the United
States-based United Way International in Indonesia, is sponsoring
an educational program for school-aged horse cart drivers in
Majalaya, West Java, near here.

Conducted by local non-governmental organization Institute of
Community Development Information and Research (LEIMA), the
project comprises 30 children who will undergo a one-year
educational program. Upon completion, the participants will have
completed the equivalent of a nine-year elementary education.

LEIMA will involve educational experts, community leaders and
professionals as instructors.

At the opening ceremony for the program on Saturday, Mitra
Mandiri chairwoman Ati W. Soekandar said their was a need to
develop a sense of compassion among the more fortunate for less
fortunate children.

Local community leaders and government officials attended the
ceremony.

Established three years ago, the foundation currently is
conducting five other social projects, including an educational
program for children in the Jakarta slum area of Senen, the
production of 180 talking book titles for blind children across
the country and a development program to help handicapped
children acquire life skills in the East Nusa Tenggara towns of
Ruteng and Kupang.