Awakening Memories and Brightening Future

Tzu Chi volunteers and TNI personnel relay the TK Kartika X-16 building materials.

“I am thoroughly happy that we are reminded of our childhood memory when we studied here and it can now be enlivened by the sounds of children. So our next generation can study here because it has now been renovated,” said Nani Maskup (54), a resident of Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta and an alumna of TK Kartika X-16 in the 70s.

Nani Maskup, along with two other alumi of the Kindergarten, witnessing the initial demolition of TK Kartika X-16 which is located at Jl. Pondok Jaya VIII No. 1, Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta. This demolition is done by Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Indonesia in collaboration with Indonesia National Armed Forces (TNI) on Wednesday, 31 January 2018.

Tzu Chi volunteers gathered early in the morning at TK Kartika X-16’s front yard which was full of weeds as it had been abandoned for several years. “The building is physically too old. Position-wise, it is lower than the road, and inundated when it rains. Students were getting fewer and fewer as parents were worried by the floods,” Nani Maskup told.

Nani’s statement was approved by DANRAMIL 02 Mampang Prapatan, Infantry Major Denver M. H. Napu, the TNI co-ordinator. The kindergarten has been a problem, especially during rainy season. This reconstruction is the answer to the problem and the local communityis fully supportive. “Besides a concrete proof of the collaboration between Kodam Jaya and Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation in education, the community also gives enthusiastic reaction to the renovation of this kindergarten which enables their children to study here,” stated Infantry Major Denver M. H. Napu.

DANRAMIL 02 Mampang Prapatan, Infantry Major Denver M. H. Napu (left) delivers welcome speech before the activity began.

Initial demolition begins with the roof takedown.

After the opening, 25 Tzu Chi volunteers together with 30 army personnel and 20 workers from the contractor began the TK Kartika X-16’s reconstruction. It commenced with the take down of the roof, where all volunteers and army personnel made a formation to relay the roof tiles taken down from the school to the designated area.

Inter-He Qi Collaboration

This activity to all Tzu Chi volunteers who participated was a blessing. Besides bringing up the memories of those who used to study in that kindergarten, it was also an opportunity for inter-He Qi volunteers to work together. “Today we are given the opportunity to help in the reconstruction on TK Kartika, we are asked to take down the roof together with the armed forces personnel and a few building artists. We are required by the secretariat (Tzu Chi Foundation) to send only male volunteers and this is also an inter-He Qi collaboration,” explained Agus Rijanto, a Tzu Chi Committee Volunteer who was also the co-ordinator of the reconstruction.

TK Kartika X-16 is not the only school reconstruction work Tzu Chi has done. This activity has also been done in other places. Besides renovation and reconstruction, Tzu Chi often provides the school facilities. “As usual, whenever Tzu Chi builds a school, learning tools and resources are always given too. For now, we are helping physically (the school building), and there will be further co-ordination about the facilities,” Agus Rijanto added.

Nani Maskup (left) with two of her partners witnessing the demolition of the school they used to study at in the 70s.

Agus Rijanto, volunteer co-ordinator of the TK Kartika X-16 reconstruction, coordinating with the building artists to clear the weeds around the building.

Not only was it a blessing, this effort was also to free TK Kartika X-16 from inundation when raining. The building will also be made higher to the same level as the roads so that water can flow and there won’t be puddles. “The collaboration between Tzu Chi and TNI is to enable the building to function and be used again. We have to establish synergy to make this kindergarten free of puddles,” said Agus Rijanto.

Translated by : Ryan P Wijaya (Tzu Chi School)