East Indonesia is a kingdom a million miracles. A region rich in panoramic landscapes, biodiversity and ancestral traditions, much of eastern Indonesia remains relatively uncorrupted by modern forces. But at the same time this represents the other side of reality: infrastructure, education and literacy remain major challenges are
Nila Tanzil - Photo by Wahyudi Tan
Today Nila 26 libraries opened throughout eastern Indonesia. Some of these libraries prospects gorgeous natural waterfronts and located in historic colonial buildings, housed local ritual houses, and the village art workshops. These libraries, called Taman Pelangi Bacaan ( "Rainbow Reading Gardens") have come to a sanctuary of literacy for children aged 6 to 12, to read with enthusiasm.
But it was not always so. In 09, as Nila first came to Flores, she learned that literacy was remarkably low among students. Nusatenggara Timur happens to be the province with the highest illiteracy rates lowest on national examinations and major challenges in both the infrastructure and the education system.
"Children learn to be to spell out, as they were in the first class, but many illiterate well remain in the third grade," Nila said. been "A middle school teacher once told me about an illiterate student. I thought, how could a middle school student to pass the primary school examination without reading and writing to be? It turned out that the student had supported throughout the examination by a teacher who would whisper the answers to him. "
Nila knew she had to do something for the children of East Indonesia. Finding out that education is the key to this change decided Nila go for a need that has long remained unfulfilled: literacy. "Books are the windows to the world," Nila said. "I want them to love literacy and fall in love with books. But as they are to fall in love with books if the books do not have here? Many Eastern Indonesians fighting food to put on the table, so more to put on books. "
After initiated the idea in November 09, the first Taman Pelangi Bacaan opened in Rowe, Manggarai Barat. Besides Flores and other islands in Komodo National Park, the libraries are now found in remote villages in Lombok, Sumbawa, Timor, Bandanaira and South Sulawesi. These libraries are made by volunteers from mainly local teachers.
"It is Pelangi , because this project includes many ethnicities, races and colors, like a rainbow. Put them together and you end up with something beautiful, in a mission to combine expertise to maintain in the East Indonesian children and to enlighten, "Nila continued.
Nila with the children at the opening of Taman Bacaan Pelangi on Messah Nusa Tenggara Timur
Nila said that the first step children get to read to bring the books close to them. With schools often to be far away from the villages, it is therefore important to make it fun for them. To not believe the children, as they are doing more homework for school, Taman Pelangi Bacaan is loaded with fun illustrated books.
"I fell in books from reading Donald Duck and Bobo magazine" Nila said. "At least even if the children can not read, they would pick up a brightcoloured book like Tintin or Asterix & Obelix. They would reflect the pages, curious with the story behind the pictures, and it would motivate them to read. "
" If the children already love reading, she had read something, "added Nila. One day a father came to Nila to tell her that his son scored 0% on his science exam. not learn the Son, the answers from the class, but of an illustrated encyclopedia Taman Pelangi Bacaan .
On another day, teacher Nila said that the compositions of the children in the Bahasa Indonesia improve examination because now their plans are clearer and vocabulary. Nila calls such messages "small victories", remember that most of these native languages of children are not Indonesian and that their cultures often based on oral tradition.
If Nila first met the children and asked them what they aspire to be when they grow up, their answers were always "teaching" or "pastoring". knew The only other professions these children were agriculture and fisheries. But now literacy has excited the imagination of children, helped them to recognize other professional needs in their community, and inspire them to dream of professions, who are different from their parents. Other aspirations now among these children are always engineers, architects, part entrepreneur and writer.
Nila also remembers a time, could dream as children in Komodo National Park only from traveling to Labuan Bajo in West Flores. "Not even Bali", Nila, often their photos of trips distributed to the children abroad said. "But she now visits far off places dream as Thailand, Cambodia, Japan and the UK."
Nila believes that literacy in children care is a project that affect them for a lifetime. "I hope someday these kids get scholarships, left the village to go to university, are are successful professionals, their community do proud then come back to develop their hometowns."
children in one of the Taman Pelangi Bacaan libraries
While Taman Pelangi Bacaan is an agent of change and progress in Eastern to be Indonesia, Nila it is also a place to make, where local traditions continue to flourish. Taman Pelangi Bacaan holds storytelling programs where volunteers illustrated versions of local ancestors folklore or show it with Origami would read. Some libraries also offer traditional dance and music lessons.
more than 20,000 books to move between 11 islands, Taman Pelangi Bacaan cooperates with airlines and ship owners to turn the collection of libraries every six months. Some even help locals who books transported inland with their trucks, private cars and motorcycles.
"I am grateful for all volunteers in eastern Indonesia and Jakarta, as well as those who have donated books. They are the real people in service, fighting at the head of Taman Bacaan Pelangi "Nila said.
havecreated in their spare time, the libraries as a personal project to life, Nila has recently decided to commit full-time Taman Pelangi Bacaan . Moreover, Nila is to write a book about their travels in Eastern Indonesia and to paint their journey from the colors of literacy among the nation's children.
more about Taman Pelangi Bacaan, literacy in Eastern Indonesia learn, volunteer or donate, visit www.tamanbacaanpelangi.com.
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