One Heart to Make a Difference

June 20 – July 4, 2009 was a life-changing two weeks for 17 NTU Hall of Residence X students. Having “One Heart to Make a Difference” was what bound 17 different and diverse teenagers on a mission: to make a difference in Indonesia one way or another. Armed with mediocre practical skills for the physical jobs they were supposed to perform, but with a strong desire to complete what they set out to do, they managed to pull through our tasks.

With the support of HOPE worldwide Indonesia, Youth Expedition Project (YEP), and HOPE worldwide Singapore, the NTU students made an incredible impact in Indonesia. They not only served the communities in “Pelangi Kasih” (Rainbow of Love Orphanage, 1 hour outside of Jakarta) and Pedongkalen, East Jakarta, (educating the seventy children – English and Arts and Crafts), but they also managed to help build a staircase for the orphanage. The children were very delighted to make new friends as well as learn new and simple skills.

During the second week, the students helped finance and assist HOPE worldwide Indonesia in building an eight-cubicle public toilet facility for the residents of Kalibaru, in Cilincing, district of North Jakarta. In a Jakarta Post July 6 article, Dartam, community head of Kalibaru, stated that “the absence of proper public toilets has been a problem for over a decade in the area.” Now, there are properly functioning facilities, equipped with septic tanks, available for more than 2,000 residents. The community residents welcomed the sanitation facilities with smiles and cheerful comments.

A quote from one of the student leaders of “One Heart to Make a Difference” NTU Hall X OCIP programme in Jakarta, Indonesia:

“On the way, we made many mistakes, picked up many new skills and learned plenty of valuable life lessons from the people and the community that we met here. The intangible gifts that we have received from this trip far exceed what we have given and for that, we’re extremely thankful for having the opportunity to be able to live through the last 14 days with each other and under the hospitality of the community from “Pelangi Kasih” (Rainbow of Love Orphanage), Pedongkalen and Cilincing. We are also extremely grateful for all the guidance and care from HOPE worldwide Singapore. I believe that this trip will be a memory that will stay with us for many years to come.”

~ Maung Htet Aung
Nanyang Technological University student
Leader and Coordinator, NTU Hall X OCIP

The NTU Hall X OCIP is partially funded by YEP. Youth Expedition Project (YEP) is made possible and administered by the National Youth Council (NYC) and the funding is made possible by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and Tote Board (Singapore Totalisator Board).

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