Help Build a School for Underprivileged Children

1. Background

Since 2023, Punthuk Sewu Learning Center in Bantul, Yogyakarta has operated as a community-based initiative providing educational support for children from underprivileged families. Initially established as a grassroots learning space, the center has evolved into a structured program delivering academic tutoring, character development, and introductory vocational exposure in agribusiness.

To date, dozens of students have benefited from strengthened competencies in Mathematics and English, improved study discipline, and enhanced self-confidence. The center has demonstrated measurable improvements in student engagement and academic resilience.

However, through continuous implementation, it has become evident that informal educational support alone is insufficient to address structural poverty. Sustainable impact requires access to formal, accredited, and systematically structured education.

2. Problem Statement

Children from low-income households in rural areas face multiple educational barriers, including:

• High risk of school dropout due to economic pressures

• Limited access to learning materials and digital connectivity

• Minimal academic supervision at home

• Lack of exposure to practical, market-relevant skills

Without recognized credentials and employable competencies, opportunities for economic mobility remain limited. As a result, poverty risks being perpetuated across generations.

3. Strategic Response: Establishing a Formal Vocational Institution

To address these structural challenges, Yayasan INFEST plans to transform Punthuk Sewu Learning Center into a formal education institution between 2026 and 2028. The planned transformation includes:

• Establishment of a Formal Junior Secondary School (SMP level)

• Development of a Vocational Training Center (LPK)

The institution will adopt a boarding school (pesantren) model to provide a structured and supportive 24-hour learning environment. This model is designed to integrate academic instruction, vocational skills development, and character formation.

Core Educational Focus Areas:

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

• Agribusiness and livestock vocational training

• Soft-skill development and leadership

• Moral, ethical, and humanitarian values

By 2028, the institution aims to serve up to 400 students from underprivileged families across Yogyakarta, significantly expanding educational access and long-term opportunity.

4. Infrastructure Development Plan

To support this transformation, the following facilities will be developed:

• Classrooms and STEM laboratories

• Student dormitories

• A vocational training center specializing in agribusiness and livestock industries

• A library and masjid

• Health and sanitation facilities

These facilities are essential to creating an integrated educational ecosystem that connects academic learning with practical livelihood preparation.

5. Expected Impact

The transformation of Punthuk Sewu into a formal vocational school is expected to:

• Reduce school dropout rates among vulnerable rural youth

• Provide recognized educational qualifications

• Equip students with market-relevant skills

• Strengthen economic resilience at the household level

• Contribute to long-term rural poverty reduction

This initiative represents more than infrastructure development. It is a strategic investment in human capital and intergenerational transformation.

6. Conclusion

The expansion of Punthuk Sewu Learning Center into a formal vocational school is a necessary step toward ensuring equitable access to education for rural communities. By combining academic excellence, vocational competence, and character formation within a structured boarding model, the institution will provide sustainable pathways out of poverty.