Give An Education To A Trash Picker's Child

At XSProject, we think our donor partners are pretty special!

We would like to extend holiday greetings to each of you and thank you for your generosity throughout the year.

When XSProject launched “Give an Education to a Trash Picker’s Child” last February, so many of you joined us to do just that – educate these kids!

When we started, we didn’t realize how great the needs of the children were. We began with the commitment to educate every child that lives in the trash picker community. But setting them up for success in life includes so much more! Your donations have allowed us to take up that challenge and change the lives of more than 60 children just this year!

We thought you would like to know how you made this possible.

1. At the beginning of each school year, XSProject gathers the students and parents together to give out backpacks filled with books and other materials they will need in the classroom. They also get new shoes and school uniforms.

2.  Two Early Childhood Development educators were hired at the XSVillage Pre-School. The very first class of 12 students graduated and entered the first grade in July. Twelve more children are now enrolled at XSVillage and will begin first grade in July, 2015.

3.  XSProject continues pay the education expenses for 42 elementary school students. Fourteen more are now in middle school. Four students just started their vocational training to prepare for getting a job. They are studying Marketing, Accounting and Administration.

4.  At the beginning of the school year, all 56 students received complete eye examinations. Two boys and 10 girls received prescription eyeglasses.

5.  XSProject hosts outings for the students from time to time if their studies permit. Swimming is popular with the older students, while the little ones like to visit the zoo.

Your donations make it possible for these children to experience what life can be like away from the garbage dump. They see possibilities and promise all around them. This is what breaking the generational cycle of trash picking and poverty looks like.

On October 1, XSProject opened the doors to a new pre-school at the Cirendeu open dump in Jakarta.

The school welcomed 11 five and six year olds as the first students. It is staffed by Miss Kiki and Miss Asih, both Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers. Classes are held on Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 to 11AM.

The children are excited about attending their new school. Along with learning to read, write and do simple math, the teachers and students play games and solve puzzles to develop their social skills, coordination and creativity.

In August, XSProject’s General Manager, Retno Hapsari traveled to the US and worked with an ECD instructor to help her build a program she could take back to the school in the Cirendeu Community.

“It’s just heartbreaking” said Retno, “Both happy and sad to hear what (our) teachers share about (the children). But overall, the teachers are amazed at their progress in such a short time.”

XSProject has secured funding for this pre-school from generous GlobalGiving donors and corporate partners. There is enough money to keep the doors open until June, 2015. The children will then go on to the first grade in July.

Will the XSProject pre-school at the Cirendeu Community continue to operate after that? “It will continue”, says a determined Retno, “It has to, we cannot stop. We have to work hard to get the funds to keep going."