BANTEN — Together with collaboration partners Mutiara Harapan Islamic School and PT Henan, Dompet Dhuafa inaugurated and handed over the new madrasah building of MI Amarullah located in Kp. Gunung Batu, Cibaliung Village, Cibaliung District, Pandeglang Regency, on Wednesday (28/08/2024). The construction of this building is part of Dompet Dhuafa’s Millennial Build a School (MBS) Program.
This program is supported by Mutiara Harapan Islamic School and also Nabila Ishma – a social media activist – who raises funds through DD Apps for school renovation programs and mentoring programs for MI Amarullah school employees.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mutiara Harapan Islamic School, Dompet Dhuafa Banten Branch Manager, Dompet Dhuafa ZIS Retail Fundraising Manager, teachers and students of MI Amarullah and the community of Kp. Gunung Batu. This inauguration was symbolized by cutting tumpeng rice with the Principal of MI Amarullah.
Unexpectedly, the initiative to help renovate this school was based on the social care program of the school student council of Mutiara Harapan Islamic School. Apart from selling food and snacks, the students also managed to get financial support from PT Henan Asset Management.
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“It’s great to see the children of MI Amarullah who look happy today because their school was successfully renovated because of the great initiative of our children also at Mutiara Harapan Islamic School in helping MI Amarullah’s younger siblings. From the small thing of selling donuts for only Rp1,500 to finally being able to realize the dreams of MI Amarullah’s younger siblings to get comfortable facilities, and the impact is clear evidence in shaping the social spirit of our children,” explained Heni, a representative of Mutiara Harapan Islamic School.
In addition to renovations, students also received donations of benches, tables and fans for their school rooms. Previously known to be fragile and worried about harming students, now MI Amarullah students can study comfortably, and now the school walls no longer use bamboo.
“In the past, I was studying when suddenly the chair broke and my hand was hit by a nail on the desk, but I’m happy that now the desks and benches are all new, and there is already a floor so learning is fun and comfortable,” said Fadli, a student of MI Amarullah Pandeglang.
This moment is what the Principal of MI Amarullah is looking forward to, because since the Banten Earthquake in 2018 many school facilities are very worrying. One of them is the cracked walls, even the leaking roof of the school is an obstacle for students to study, if the rain comes, students are forced to take refuge in a room that may be much safer than having to drip rainwater.
“I feel emotional and happy, there are many things I want to say. Thank you to everyone who has helped our school in realizing our dream. May Allah reward you, and may the children be more enthusiastic in their studies,” said the Principal of MI Amarullah.
There are two buildings that were restored through the Millennial Build School Program. One school building consisting of three classrooms and a teacher’s room, and one toilet building consisting of two restrooms. Previously, this school only had three classrooms, some with bamboo walls and others with walls, but they had been cracked by the 2018 earthquake. The roof was leaking and the students previously did not have a toilet, so they used the puddle at the back of the school as a toilet.
Now these conditions have been resolved on the basis of mutual cooperation of donors in various comfortable facilities for MI Amarullah students, they already have comfortable classrooms and toilets.
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Teachers also revealed some obstacles related to teaching and learning facilities, including the lack of textbooks used for teaching. However, currently MI Amarullah teachers are relieved because in addition to school renovations, teachers and students also get mentoring programs and books to improve the quality of learning.
Dompet Dhuafa as a link of kindness feels grateful to be part of the happiness of students who are struggling in their education. Dompet Dhuafa hopes that more and more people will want to work together to help build schools, so as to improve the quality of education throughout Indonesia.
“We are nothing, we are only a connector of kindness from partners to beneficiaries. We will continue to maximize all our efforts in helping, because we will continue to provide facilities in the journey of kindness of donors,” said Yudha Andilla, Manager of Retail Fundraising ZIS Dompet Dhuafa. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photo: Ayudia Chaerani
Editor: Dhika