Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Two years in Aceh


It has been 16 months since I joined TAFE Global for managing the school cluster program in Pidie. Right after I completed the program 6 months ago, Coffey International Development hired me to manage the expansion of the school cluster program in Aceh Province. The expansion program will be finished at the end of this month. We will hand over all of the program asset to the related counterparts.

Starting from next month I will work on CEPA (Community Education Porgram in Aceh) based in Bireuen under Coffey ID for the next two years. Actually the program has been started last year while I was involved in the school cluster program. I heard that they did not have a training manager. They hired consultants from ERDI and other agencies to delivery trainings.

This is the fourth time I work for AusAID. When I worked in UNICEF based in Jakarta, I assigned to manage CLCC implementation at 13 districts in 7 provinces funded by AusAID. It was a pity that I did not have a proper time to visit most of the pilot districts.

It is not easy for me to work in Aceh for quite a long term since my family live in Jakarta. Nevertheless I choose to work on the program because I feel that Aceh still need me to provide assistance in developing and improving the quality of education. Aceh people appreciation of what I have done in their schools and community, is the most important for me. It is wonderful to know that our program has change people. School community motivation, knowledge and skills has improved. I remember, on the last training for 36 district facilitators from 5 districts, they expressed:" Please do not worry about the program. Although ERA and AusAID program has finished we will continue the progam implementation. We will ensure that capacity building at cluster level will be sustained".

Hope I can fulfill AusAID, Coffey and mostly the community expectation. May the Good Lord bless and keep me as always.