Ø Educational Activity
KYPA acts as a facilitator in securing scholarships or forgiving SPP for Acehnese students studying in Yogyakarta whose families were struck by the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami. To date, KYPA’s efforts have benefited 726 Acehnese students. KYPA’s donating partners are listed as follows:
a. Badan Musyawarah Perbankan Daerah Yogyakarta (BMPD) is providing cost-of-living assistance to 35 university students over one year from February 2005 until January 2006. On a monthly basis, BMPD transfers Rp 350,000.00 (US$ 35.00) directly to student beneficiaries’ living costs. BMPD’s total financial assistance in this capacity will amount to Rp 147 million (US$ 14,700.00).
b. Gajah Mada University’s Takmir Mosque provided cost-of-living assistance to fourteen university students for six months from March to August 2005. Each month, the student beneficiaries personally collected Rp 300,000.00 (US$ 30.00) from the Takmir Mosque secretariat. The total living assistance thus provided by Takmir Mosque amounted to Rp 25.2 million (US$ 2,520.00).
c. Karang Taruna Pemuda Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Youth Association, KTPY) provided cost-of-living assistance to eight university students over six months from April to September 2005. On a monthly basis, the student beneficiaries collected Rp 100,000.00 (US$ 10.00) from the KTPY secretariat. The total amount of financial assistance thus disbursed by KTPY over the six month period amounted to Rp 6.4 million (US$ 640.00). To augment KTPY’s scholarship, KYPA provided an additional Rp 200,000.00 (US$ 20.00) to each student after he or she entered the third month of the program.
d. The Yogyakarta Mataram Rotary Club (RCMY) is providing cost-of-living assistance to thirteen university students for one year from May 2005 to April 2006. On a monthly basis, the RCMY transfers Rp 300,000.00 (US$ 30.00) directly to each student beneficiary’s living costs. The total disbursement of financial assistance by RCMY for these scholarships will amount to Rp 46.8 million (US$ 4,680.00).
e. Yayasan Persaudaraan Masyarakat Yogyakarta (YPMY) provided cost-of-living assistance to 110 university students over four months between June and September 2005. Each month, YPMY directly transferred Rp 350,000.00 (US$ 35.00) to each student beneficiary’s living costs. The total amount of financial assistance provided by YPMY as a part of this program amounted to Rp 154 million (US$ 15,400.00).
Ø Working Program for Law and Advocacy
KYPA has already begun advocating on behalf of 75 Acehnese Competent Candidacy Students (SMK) that were moved to Yogyakarta following the tsunami and placed in several institutions and schools throughout the city. KYPA aims to ensure that these children receive their rights, including the right to safety, to education, and to well-being. The following lists the institutions that have agreed to host these children:
a. Pondok Pesantren Fauzul Muslimin Muhammadiah, Jl. Nyi Pembayun Karang No 21 Kotagede
b. Pantai Asuhan Yatim Putra, Jl. Lowanu MG III/1361 Yogyakarta
c. Panti Asuhan Yatim Putri Aisyiah, Jl. Munir NO 109 Serangan Yogyakarta
The challenges facing these children include the following:
a. There is not yet any guarantee that they will be able to continue their education into university.
b. The Rp. 500,000.00 (US$ 50.00) that they were promised for personal expenses has become Rp. 100,000.00 (US$ 10.00).
c. Unsuitable housing.
d. Inappropriate food.
e. A learning environment that differs from that of the other students (particularly in the Pesantren Fauzul Muslim).
The Investigation’s Achievements to Date:
The Law and Advocacy Division’s investigation into the circumstances of 75 Acehnese SMK Students in Yogyakarta has resulted in an understanding regarding several issues between all interested parties, as follows:
a. It has been determined that the students shall sit for examinations on 30 May 2005, so that they can graduate within the year.
b. The problems regarding living conditions and educational facilities has been overcome.
c. The students staying in Pesantren Fauzul Muslim, Kota Gede, will continue to live there, as the food money that their guardians had withheld from the beginning has now been returned to the students. Furthermore, the students have begun studying in the proper school, i.e. SMK Muhammadiyah 3 Yogyakarta.
d. The students have already received several scholarships to add to their means of living in Yogyakarta, including the following scholarships:
· Rp 150,000.00 (US$ 15.00) from the City Government of Yogyakarta
· Rp 150,000.00 (US$ 15.00) from Harian Kedaulatan Rakyat.
