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Papua

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Transforming young lives in rural Papua

Twelve-year-old Yomi Puhiri, who hails from Jayapura, Papua, was a high achiever who excelled at the top of her class, until the pressure of economic hardship forced her to drop out of elementary school. Yomi’s father lost his job during COVID-19, which was a serious blow for the family. Yomi had to help her mothe...

New healthy eating adventures for Aprilia

For 16-year-old Aprilia Kleopatra Yambeabdi, who was raised on the outskirts of Abepura city in the Papua province by a single mother, the idea of having a healthy breakfast used to feel like a distant possibility. The “My Plate” menu – recommendations for a healthy balanced diet that Aprilia saw at the local publ...

Care beyond the classroom: early childhood development teachers in Papua nurture students' nutrition

Orpa Korwa, 33, a native of Nandali village in Sentani, Papua, who has served as a Sunday class teacher at a local church for 18 years, believes deeply in dedicating herself to the welfare of children in her community.  She envisions children thriving, their nutritional needs met by the bounties of the land a...

15 February 2024

Progress in Papua: Fulfilling the right of every child to an identity from day one

After giving birth at the Yowari Hospital in Jayapura, Papua, Cremilda Kwanimba grappled with physical discomfort. This gave way to joy when she was handed the birth certificate of her newborn son, Gregorius.   “I felt a tremendous sense of relief,” she says while wiping happy tears. "I gave birth at five o’c...

Working across Sectors to Provide a Safe Return to Learning in Indonesia

The impact of COVID-19 on global learning was immediate and severe and – as is always the case – the world’s most vulnerable children bore the brunt of the crisis. Indonesia was no exception to the rule, with 60 million of its children affected by 18 months of school closures. Children living In South Sulawesi and...

Sister Emilia’s dedication to literacy and education

Outside of St. Fransiskus Xaverius II Merauke Primary School, there’s a new brightly coloured reading retreat, complete with interesting books and spacious tables. The teachers at the school are excited and ready to try out some new skills as they prepare to welcome students back for face-to-face learning again. O...

18 February 2022

Many new storybooks in our school

On an early Monday morning, 9-year-old Gian dressed in his red and white uniform and packed his books into his bag as he got ready to go to school. After saying goodbye to his mother, he and his older brother Wabu rushed to their first class of the day at YPK Urmboridori Elementary School in Supiori District, Papu...

Meet the “Pad Man” breaking taboos and transforming lives in Papua

In Tanah Papua, one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia, a strong patriarchal culture makes menstruation a taboo topic of conversation, especially among men. But Demianus Dike is one local man daring to break the myths and misconceptions about periods i...

Empowering girls to take control of their periods during the pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic brings new challenges to everyday life, many girls and women are being affected in a personal and often unspoken way: their ability to manage their menstrual hygiene and health. In a UNICEF U-Report poll conducted with over 5,800 female respondents between April and May 2020, one in six sa...

Fighting for environmental health in Jayapura during COVID-19

JAYAPURA, Indonesia – It wasn’t even noon yet in Jayapura, but the temperature was already rising, and the air was thick with humidity. Beads of sweat streamed down Indri Sodyah’s face past her red veil as she returned from an activity to disinfect public places in the district. As Indri shared her story, her voic...

The Challenges of Home Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

At 7 A.M. one morning, Moreyna woke up with renewed enthusiasm. As she did every school day prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, she showered, had her breakfast, and put on her school uniform. She then asked her mother to take her to school in the hope that “everything had gone back to normal.” But she learned soon eno...

Hope Amidst COVID-19

PAPUA, Indonesia – Mujiasih was carrying out her role as a malaria cadre (community health worker) that afternoon when we met her. Asih, as she is usually called, has been a malaria cadre for the past six months in her village of Sanggaria in Keerom, Papua. Keerom, along with the other five districts in Papua, has...