Page updated February 8 2010 |
Sail Indonesia Kupang University Scholarship Program |
Beginning with the initiatives of Rob and Dee Dubin on Ventana in 2006 together with the generosity of the rally participants of Sail Indonesia Rally in the following years our Sail Indonesia Kupang University Scholarship Program is now firmly in place and a total of five students are now enrolled in this program and are studying at the University of Kupang in their chosen course of study.
Indonesia is a wonderful country rich in many things but educational opportunities for those people with limited money is not one of them. The five students pictured below would not otherwise have been able to follow their chosen course of study as the cost of university study is beyond the reach of their families. |
Each year the Scholarship winners pictured below are awarded their scholarships at the Rally Presentation Dinner in Kupang where the students can meet with the rally participants. This scholarship program gives these bright young people the opportunity to become a vital part of Indonesia's future. |
2007 Scholarship Recipients |
Sumiyati Djamal Assa (21)
Teacher, Chemistry |
Margaretha N. Beggo (22)
Teacher, Chemistry |
Yuliana Amelia Jehaman (21)
Public Health Administration |
2008 Scholarship Recipients |
Yolvina Elizabeth Bimusu (21)
Teacher English
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Merryanti Rihileo (20)
Electro Technology
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Not Awarded
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The Sail Indonesia Scholarship program is run in the following way, one hundred percent of all funds collected are used for education. The student's tuition fees are directly to the University of Kupang for the student's course fees and all administration work is done by volunteers. Each year the administration costs and salaries in Kupang are paid by Rob and Dee Dubin. |
Financial Statements
All transactions and balance sheet are shown on this web page, all dollar amounts are shown in Australian dollars.
At the beginning of 2008 $2795 was held in trust in an Australian Bank account that had been collected in 2007, in July of 2008 $1248 was sent to Kupang to pay for the students coming into the program in 2008, 39 of the yachts in Sail Indonesia chose to add $25 to their entry fee making a total of $975, Dave and Judy Howel on the Grainger Cat Freebird were tasked with the job of raising funds from the fleet in Darwin and due to their efforts a total of $635 was raised at the pre-rally Technical Meeting in Darwin, and a further $304 was raised in Kupang.
In 2008 the author of 101 Anchorages donated $20 from the sale of each copy sold in Darwin and this raised a further $800 making the total funds held in trust in Australia of $4267 at September 2008. |
Sail Indonesia did not visit Kupang in 2009, however 13 yachts chose to make an optional $25 donation to the fund making a total of $325, In August of 2009 the fund received an anonymous donation of $715 and this amount was sent direct to Kupang to cover the student's costs for the second part of 2009 so at September 2009 In 2009 the author of 101 Anchorages again donated $20 from the sale of each copy sold in Darwin and this raised a further $500, the financial position as shown below is an amount of $5092 held in trust in an Australian bank account.
At this time the University Scholarship fund has an amount of Rp 4,200,000 (around $500 AUD) in the Kupang branch of the Bank Mandiri which is used to cover incidental student expenses.
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Summary of Scholarship Funds
held in Trust at February 8 2010 |
2008 Opening Balance
Transferred to Kupang June 08
Donations from 08 Entrants
Donations made in Darwin 2008
2008 Sales of 101 Anchorages
Donations in Kupang 2008
Balance at September 2008
Donations From 2009 Entrants
Donation August 2009
Sent to Kupang August 2009
2009 Sales of 101 Anchorages
Balance at September 2009
Sent to Kupang February 7 2010
Balance at February 8 2010
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$2795
-$1248
$975
$635
$800
$310
$4267
$325
$715
-$715
$500
$5092 AUD
-$328
$4764
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Scholarship Group 2006
L-R Nita Liwulangi, Rob Dubin, Kupang University
Rektor
Frans Datta, Dee Dubin and Selvey Mbuik. |
Scholarship
Program
Administrator
in Kupang
Miss Nita Liwulangi.
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The Origins of the Sail Indonesia Kupang University Scholarship
Rob and Dee Dubin on board Ventana in 2006
Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world after China, India and the US and and has high unemployment, lack of basic infrastructure and often effected by earthquakes and tsunamis.
Like many of the rally boats we have previously sailed to a great many countries and we do our best to donate school books, clothes, pens and pencils for the kids and such but in reality these efforts are not even a band aid for what's necessary. At best we help a few kids for a short period of time but I doubt our efforts have any long lasting effect or help to improve the country in any way.
We expected our arrival here in Indonesia to be the same, however when we arrived in Kupang, Indonesia we received an unbelievable welcome from the entire city with dinners held in our honor by the Mayor and Governor, and nightly entertainments held on our behalf. Also on hand to meet us were a dozen university students who wanted to improve their English by acting as our volunteer guides around this good size city. During the week we were there our guides helped us with everything from organizing engine repairs to translating to explaining how to cook the unfamiliar fruits and vegetables in the markets.
Our guide, Nita Liwulangi, spoke excellent English and was one of the most intelligent and dynamic young women we have ever met, had she been born in the US she would no doubt be on a full ride scholarship to the University of her choice. Her family could not afford the annual $170 USD fee to send her to Kupang's University but fortunately she had been awarded a scholarship there.
We realized there must be many other students like Nita who would miss out on a university education for the lack of $170 I thought maybe we finally had a chance to really make a difference and fortunately the other cruisers in our rally felt the same way.
As a group we decided to see what was possible- the result was astounding. In less than a week we developed a program to help bright but needy students get to college; met with the University director and received his agreement to hold space open for students we sponsor and to waive the usual government red tape for them; met with the Headmasters of several High Schools and selected 2 schools for our initial program; set up a selection process based upon the criteria we designed and we have already raised enough money to provide a complete 4-5 year university education for 4 students starting next year.
As the rally occurs with new boats every year, we anticipate adding at least 4 more students per year so by year 5 we should be funding a minimum of 20 students, 4 in each year of University.The scholarship selections will be supervised by the headmaster and headmistress of the high schools and will be overseen by a review committee we have put in place to assure impartiality. The scholarships will only go to needy families and in our first year we will be awarding two scholarships for students in the sciences and two for students in language.
Our goal is to see these kids through to graduation in the sciences and languages so as long as the students maintain a 3.0 GPA they can continue through all 4 or 5 years of university. If we fund them for their entire university education they will be urged to stay in Kupang or their local village for at least 2 years after school to give back to their community.
Rally participants for the 2007 rally are already involved in the continuum. Next year's rally will arrive a month before our selected students actually begin university so there will be a dinner and awards ceremony where rally participants will meet the first four selected students and officially make the awards. The University Director will be there to receive the monies and officially welcome the students.
We feel confident that this program can really make a difference in these students lives, their communities and eventually their country. For us and all the rally participants it is good to know that for a change we are leaving more behind us than our boat's wake.
We urge all rally participants in 2009 and beyond to give generously, we are hoping for a minimum of $25 per boat to continue and expand the program. If you want to stay involved in a helping one student through all 4-5 years of school that would be even better.
The program is not yet tax deductible in any country. Dee and I are personally paying all the administrative costs so every cent donated goes to the students.
For 2010
The rally will return to Kupang in 2010 and you can donate for 2010 by simply adding your donation it to your Rally Entry Fee, or if you prefer when you arrive in Kupang.
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