The ‘Empowering Young Minds’ project in Indonesia has proven to be a significant success in sustainably improving the educational opportunities of children in the rural regions of Medan (North Sumatra), Cilincing (Jakarta) and Rangkas (Banten). The programme, which builds on an initiative launched in 2023, has specifically addressed the challenge of addressing the lack of basic educational materials in these underserved areas. In these regions, essential educational supplies such as exercise books, pencils, school bags and water bottles are often unavailable, significantly hindering the academic progress and personal development of young students.

By providing these essential materials, the Empowering Young Minds programme has been instrumental in enabling children to focus fully on their education. This support has not only improved their academic performance, but has also boosted their self-esteem and given them a sense of the value of education. As a result, 1,500 sets of exercise books and pencils, 1,500 school bags and 1,500 drinking bottles were distributed to primary school children in the rural areas of Medan, Cilincing and Rangkas. The target group comprised boys and girls aged between 6 and 12, which ensured a fair distribution of resources between the genders.

The ‘Empowering Young Minds’ project is an impressive example of how targeted support in disadvantaged areas can fundamentally change the lives of young people. It shows that education is the key to fighting poverty and that any investment in the education of young people is an investment in a better future.