SOKOLA aims to address illiteracy in Papua through a literacy expedition program. Over 1.9 million people in Papua are illiterate. SOKOLA visited villages and found high illiteracy rates and lack of access to schools. The expedition will involve researchers assessing needs and two teachers providing literacy education in selected villages from September to November 2013. Funds are being raised to support transportation, accommodations, and publishing results of the research.

1. SOKOLA
Literacy Expedition in Papua
September 24, 2013
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

2. Project Description
Summary
Indonesia has 8.5 million illiterate people. And 1.9 million of them lives in Papua. Sokola wants to teach
literacy in Papua.
Project Overview
In March 2013, we went to the Asmat villages in Papua to do a survey. We visit the villages made famous
by the picture perfect postcard being kept as mementoes by travellers. There, we see people transport-
ing fishes, sago, and other forest products by boat. In the township, some people are carving a boat out
of a tree, while the other is busy making beautiful carvings. This view convinces us that the Asmat is full of
great sculptors whose work has been admired worldwide.
But our amazement soon turned to sadness when we found out the reality behind the village beauty and
the sculptures. We met the chief of the district village Mumugu Sawaerma, Vitalis Panam. He told us that
the majority of school-age children and adults there are illiterate. He himself only had his education in
elementary school up to grade 5. "Our children go to school, but they still can not read. Don't know why,"
he said softly.
During that visit we also found that the primary school near their villages has not been visited by teachers
because the location is too remote. There is another school in the district central of Sawaerma, that can
only be reached by a 2,5 hours boat ride. The trip would have caused at least USD50 for one trip.
School routines were often times do not fit into their way of life. Children, for example, often has to follow
their parents into the woods for weeks to make a living. What also often happens is when they come to
school, the teacher was not there. "If only there are schools that can follow our customs, we would want
that," said the village head.
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

3. SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

4. Why Papua
Papua has the highest illiterate ratio in Indonesia, which is 39,23% (according to data by The Central Sta-
tistic Bureau, 2012). The Asmat district, with a population of around 80,000 have an illiteracy rate of 57%.
While the area is going through changes. Many new constructions project is going on, and many foreign-
ers are coming to work there bringing in new style of economy. These changes will undeniablt have a big
impact on the daily lives of the people in Asmat. Literacy becomes a fundamental requirement for the
children to be actively addressing the changes that are happening.
The program "Literacy Expedition in Papua" that will target the Asmat regency is an integrated activity of
the assessment and the facilitation of literacy. The study will be conducted with a cultural approach to
explore the roots of the problem, aspirations, and community perspective to the situation and condition of
education. Results of the study are expected to be a useful input for the parties to the issue of education
in the district of Asmat. In addition, the Literacy Expedition program will put two experienced teachers in
one village which will be selected by the survey team.
This program has been a dream of SOKOLA's team, who for 10 years has developed a literacy and men-
toring programs, particularly for indigenous communities in Indonesia. The specificity state of education
and culture in Papua needs to be considered in order for a special approach in the implementation of
education programs can be made.
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

5. About SOKOLA
SOKOLA was founded in 2003 by Butet Manurung and four of his fellow educators who have been ac-
tively involved with Orang Rimba community in Jambi. SOKOLA strives to provide learning opportunities
for indigenous communities and other marginalized groups in remote areas in Indonesia who have no
access to formal schools. SOKOLA runs a practical method of reading, writing, and arithmetic, developed
by Butet during her live-in with Orang Rimba, as a knowledge base for the community in the face of
change.
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

6. With the vision of "School for Life", SOKOLA develops various programs aiming to prepare a community
to face the challenges of the modern world. Until 2013, SOKOLA has organized 14 education programs
in many different communities in Indonesia, among others, in Jambi, Makassar, Flores, Halmahera, Bulu-
kumba, Aceh, and Pariaman, with more than 10,000 beneficiaries; both children and adults.
SOKOLA is currently being filmed by Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza, in a feature film titled “SOKOLA
RIMBA”.
Use of Funds
Funds raised will be used for transportation, accommodation, and logistics by the Study Team and
Teacher Team, and publication activities. Details are below:
Study Team
• Air ticket + airport tax Jakarta-Timika-Ewer (two ways) for 3 people
• Speed boat for 2 trips (two ways)
• Field logistics for 3 people
• Transit accommodation for 3 people
Teacher Team
• Air ticket + airport tax Jakarta-Timika-Ewer (two ways) for 2 people
• Speed boat for 4 trips (two ways)
• Field logistics for 2 people
• Transit accommodation for 2 people
• Stationery, books, and learning equipment - 1 package
Publication
• Seminar and exhibition
• Packaging and distribution of research results (in both print and CD format)
Activity Schedule
Activities will take place during September-November 2013:
• 2-3 September: Traveling Jakarta-Timika-Agats
• 4 September: Agats journey heading to the location of study along Pomats River
• 4-28 September: Education research and studies at the specified location
• 28 September: The assessment team heads back to Jakarta, leaving the Teacher Team to pioneer the
literacy program in select villages
• 28 September-23 November (6 weeks): Implementation of literacy program
• Second week of October: Publication of research results in form of seminar and photo exhibition.
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

7. Team Members:
Butet Manurung, Team Leader
Dodi Rokhdian, Anthropologist
Aulia grants, Photographer
Agung Nugraha, Teacher
Habibi, Teacher
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

8. Profile of Butet Manurung, founder of SOKOLA
Founder of SOKOLA, a non-profit organization that has 10 years of experience facilitating literacy for in-
digenous communities in Indonesia. She is an Anthropology and Literature Bachelor from Padjadjaran
University, Bandung, Indonesia and was an active member of Palawa Unpad, a student environmental
organization. She earned her Master in Anthropology from the Australian National University (2012). She
is also a participant in Global Leadership and Public Policy training at Harvard Kennedy School of Massa-
chusetts.
Manurung has received numerous national and international awards, among others: E&Y Social entrepre-
neurship of the Year 2012, Young Global Leader 2009, the Ashoka Fellowship in 2006, Time's Asian Hero
in 2004 and the Man and Biosphere Award 2001.
Together with SOKOLA, she pioneered literacy programs for Orang Rimba community (Jambi), Kajang
community (Bulukumba), village community Wailago (Big Island, NTT), Tayawi community (Halmahera),
and the urban poor communities (Makassar), as well as post-disaster programs in Aceh, Garut, Cianjur,
Klaten, Bantul, and Pariaman. SOKOLA also provides consulting and assessment services for communi-
ties who want to provide education in rural communities.
Online Profile:
Twitter: @ RumaSokola @ manurungbutet
Facebook: Sokola Rimba and Saur Marlina Manurung
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua

9. Fundraising
SOKOLA is currently fundraising for its literacy expedition in Papua, and needs Rp145.000.000,- (one
hundred forty five million rupiah).
SOKOLA is fundraising through the crowdfunding platform Wujudkan.com and the deadline is September
30, 2013. SOKOLA currently (as per September 24, 2013, morning) has raised Rp106.674.000,- (one
hundred six million six hundred seventy four thousand rupiah).
Contribute
To donate or give other contributions to SOKOLA Literacy Expedition in Papua, visit:
http://wujudkan.com/projects/detail/202/Ekspedisi-Literasi-Papua-SOKOLA/description
Updates
To get updates on the progress of the expedition, read SOKOLA blog on:
http://wujudkan.com/projects/detail/202/Ekspedisi-Literasi-Papua-SOKOLA/blog
SOKOLA - Literacy Expedition in Papua