Lahad Datu 09/09/2006
To Mr. Lauri Korpinen
Ambassador of Finland
Dear Ambassador,
Thank You again for your unwavering support, which has helped us to continue our project and to reach many hundred more children in Sabah’s plantations.
Hereby an Update of the project, which you have helped to keep afloat during the past 3 years.
We have had a very busy year with opening of more centres in the plantations, and specially the opening of a centre for 120 local Bajau fishermens’ children on Timbun Mata Island off Semporna. The parents cannot afford to send their children to the nearest government school, which is 2 hours away in a small boat.
We have started the project in cooperation with the local assemblyman, Datuk Mohd Lan Alani.
We have also planned to start some “sea-based” schools for the indigenous group, the Bajau Laut or Sea Gypsies, who traditionally live all their lives on boats on the sea, and only go ashore to be buried.
Many of their children have no chance of schooling, and end as outcasts or beggars in town.
We started the centre in Pintasan 8 in January this year with 40 children
The Centre in Kg. Tandoan officially opened in March with 120 children.
In June we opened one more town school in Dam Road in Lahad Datu for 150 children.
In July we opened a school in Cantawan Estate for 60 children
In August we opened the first of the 3 schools in Permodalan Estate with 60 children.
In September we will open Labuk with 80 children,
Nam Hing with 60 children,
Laukin with 60 children,
Permodalan 3 with 60 children,
Balung River Eco Resort with 80 children.
And there will surely be more to open before the year has passed.
Children in Primary One Children from Andum Plantation, receiving first . group of teachers from Indonesia.
It is of lifelong consequence for these children, that they get this chance, and the money and time we spend, cannot be spent any better in my opinion.
Your support during the past 3 years and at this time for our children’s education project has meant a lot. It may result in even wider reach now, especially as under an agreement between Malaysia and Indonesia, the Malaysian Government is now asking us to facilitate the posting of Indonesian teachers to help teaching the children in the plantations. It means that we will get a lot more to do, and that a lot more children will get the chance for a basic education.
We have received the first 25 teachers, and will on monday receive 26 more teachers to be posted in our plantation learning centres in Sabah. The first group are committed and well educated young people, so we have high hopes for the future.
I just had a communication with Mr. Børge Petersen, the Danish Ambassador to Malaysia. He was happy to hear of your continued contribution to our work. I hereby also wish to express my hope, that the crucial support, which we have been receiving from your side will continue.
I have understood that Finland’s presidency of the EU is giving you a very busy time, and that you may not reach a visit to our centres in 2006. We will look forward to receiving a visit from you in the first part of 2007. Should your time allow it, you are of course always welcome to visit our project personally with your family or any representative from the Embassy.
Yours Sincerely
Torben Venning
Handphone +60 13 8884402
Borneo Child Aid Society
P.O. Box 61850, 91127 Lahad Datu Office: +60 89-866857 Fax: +60 3-21784113
