JAKARTA (UCAN): A Catholic group in Indonesia is organising a fundraising campaign to help schools in remote areas experiencing financial difficulties due to the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic.
The Caritas Christmas Cross Challenge 2020 (or 4C) campaign is a virtual sporting event that allows participants to give money to Catholic schools. Participants donate manually or electronically by ATM, mobile banking, credit card, e-wallet or other payment tools.
This programme, driven by the Indonesian Jesuit Alumni Association (AAJI), supports the educational assistance programme run by Caritas Indonesia in collaboration with the Education Commission of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, the Economic Empowerment Commission and the Daya Dharma Institute of the Archdiocese of Jakarta.
“We are optimistic that this grassroots movement will run well because it has been greeted enthusiastically by many parties, including clergy and religious,” said Christiano Hendra Wishaka, head of the organising committee, at the launch of the programme on November 16.
He said that nearly 2,000 runners had registered, including clergy and nuns.
Running for six weeks up until December 30, the campaign is supported by Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, of Jakarta, chairperson of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference.
“Hopefully all of us, in our way, with different roles, will be moved to get involved and hopefully this programme will be effective, meaningful, especially for the world of education and for our brothers and sisters who serve in the field of education in Indonesia’s remote areas,” Cardinal Suharyo said, adding, “Our motto is to have more faith, more fraternity and more compassion. Let us show the dynamics of life like that in our participation in this programme.”
Father Vinsensius Darmin Mbula, a member of the bishops’ Education Commission, said the Covid-19 pandemic has caused economic difficulties for many families and it has an impact on schools because tuition payments have been delayed.
He explained that the commission provides financial assistance directly to schools that require help with teacher salaries. “They send a proposal which is then verified by the team,” he explained.
Aventius Arut, a teacher at a Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Ruteng, East Nusa Tenggara province, expressed hopes that the programme would reach their school.
“We in the village find it difficult to survive amid the limited facilities and infrastructure. We hope that the solidarity of people with good intentions can help us,” he said.
