Editor’s Note
- “English 1 Unite for Sumatra” raises 100 million IDR for the recovery of flood-affected children
- Online donation campaign
- Aid targeted at 250,000 beneficiaries
- Continuing social commitment
“English 1 Unite for Sumatra” raises 100 million IDR for the recovery of flood-affected children
English 1, a network of English-speaking schools, organized a fundraising campaign titled “English 1 Unite for Sumatra” to draw attention to children and families affected by floods in various areas of Sumatra.
The event, which took place in Menteng, Jakarta, on April 1, 2026, brought together parents, partners, and representatives of humanitarian organizations in a spirit of cooperation and concrete action.
Online donation campaign
English 1 aims to raise 100 million IDR. This online donation campaign was launched in January of this year via the donation platform KitaBisa. On the final evening of the event, guests were once again invited to participate in a live fundraising session.
Also present were Reza Indra Adichaputra (Senior Program Manager at KitaBisa), Wiwied Trisnadi (Senior Manager Partnerships & Humanitarian at Save the Children Indonesia), and Nurlena Gultom (Head of Individual Donations at Save the Children Indonesia).
“At English 1, we believe that character development takes place not only in the classroom but also through concrete actions in daily life. With English 1 Unite for Sumatra, we want to involve students and parents in concrete actions that foster empathy and caring. When the community works together, the impact can be much greater,” said Christopher Lloyd, Operations Director of English 1, in an official statement.
Aid aimed at 250,000 beneficiaries
Rhea Danaparamita, Marketing Director of English 1, explained that the collected donations will be used to provide for basic needs such as food, clean water, and healthcare.
This aid is intended to reach approximately 250,000 people, including 170,000 children in North Sumatra (Central Tapanuli, North Tapanuli, and South Nias), Aceh (Aceh Tamiang, Langsa, and East Aceh), and West Sumatra (Padang and Agam).
“We ensure that the fundraising and distribution process is carried out with reliable partners. KitaBisa facilitates the safe and transparent collection of donations, while Save the Children Indonesia, as an independent organization focused on children’s rights, will provide the aid directly to the affected children and families. For us, this is a joint effort to teach children the value of sharing through concrete examples,” says Rhea.
Consistent social engagement
This spirit of sharing is part of the ‘Super Parents: Kindness in Action’ campaign. Through this initiative, various English-speaking centers are carrying out three main activities. Building on the dynamics of Ramadan, the ‘Sharing as One’ activity takes place, in which students and parents collect donations, both in cash and in kind, which are subsequently distributed among the beneficiaries. Additionally, there is ‘Evening Together’, an event to break the fast with the local community.
Also of interest is ‘Junior Learning Buddies’, a collaborative program held in 11 centers, including Bekasi, Surabaya, Balikpapan, Palu, Padang, and Lampung. In this program, English 1 students at B1 (intermediate) level are given the opportunity to teach local children, but they must go through a selection process, including a trial internship. Students must submit a letter of motivation, undergo an interview, and complete training with teachers before leading interactive lesson sessions.
Rhea added that this series of activities laid the foundation for the movement that eventually led to ‘English 1 Unite for Sumatra’. According to her, the role of educational institutions is not only to teach students academic skills, but also to develop social awareness and a sense of responsibility towards others.
“We want a culture of sharing to grow within the learning environment. This fundraising evening is the highlight, but enthusiasm for this has been growing in various regions since the beginning of the year,” says Rhea. ***rel
