East Nusa Tenggara is known for its wondrous tourism. From Labuan Bajo to Komodo Island, this place has such an exquisite and magnificent natural landscape to offer, including in Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara. There are thousands of tourist destinations that can be explored and various activities to do – starting from camping, outbound, workshops, and even training surrounded by beautiful nature.
Tourism is the main source of income for the locals, beyond that, it has become a solution to establish a self-sustaining school like PAUD Alam Manusak did. Far before, PAUD Alam Manusak was established in 2018 to provide early childhood education for children in Manusak Village, East Kupang District, Kupang. Initially, this school only has a semi-permanent building built by community members, consisting of one classroom to accommodate 22 students within.
Afterward, in 2021, Happy Hearts Indonesia and SiCepat Express have come together to rebuild an adequate school for them. After the construction of PAUD Alam Manusak finished, now they have 2 spacious classrooms with decent furniture, indoor educational toys to stimulate children’s brain development, an outdoor playground and a decent toilet. Beyond that, we also support them through our 5-years school development, Water, Sanitations and Hygiene (WASH) training, teacher capacity development, and school management training.
PAUD Alam Manusak heavily relies on operational assistance funding (known as BOP) to fulfill the school needs cost. Their commitment to provide a free education for all students situating them in a difficulty, particularly in managing their operational costs for teacher salaries’. A journey of change then started when in 2023 PAUD Alam Manusak received Financial Management & School Entrepreneurship (FMSE) training from Happy Hearts Indonesia.
Shortly after the training conducted, the school initiated a tourism business by providing a school place on the weekends for educational and ecological activities, such as camping, workshops, training, and outbond. In addition to that, the school also opened a nature cafe – providing drinks and local cuisine for visitors which can add revenue for the school. Amazingly, the teams consist of teachers, community members, and even college students who voluntarily help manage the business.
Aligning its achievements in developing a business unit, PAUD Alam Manusak also gained parents’ trust to enroll their children in this school and even they have successfully received “A” accreditation from the government because of its good performance and the facilities development.
“We extend our gratitude to Happy Hearts Indonesia for providing us at PAUD Alam Manusak with a wonderful classroom facility that we use daily for learning with the children. We have also been trained to manage the school’s operational expenses, which has helped us understand what we need to do to increase our school’s revenue. Now, we continue striving to enhance the quality of learning, facilities, and our relationships with external parties to foster collaborations in supporting education in our area.” said Yahya Aldo acted as Principal of PAUD Alam Manusak
The journey of PAUD Alam Manusak reflects the transformative power of education combined with community-driven entrepreneurship. By leveraging local resources and building partnerships, this school has become not only a center for early learning but also a beacon of sustainability and self-reliance in East Nusa Tenggara. As PAUD Alam Manusak continues to grow, it serves as an inspiring example of how collective efforts, strategic training, and a commitment to local potential can overcome challenges and provide lasting educational opportunities. This success story invites us all to support and believe in the power of education to drive meaningful change in every community.
