When SEEDS met Mrs. Yakeen in 2013, she was blind. Severe cataracts obstructed both eyes, but she was fearful of the surgery needed to restore vision. SEEDS partnered with a local foundation in Riau, Indonesia, and sent health workers to Mrs. Yakeen’s isolated village. For months, they encouraged her to give the healthcare system a chance, and she agreed to treatment for her left eye. It was a success. Mrs. Yakeen proudly declared to neighbors that she could see, and others followed her example. Several villagers sought

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SEEDS partners with Yayasan Tunas Aksara (YTA) to promote literacy in Indonesia.  YTA operates a program called “Saya Suka Membaca” (SSM), meaning “I Like to Read”.  SSM was originally conceived as a teacher training program.  SSM staff designed and distributed their own contextualized curriculum, auxiliary materials, training, and mentoring, to elementary grade-1 teachers so that they could teach reading well throughout their teaching tenure.  Their goals for students were simple: (a) read fluently  (b) understand what was read  (c) enjoy reading.   

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The Integrated Farming (IF) program is an initiative that is transforming the lives of marginalized communities in Riau, Indonesia. This farming program aims to implement a sustainable farming method focused on breeding ikan gabus (snakehead fish). The snakehead fish was chosen for its marketability. There is a significant public demand due to the health benefits, market price, and the fact that you can even breed it with limited space.

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Within the last year, one SEEDS consultant in south Thailand has made the change from community development projects to educational involvement within a local university. This is a new development and many details are yet to be confirmed, but the goal of educational development through the new role at the local university is the main focus.

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In 2023 SEEDS partner Yayasan Tunas Aksara (YTA) trained over 200 teachers across Indonesia as part of its Saya Suka Membaca (“I Love Reading”) program. One of YTA’s areas of focus is Nusa Tenggara Timur Province (NTT), where more than half of primary school children read below the expected standard.

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“I am sorry it’s so disgusting” foreign tourists are told before they visit the famous Air Manis beach on the outskirts of Padang, West Sumatra. The beach is famous as the site of the legendary figure Malin Kundang who had a rags-to-riches story but who was ashamed of his mother. On his return home, she cursed him and he was turned into a pile of rocks which visitors go to see. Ironically, Air Manis means ‘sweet water’ but today the sea is littered with plastic bags that are swept on to the beach by every wave.

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Last summer holiday, we organized a Chinese cultural exchange program between a group of students from Taiwan University and those from a university in southern Thailand, studying Chinese.

The Taiwanese students prepared various activities to showcase Taiwan and its rich culture. These included games to familiarize everyone with Taiwan’s provinces and cuisine, writing spring couplets, and sampling Taiwanese snacks.

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Sports play a pivotal role in the development of youth, fostering physical, mental, and social growth. Engaging in sports activities not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also instills discipline, teamwork, and perseverance. Through sports, adolescents learn to set and strive for goals, enhancing their self-confidence and resilience in the face of challenges. It teaches valuable lessons in sportsmanship, respect, and fair play, laying a foundation for responsible citizenship.

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SEEDS partner, Pendar Pagi, runs an English club called English Zone to provide university students with the opportunity to improve their conversational English. English Zone currently offers weekly discussions led by native speakers. It is located less than four kilometers from University Riau, however, members have joined from a number of the local universities.

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Dedicated SEEDS’ consultants have been working for many years with key partners in Southeast
Asia in the field of socio-economic development and education. But its number of consultants are
still small and so much more could be done as we desire to engage in effective partnerships in this
global world.

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