Are you kind of undecided where you will
take your kids for this coming school holiday? Do you want to make your children experience
something that is more than just an ordinary holiday? Take your children for outbound
activities at KampoengKidz (Village
Kids) in Batu, East Java, Indonesia.
This is a place where a high school,
a dorm, an outbound area and a guest house are united.
Good
morning, Indonesia
Talking about KampoengKidz, we must begin from a senior high school named SMA SelamatPagi Indonesia (the high
school of “Good Morning Indonesia”, also known as SPI school).
School of Good Morning Indonesia (SPI)
SMA
SelamatPagi Indonesia,built in 2007, is a private boarding
school whereits students are multiethnic from all different places across
Indonesia. This is the school in Indonesia where you can find the most diverse
cultures and religions among its students.
Another thing that contributes to the school’s uniqueness is all of its students are orphans from low-income families. The school fee, together with the dorm and cost living is completely free of charge.
If everything is free for the students,
then you might wonder how the school finance its students. It’s not a public
school so the fund does not come from the government.Sometimes it comes from some
donators, but the donation alone will not support its day-to-day operational
costs. Teachers must be compensated, textbooks need to be bought from somewhere,
building and assets need maintenance and especially these students must eat
nutritious meals three times a day.
First of all, everything needs to be as
self-powered as possible, meaning students need to do things to support
themselves. They rely on one another to live. Some students cook and prepare
meals, some other do the cleaning, gardening etc.
Students also take advantage of the
school’s vast area by plant crops and raise cattle to be consumed and sold. Amazingly
these kids are also able to produce their own products of food and souvenirs.
KampoengKidz establishment
Also, in response to this need, in 2010 in
its seven-hectare land the school founder opened an outbound field for children
named Kampoeng Kids. Basically, it provides outbound services
and trainings for children from as young as pre-school age (2 to5 years old) to
Junior High teenagers.
Entrepreneurship and adventure
There are two program categories: entrepreneurship and
adventure. The first is to introduce
entrepreneurship to its participants. They are taught how to farm and raise
cattle in the school farm.The second program is more fun and adventurous,
to raise their bravery and sense of togetherness.
Outbound activity at KampoengKidz
KampoengKidz outbound activities are
available only on weekends and public or school long holidays, where students
do not go to school.The entrance ticket is IDR 15,000 (around USD 1.1) per person
(for adult and children of the age of three and above). Your children may
choose what kinds of activity they are interested and for each activity it
costs between IDR 10,000 (around USD 0.8) to IDR 25,000 (around USD 2) per
child.
KampoengKidz is well-known among Indonesian
schools. After the final test season or right before school long holiday,many
schoolssend their students here for some outbound programs. Special packages
are available for a large group of school students.
Amazingly, KampoengKidz does not seem to
hire too many outsiders. Most of its human resources seem to be powered by the
high school students themselves. The SPI students are deeply involved in
welcoming, organizing, training, teaching and everything else related to the outbound
including its management and administration.
Stay in the guest house
There are many kinds of outbound activity
and your children may have some activities for a day and some other programs on
the following day(s)and interestingly you and your children can choose to stay
in KampoengKidz because they actually have their own guest house where visitors
can stay. (IDR 650,000/around USD 49 per night for a four-bed room and IDR 1,200,000/around
USD 90 per night for an eight-bed room)
There are many hotels around the area and
for sure this guest house is not as fancy as a hotel, but in here your children
will experience things that they willnot get from a hotel stay. It is unclear
if the motel used to be a student dorm, but staying there feels like staying in
a dorm. Rooms, hallways, bathrooms and everything else look like those of a
dormitory.
Since the guest house is a part of
KampoengKidz, everything related to visitor service is also done by its
students. You and your children will witness their sincerity and
professionalism through their services. You will see how these 15 to
19-year-old high school teenagers greet you and family and do the cooking for
your breakfast. Your children will also see how their multiethnic brothers and
sisters live and work harmoniously in here and this will at least make them
realize if their brothers and sisters can be so professional, they can do it
too at home!
