Photo: Nurul Hasan High in Sekely Village is part of the schools benefiting from Gelora Mandiri Membangun’s road infrastructure initiative
SOUTH HALMAHERA — A new hope for progress rises in Sekely Village, not from construction in nearby cities but from local school route improvements.
Roads were either dusty or slippery in Sekely, but now students can enjoy safer walks due to Gelora Mandiri Membangun (GMM), a privately owned palm oil company in South West Gane Subdistrict.
The revamp is part of Corporate Social Contribution (CSC) programs that promote better educational access. Gelora Mandiri Membangun believes it will help deliver effective teaching and learning in this part of South Halmahera.
“Our aid is meant to… build new [routes] that ease mobility for students while ensuring safety and comfort for all locals,” said Mahdi M. Nur, GMM’s PR Officer.
Nurul Hasan High, a school with a population of 89, is among those served by this infrastructure initiative.
The company sent an excavator, a bulldozer, a motor grader, a tandem roller, and dump trucks to support a 190.51-meter road widening project and a 1,281-meter road filling work conducted in partnership with village members.
Photo: GMM assists with learning infrastructure repairs, and scholarships for South West Gane’s college-going residents
Besides physical access, GMM has provided financial access through scholarships for South West Gane’s college-going residents, helping those studying in Manado, Ternate, and Bacan Island.
Last year, 40 awardees came from villages such as Yomen, Inner Gane (Gane Dalam), Kurunga, Jibubu, Awis, Yamli, and also Sekely. Each received IDR 1,500,000, distributed through parents and guardians.
This November, the amount will be hiked to 2,000,000 per person, to continue GMM’s commitment to education.
Infrastructure renovation and educational aid are how the company boosts socio-economic recovery in the subdistrict post the 2019 earthquake. They’re also a way to build deeper relations with local communities.
“Our flagship initiative[s] involve repairing public facilities in terms of roads and places of worship. We want to take part in developments in [local villages] and [improve] the well-being of the people here,” Mahdi added.
Physical infrastructure and educational projects make real impacts and create meaning for communities in South Halmahera. They allow rural children to dream, teachers to serve, and the greater society to keep moving forward. (*)
