Our Story
of EduSOAR
EduSOAR is a self-funded social service. Hello, my name is Joshua Chia. I am a student living in Singapore. EduSOAR was founded as a result of a trip to Indonesia. During my trip, I gained insight into the state of early education in Indonesia. Although basic education is compulsory and free of charge (for 9 years from elementary to junior high school), preschool is neither. Kindergarten education is unaffordable and far out of reach for many young Indonesian families. The socially accepted compromise was for children to hawk in public areas in their early education years until they were old enough to join free, government-mandated education at grade 1, or to resort to preschool education offered by nonprofit organizations.
During my trip to Indonesia to visit family, I was shaken to my core when I noticed children, who were around the same age or younger than my own elementary school-aged brother, hawking on the streets to sell bottled water or tissue paper to passersby. Living in Singapore, where basic education is mandated and prioritised, I gained a deeper appreciation for early childhood learning and a better understanding of the detrimental effects on a child's development without it. This is why I started EduSOAR: to bridge this gap, starting from the parts of Indonesia that need it most.
Education is pivotal to a child's growth and development. It directly translates to the child's impact on society as well as their physical and mental health as they grow up.
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This is why EduSOAR aims to provides high-quality educational resources and equipment to these children in need in rural parts of Indonesia. We aim to teach, inspire, and instill values in the students we impact.
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We hope that through our impact, we help these children form concrete foundations that enable them to SOAR, level the playing field, and have a fair chance at securing stable jobs and improving their quality of living. Our ultimate goal is to help these families step out of the poverty cycle and improve their living conditions for the next generation.
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EduSOAR is here to stay, which is why we started EduSOAR with a long-term commitment to these children in mind. We work with a nonprofit organisation in Indonesia, Yayasan Kebun Anggur, to ensure the impact of EduSOAR will still be felt in rural parts of Indonesia despite being based in Singapore.
