Eli's eyes fill with tears when asked if she is proud that her daughter, Anis, will be able to go to junior secondary school.
Born into a very poor family in Tangerang village, about an hour's drive out of Jakarta, Eli never made it beyond year four in elementary school. Because of her limited education the 28–year–old has never been able to get a job.
Her husband, 30, didn't finish school either. As a result, he is unable to get regular work. Occasionally he carries heavy equipment for a local factory. He will earn less than $2 for a day's work, but that is only when work is available.
Eli says she is crying because she is so grateful for her daughter's education. She knows that the new Islamic local junior secondary school, MTS Balaraja, that Australia helped build will give her daughter the chance of a life better than her own.
There is only one other junior secondary school in this poor, highly–populated area, but it is at full capacity. There is no more room for any new students, including Anis.
If this new junior secondary school was not here, Anis would be unable to finish her education. Her parents cannot afford to pay transport to get her to any other junior secondary school. They are simply too far away.
Eli says without this new school, Anis would be doomed to a life of few opportunities. She would most likely end up unemployed or having to work in the local rice paddies for very little money.
Sitting on the straw floor of her humble one-room bamboo home, Eli listens to her 12–year–old daughter talk about what this school will mean for her future.
'I want to go to this school. I asked my parents if I could,' Anis said, beaming with pride.
'My favourite subject is maths and I am looking forward to learning more.
'When I grow up I want to be a teacher.'
Australia is committed to working with Indonesia to ensure that every Indonesian child has the chance to receive nine years of basic education. Australia has helped Indonesia build or expand more than 2,000 junior secondary schools across 20 provinces in Indonesia. Most of these schools have been built in some of Indonesia's poorest areas. These schools will give more than 330,000 children across Indonesia the opportunity to access quality education.
More information