Able to send her son to university because of Education Aid

Poverty is one of social issues in East Nusa Tenggara. According to Lucky Karyanto from Indonesian Team for The Acceleration of Poverty Reduction, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is the poorest province after Papua and West Papua.

One of the reasons of high percentage poverty in NTT is weak quality of human resources caused by low quality of education. Ministry of Education and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy said that education in NTT is at the third of national lowest rank.

Looking at the issue, TLM-GMIT Foundation as an empowerment institution initiated to improve human resources quality in NTT by procuring education aid program in form of education loan with low interest rate and scholarship.

TLM Foundation Education aid program has been starting since 2015 while scholarship program has been starting since August of 2017. The implementation of this program was begun with a survey of problems and needs according to NTT society’s circumstances. This aid is given to parents with children who are in High School grade and university who have school expanse arrears because of poverty.

Penyerahan Beasiswa YTLM secara simbolis kepada 30 orang anak Yapenkris di SMK Kristen 1 Kupang

Penyerahan Secara Simbolis Beasiswa YTLM kepada 30 orang anak Kurang mampu di SMK Kristen 1 Kupang

Kristin Malle, staff of TLM Foundation who handles education loan said that until this June of 2018, TLM Foundation has disbursed education aid for 200 people while total of students who has received scholarship are 30 students. One of education aid clients, Mrs. Hagar Fallo who was interviewed in her house in Atuif Street, Jalur 40, Village of Belo stated that before he knew about this program, he borrowed money from other institutions but it was difficult because the interest rate was so high. Mrs. Fallo also tried to submit loan requests to some financial institutions but they were rejected with the reason that Mrs. Fallo was doubted that she will not be able to repay the loan.

Hagar Fallo, one of Education loan clients with her son, Magel Banunaek

“TLM Foundation provides loan with very low interest rate, even it feels like a loan without interest. The installment is also small so it is not hard to repay. My husband and I decided to borrow from TLM because of its low interest so it does not cause burden for us to repay. Only TLM Foundation that makes it easy for us, that is why I will stillvborrow from TLM for my daughter who later will enter university because I have seen that the success of my first son in his education is because of this education loan.” Said Mrs. Hagar Fallo who has been education loan client since 2015.