March brings many cheerful things to life, such as spring and blooming flowers. For Raffles Christian School March is more than a normal month, it is the month to serve at Bagan.

This is the third year that we, Raffles teachers, go to Bagan to improve its schools and cheer its people. This collaboration is starting to bond people as family and bring unity of spirit.

As usual, individual members of the Bagan team were able to raise funds through a variety of events celebrated across the campuses, a festival of cheerful hope for those in most need. With the collaboration of students and parents we could make the dreams of many students come true.

The 2018-2019 school year has produced a different outcome from previous years. First of all, we were able to bring four selected students from Bagan to Jakarta where they experienced our school, and student projects such as mushroom farming, vermicomposting and hydroponics. To follow up, they will lead their own school in these projects, and teach the Bagan Siapiapi students about what they learnt.

Once we reached Bagan after a long day’s travel, we went to the venue were we were to teach and checked out the materials.

The second day at the Bangko Methodist School was full of laughs, reunions and memories from last year. We gave a presentation about hydroponics, mushroom farming and the HSK program, followed by a practical session for hydroponics and mushroom farming. The four students who came to Jakarta the previous month assisted us throughout, taking ownership of the teaching and showing it to others. Together, we even built a room for the mushroom farming out of an empty corridor, wood planks and a door and refurbished and inaugurated the new clinic!