December 25, 2015

International Humanity Foundation (IHF) is a non-religious, non-political, and non-profit organization whose missions are to educate the poor and to educate the world about the poor.

IMG_0455IHF believes in a “pass it on” philosophy, where education is free and available for all who seek it. Those who received free education pass it on by helping others who are not as lucky. IHF centers provide an informal place for children from lower economic classes to work with volunteers. This teaches the kids to feel at ease with people from different backgrounds since a young age.

I was a volunteer at the IHF center in Medan, North Sumatra. Medan may not be listed as a highlight on most travel guides, but it is filled with truly Indonesian character. As in most places off the tourist trail, people in Medan warmly welcome foreigners. The locals were curious about me, asked me to take countless photos, and rewarded with smiles my broken Indonesian. Whenever they saw me riding a motorbike through the potholes they waved and yelled “hello!”. It was a non-stop cultural exchange.

At IHF Medan, I did administrative work, prepared learning/game activities for the students, and helped with English classes. The center focuses on educating children through two programs. The Education Program allows to sponsor a child’s public education cost for only $10.00 per month, including tuition fees, books, uniforms, and graduation ceremonies. The Class Sponsorship Program consists of English, Math, and Computer classes taught by volunteers to complement or replace public education when not available. These classes have a cost of just $2.00 per month per student, but they have a great long-term impact.

If you are interested in sharing your time, knowledge, and skills, IHF needs volunteers all year round. Otherwise, if you just would like to make a small donation to support one of their children or classes, please click here. The kids are very enthusiastic to attend the classes, so no matter how long or how much, it would certainly be time or money well spent!

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