HSBC Kita on Education

Education is crucial to the development and prosperity of every country. By investing in education, HSBC seeks to build the confidence and abilities of young people on whom, as customers and employees, our future business will depend.

Emphasis on global HSBC educational initiatives include primary and secondary education for the disadvantaged, support for schools in economically deprived areas, programmes to promote international understanding among young people and activities that promote interest in and sensitivity to other cultures, as well as programmes that encourage youth to have a greater understanding of business and finance.

Education is the engine of economic development and a route to personal achievement and success. That's why helping people to gain the skills and knowledge to succeed has been one of our primary commitments worldwide and within Indonesia.

English for Everyone

HSBC's English Teaching Programme in conjunction with the Ananda Foundation, offers weekly classes for Elementary School 01/02, in Kuningan, Jakarta. The first project was held betwen September 2003 and May 2004, with a second project conducted between October 2004 and May 2005 and already continued on last July 2007. English Teaching Programme will provides voluntary teachers from HSBC staff, a supply of English textbooks and notebooks, and financial assistance for buidling renovation work.

Books Galore!

On another note, HSBC Kita has also been working with UNESCO on a book donation project that provides notebooks to underprivileged school children around Jakarta. In 2004, HSBC donated 8,140 notebooks worth IDR 25 million for Cipayung II Elementary School, Ciputat, South Jakarta, plus a further IDR 68 million for textbooks, notebooks, stationery items to schools and foundations in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.
HSBC also donated mobile library through Sanggar Alang-alang Foundation to reach 6000 underprivileged and homeless children around Surabaya. The car, which meant as an alternative education program, is equipped with books, education videos and supporting education facilities. Similar programme will be conducted on the second semester, 2007.

Back to School

There are numerous reasons as to why some young people might be denied the opportunity of a good education. HSBC Kita addressed two of these reasons; physical disability, and geography, recently. By providing a Diversity Scholarship of IDR 90 million, HSBC was able to help 4 disabled undergraduate students to pursue degree courses at the University of Indonesia in 2004. And, with a donation of 150,000 notebooks and 575 scholarships to primary schools in 14 provinces in Eastern Indonesia, HSBC in association with the East Indonesia Development Foundation, was able to make education more accessible to those further out of reach.

Paint the World

HSBC Kita's Paint the World Programme was a colourful finale to the aforementioned Voluntary Teaching Programme in Kuningan, Jakarta. With voluntary involvement from over 200 HSBC staff, members of HSBC's senior management team, together with the school's teachers and students, Paint the World cleaned and brightened up school libraries, sports facilities, and health units.

Sharing Knowledge

There's no substitute for learning from experience. HSBC Kita's Banking Seminar gives staff a chance to lecture on banking-related subjects for students at local business school STIE Perbanas. Once a month, HSBC senior executives deliver talks on topics such as public relations, cash management, Islamic banking, credit card business, and trade services. Similar programme also conducted at Bina Nusantara University and SMU N 70, Jakarta.

Opening New Opportunities

Diversity Scholarship
There are numerous reasons as to why some young people might be denied the opportunity of a good education. HSBC Kita addressed one of these reasons; physical disability. By providing a Diversity Scholarship of Rp 90 million, HSBC was able to help disabled undergraduate students to pursue degree courses at the University of Indonesia in 2004, to disabled students at Bandung Institute of Technology in 2005 and this initiative continue in 2006 by giving the same amount of scholarship to disabled students at University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta.

Realising a Dream to Return
The earthquake that devastated Yogyakarta earlier this year prompted HSBC to participate in the rehabilitation process. Our first commitment was the “Rumah untuk Tembi” (House for Tembi) program, which focuses on infrastructure development. While the program was under way, the villagers, each contributing what item of equipment he or she could muster, erected a tent to serve as a temporary classroom.

The energy and eagerness of the Tembi village children to continue their studies encouraged HSBC to provide additional educational support in the form of financial assistance to 32 elementary and high school children who have showed particular promise, as well as funds for school equipment, writing materials, and exercise books for 250 pupils.

Now we can only hope that the disaster that destroyed their homes and razed their school to the ground does not stop the children from realizing their dreams and growing up to be good citizens of their country and nation. They are the doctors, engineers and scientists of tomorrow.

Art lovers
Recent efforts to preserve and develop Indonesian culture have led to a commitment from HSBC to offer a scholarship to Sonia Nadya Simandjuntak, a member of Paduan Suara Anak Indonesia (PSAI), an internationally renowned music and dance group. Thanks to the scholarship, Sonia now has the chance to continue her dance training in the United States for one year. The scholarship was presented symbolically to Sonia, who is a granddaughter of the well-known Indonesian composer C. Simandjuntak, by Richard McHowat, former CEO of HSBC Indonesia.

Attention for Pondok Diakonia

HSBC KIta also helps out at Pondok Diakonia, an orphange under Yayasan Sosial Harapan in Semarang, Central Java that takes care more than 200 orphan children. With help from HSBC Kita, a three level dormitory for babies and children is under construction, together with the refurbishment of kitchen and function hall.

HSBC Kita also provided 1,500 bottles of multivitamins to support the nutritional needs of the children.

HSBC Kita Picnic in the Air

In the words of the children’s song, Awan, “….Andai kudapat kesana terbang, akan kuraih ku bawa pulang” (If only I could fly, I would fly there and bring it home), inspired HSBC Kita that every child dreams of flying. So we decided to make their dreams come true.

More than 250 disadvantaged children from 16 school and foundations thronged Soekarno-Hatta airport’s Terminal 2F in preparation for the “Picnic in the Air” event organized by HSBC and Garuda Indonesia. They then boarded a Garuda Boeing 747-400 bound for the Krakatau volcano. Once on board, a drawing competition got under way, which eventually achieved a place in MURI, the Indonesian Museum of Records, as the first drawing competition held in the air, with the most participants. The aim of the event was to fire the children’s imagination and ambition, and instill in them the notion that behind every dream there lies a simple prayer.

Upon returning from the volcano, the plane parked in a hangar owned by the Garuda Maintenance Facility, to give the children a chance to view the facility from up close.