A New Chapter Opens its Doors: Welcome to the New Blue Ocean School!

A Successful Start to the New School Year

The summer of 2025 reached its highlight with the beginning of the new school year. The doors opened not only for our existing trainees but also for 18 new students whom we were delighted to welcome into our community. They come from many different villages and islands across the Raja Ampat archipelago, bringing a colourful diversity of backgrounds and experiences to our school. This brings the total number of learners to 60 – 30 girls and 30 boys – with of them now living in the boarding facility.

During a one-week orientation phase, the senior students guided the newcomers playfully and interactively into everyday school and boarding life. A strong sense of belonging quickly developed – laying the foundation for another successful school year.

A Milestone for Our Organisation and the Region: The Blue Ocean School

Finally… just in time for the new school year, our new school building – the Blue Ocean School – welcomes its first students. After about a year of construction, a modern, functional, and inspiring facility now stands ready, setting new standards for educational institutions in the region.

The new classrooms and communal spaces are already being used intensively – not only for lessons but also for group work, creative projects, and as meeting places for students and teachers. Thanks to the new solar system, we now have a reliable 24-hour power supply.

The completion of this building marks a milestone not only for Child Aid Papua but also for the entire Raja Ampat region. The Blue Ocean School is a symbol that education, community, and future opportunities can become reality even in remote areas.

But Standing Still Is Not an Option

Alongside the running school operations, the next development stages are already underway: the schoolyard and modern sanitary facilities with their own water treatment system are among the upcoming projects.

Since the village has no access to freshwater, we are investing in an innovative filtration system that converts slightly salty water into drinking water – ensuring a sustainable supply for the school.

On the second floor, two additional classrooms are being built next to the new sanitary facilities. This will soon allow us to use a total of six new classrooms – a major step for the growing Child Aid Papua School.

Learning Beyond the Classroom: Internships as a Core Element of Our Education

Our senior students continue to gain valuable hands-on experience:

The 12th grade is currently completing its internship. After nine months of practical training in Bali, they are returning to Raja Ampat and preparing intensively for the national exams in the spring.

The 11th grade is gaining its first professional experience – from dive centres such as Tarzan Diving, where they are trained from Open Water Diver up to Divemaster level, to hotels in Sorong. Their commitment does not go unnoticed: more and more companies are taking an interest in our young talents – including a solar start-up in Jakarta, which has now joined as a new training partner.

Through these experiences, our students connect theory and practice, discover their strengths, and broaden their horizons – a crucial step toward a successful professional future.

Melando’s Success Story Continues

We fondly remember Melando – one of the first two graduates of Child Aid Papua, who completed his training with us several years ago. After earning his degree in Jakarta, he has now received a scholarship for a postgraduate program in Hong Kong.

At the same time, he is gaining his first international work experience in the hotel industry. He is likely the first young person from Raja Ampat to combine study and work abroad – a strong example of the long-term impact of the Child Aid Papua education model and an inspiring role model for our students.

Basic Medical Care in Sawinggrai – Thanks to Swiss Support

We also remember Thomas and Claudia Müller – pediatricians from Switzerland who have already supported us in the past with valuable medical supplies and expertise.

With the new school building, we were finally able to open our modern school clinic – once again thanks to the generous help of Claudia and Thomas. Their continued support shows just how invaluable the Swiss network is for Child Aid Papua.

We are also strengthening our collaboration with local authorities: together with the new ASTA Clinic in Sorong, we can now provide our students with reliable basic medical care – a major improvement, since many of them previously had little or no access to healthcare. Particularly in the field of dental care, we are breaking new ground in the region.

A Strong Team: Volleyball News

For the first time, the Child Aid Papua volleyball team participated in a provincial tournament with schools from across Southwest Papua. Although our team was among the youngest and smallest, the students played with impressive dedication and teamwork, reaching the semifinals and earning an excellent 4th place out of 16 teams.

Officials from the Indonesian Volleyball Federation were impressed by the team’s spirit and discipline. Even more exciting: four of our players were invited to the national selection to represent West Papua at a major tournament in Jakarta.

This success demonstrates how essential sports are at Child Aid Papua: sports foster discipline, teamwork, and confidence – qualities that shape our students both on and off the field. It also highlights why the planned construction of our assembly and multipurpose hall remains a central goal: it will soon provide space for sports, culture, and community.

Oceania 3.0 – Engagement Beyond the Campus

For the third consecutive year, we were invited by the Raja Ampat Tourism Department to lead the Oceania Project. In this program, 40 local guides received further training in English and sustainable tourism – supported by our own students, who are now confident enough to share their knowledge independently.

A Personal Achievement – The 2025 Study Award

There was also reason for celebration within our leadership team this quarter: Jonas Müller received the 2025 Study Award in the category Society & Engagement.

The jury recognized not only his outstanding academic performance in his distance-learning degree in Social Work and Social Pedagogy (B.A.) but also the exceptional practical relevance of his work. Jonas completed his studies under challenging conditions in Raja Ampat – with unstable electricity and long boat transports – yet graduated with top marks.

In her laudation, Florence Hausemann from AKAD University highlighted that Jonas enables education “where it is most urgently needed.” This is not only an inspiring story from a Swiss perspective but also a powerful example for our students: Jonas leads by example – not only as the director of our school but as a true role model.

More information can be found on the official award page: Preisträger 2025 \“Gesellschaft & Engagement\“ – Studienpreis

Thank You

Once again, we end this quarter full of gratitude and appreciation for the milestones achieved.All these successes are only possible thanks to the ongoing support and trust of our partners. Together, we have created a place that offers hope, opens perspectives, and sets an example for an entire region.