Photo 8

This is Tengku (right) and Abdus Salaam. They are volunteer teachers in an Islamic education centre in Kuala Tripa.

Caritas Australia partner, JRS, supplied the materials, concrete, wood and bricks to build this centre, and the local people built it as part of ‘Gyong Royong’, an Indonesian tradition of volunteer community service.

The centre offers a free service for the community and teaches adults and young children the importance of the Koran and how to read it and understand it.

Tengku happily works in the centre as a volunteer, “I am honored to be able to serve the community and teach people about the holy book. We have only been open for one week and already we have 22 students!”

An important aspect of the project for Tengku and Abdus Salaam is that a Catholic agency is supporting their religion, “in a way it binds us (our faiths) together. There are a lot of troubles in the world and some people think these are religious based. From projects like this we can bring our religions and each other closer together to promote a common humanity. This is important”.

Tengku says that they would like to “give very big thanks to the people of Australia for paying attention to the victims of the tsunami. It is humbling for us”. This particular project is important, he says, because “maybe if we give money it does not last for the future generations, but if we give our knowledge it can help to build peace in this place, and in the world”

Top: Tengku and Abdus

Bottom: Children leaving the mosque after Friday prayers