Accor opens a new house for an education centre (Sanggar) in the Cipinang area, East Jakarta, which will allow the Sanggar to have a permanent location for the long-term. In this new centre, A Trust for a Child (AFTAC) children will benefit from a comfortable environment for their after-school learning activities, and enjoy improved facilities including larger common areas, a kitchen, a hall, a computer room, more study areas, new bathrooms, a wider terrace area, and a better atmosphere all around. This momentous event also coincides with ATFAC's 20th anniversary this year.
We are especially grateful to Accor Solidarity – the group’s endowment fund helping communities around the world, for their incredibly generous support in this endeavour, allowing Accor to purchase this Sanggar in Cipinang, Jakarta, with the additional support from Accor Indonesia hotels’ contributions, through donations from both employees and guests, profits from sales of ATFAC souvenirs, etc.
The ATFAC programme is an innovative concept that combines environmental sustainability and poverty alleviation. Founded in 2001 by Accor and operated by "Yayasan Peduli Tunas Bangsa", this programme aims to help underprivileged children and their families gain access to supportive after-school learning, nutritious food, sports and social facilities, while teaching them how to care for the environment. Currently Accor has two learning centres (sanggar), namely in Cipinang, East Jakarta and in Bedugul, Bali. ATFAC has produced reliable and skilled graduates, some of whom are working in Accor hotels.
“For over 20 years, our passionate teams in Indonesia have supported A Trust for a Child and two of the most fulfilling moments in my career have been opening our centres in Jakarta and Bali. Through our fundraising efforts and with Accor Solidarity’s incredible support, Accor has now bought the Sanggar in Jakarta to build a better future for more Indonesians. In a post-Covid world, we want our impact to be even greater,” said Garth Simmons, CEO Accor Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea. “Our hope is that every child in Indonesia will have access to an education, to nutrition, a clean environment and a sustainable future where they have meaningful job opportunities and their voices are heard. It brings us great joy to see some of the incredible graduates of ATFAC come to work for Accor and I look forward to helping more graduates find their dream job. The future is yours and we are here to help you get there.”
At the ATFAC 20th Anniversary event on Friday, 19th March 2021, the Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Kemen PPPA, Mrs Lenny N Rosalin, who attended virtually, expressed her appreciation for the efforts made by the Accor group through the ATFAC CSR programme. “Accor has shown a high commitment and concrete steps to support children and underprivileged families. What has been done by Accor as a business operator is in line with the four pillars of child protection stated in the Child Protection Act, namely the government, the community, the business world, and the media," said Lenny. She added that 32 percent, or one third of Indonesia's population, amounting to around 84.4 million people, are children under the age of 18. They are the future of the nation and the next generation. These four pillars are crucial for the welfare of Indonesian children.
There were more than one hundred children in Sanggar in Jakarta and Bali and, to date, 71 alumni have graduated from high school. Three of the beneficiaries also graduated from universities majoring in social sciences, medical, and hospitality. Now forty children are actively learning in Sanggar Jakarta and Bali and fourteen graduates are working in Accor properties.