In early 2025, I returned to our school in Kot’olin, West Timor, for two months. A year and a half had passed since we first opened our doors. What struck me most was how much the children had learned in that time.
A Year and a Half of Learning
The children had been just four or five years old when they joined us. Now, the first group was in Grade 1, and many were already reading fluently. Even some of the children still in kindergarten could read whole sentences.
Their handwriting was equally impressive. Looking through their work and hearing them read was one of the highlights of my stay. On this visit, their progress felt more tangible to me than ever before.
Our school is still young, and there is much more we want to achieve. But seeing what the children can already do is deeply encouraging. These early signs of progress give us confidence as we continue to develop our teaching and support the children’s learning.
An Easier Journey to School
There was another welcome change before I even reached the school: the road was finally paved all the way to our doorstep.
Previously, the last two kilometres had been a serious challenge. Parts of the road resembled a stream bed, and sometimes it took several attempts to get past a particularly difficult stretch. This made transporting supplies to our mountain location a demanding task.
Completed in late 2024, the paved road has made journeys and deliveries much easier. We estimate that it saves around half an hour on the drive from Kupang, despite covering only a short section of the route. For the everyday running of our school, that is a significant improvement.