The Gowletts in Grobogan: an Indonesian adventure

While planning a trip to Thailand to attend their friends' wedding, Dave and Chris Gowlett from Hampshire, decided to travel on to Indonesia to visit Sutrisno, their sponsored child. Having sponsored through Plan for over twenty years this was an opportunity that was too good to miss. Here is their story:

"The wedding seemed a good opportunity to visit our sponsored child's village in Java and, after some uncertainties, including the closure of Bangkok Airport due to civil unrest, that is what we did.

"Upon arrival in Java we phoned the Plan Grobogan Office to confirm our visit to the village and were slightly, but pleasantly, surprised to learn that the staff there wanted to spend two days with us; not just one.

"On the first day we visited the Office, met the staff and learned a little about the work they are doing in 17 villages in their area. This was particularly accommodating of them because training was in progress for the staff and volunteers.

"The staff at the Plan Office filled Dave and Chris in on the work that is being done in Sutrisno¿s community. Emphasis is placed on the well-being of the next generation and Plan is campaigning for children's rights."

Photography fun

"After lunch with some of the staff in a local restaurant, at which, unlike most of the other diners, we were allowed the luxury of sitting on chairs, we attended one session of the training.  This session was for taking photographs to send to sponsors. The training included role-play by the participants to illustrate what they were learning about cultural difficulties with photography sometimes met in their rural communities.  We enjoyed the enormous fun that the role-play provided even though we didn't understand a word of it!"

Meeting Sutrisno

"The second day started at 6.30am with breakfast with some of the Plan staff and volunteers. Then a two-hour bumpy drive to our sponsored child's village.  The roads in Grobogan are not good.  Our first port of call was the primary school where Plan had provided furniture and met some costs of teacher training.  The children were not used to seeing westerners, obviously we looked rather strange to them; there were plenty of giggles and laughter.  However, we did provide useful visual aids for the teacher to point out some of the physical differences between them and us. The children delighted us by singing to us.  Sutrisno, our sponsored child, did well by leading one of the songs.

"After a visit to another school that Plan is supporting we visited our sponsored child's house where we met his Mum, Sutrisno's younger brother, his two sisters and two of his grandparents.  Dad and the elder brother were working far away from home.  Whilst sitting on the floor we handed over some simple gifts, mostly purchased locally. Many villagers crowded around the house and the children squeezed inside.

"Nearby, we could see a well being constructed; another facility funded and organised by Plan."

A valuable visit

"One of the village leaders and his wife (a volunteer with Plan) hosted lunch, the grandness of which seemed to us to be a measure of how much this community valued our visit and the support that Plan have given them.  After lunch, we saw more projects supported by Plan - another school and a tank for the collection of rainwater.

"All the while, the Plan staff were snapping away; no inhibitions about photography here! Throughout our two-day visit we were struck by the enthusiasm of the Plan staff.  Clearly, visits by sponsors are greatly valued.

"After dinner with Plan staff in the evening, they advised that they would see us off on the next leg of our journey at 7.30am next morning and 'please have your written report ready for us by then!'" 

Things we liked about Plan's work:

• The choices of projects are discussed with the people of the village, mutually agreed and recorded as such.
• Their professionalism - projects are monitored when under way and reviewed in accord with their progress.