MEGT Melbourne people raise funds to buy textbooks for Indonesian children

People from across MEGT came together at our Melbourne City Campus for a sausage sizzle fund raising on a Thursday in early February to buy English language text books for primary school children in Indonesia.

Nicola Gray, Director of Studies of ABILITY English, Melbourne Campus, organised the fund raising. Nicola spent her recent annual holidays as a volunteer English teacher on tropical Gili Trawangan Isle, off Lombok’s shore, where she was concerned to learn that there was only one English language text book per class.

On her return, she approached MEGT CEO David Windridge to enquire about possible fundraising opportunities. David generously offered to match $ for $ all money raised by our people for the English language text books.

Held on a sunny afternoon on the balcony of our Melbourne campus, people came from all across MEGT, including Ability English, MEGT Institute, Workforce Planning, the Australian Apprenticeship Centre, Finance, IT and Facilities. This fundraising was something of a first: a social occasion at which all MEGT people could meet one another and exchange views.

Says Nicola Gray, “It was great both to raise funds for a very necessary educational cause, but also to be able to meet our colleagues to understand better the different departments and what they do.”

With MEGT matching the money raised by the get-together, sufficient funds were raised to provide the much needed 120 books.

Because international tourism is vital to Gili Trawangan’s economy, it is important to its children’s future to speak international languages, especially English. The text books will help ensure the children will, in time, secure worthwhile jobs.

The students and  teachers of Gili Trawangan’s primary school have sent a message thanking Nicola and MEGT for their books.