Prasetyo Zahara (left) showed double panel technology to distill salt water.

Many of us have never thought about the people who live on coastal areas and the challenges they face everyday. For example, the obstacles they need to overcome to get clean water for their daily use. Unlike many people, Prasetyo Zahara, a student from Bogor Agricultural University, Department of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Faculty of Maritime Technology and Science has thought about this and come up with a solution.

Using the knowledge that he has gained from his classes in the University, he carries out a research to find how a double panel technology could be used to distill salt water. The goal of this research is for people to live on coastal areas or remote islands of Indonesia to have easy access to clean water.

This is one of many examples of how results of researches can be used to provide solutions for challenges that exist in different communities. Further, results of a research could also be applied for the development of economy, social, politics, and technology aspects that subsequently could improve the welfare of many.

Based on this, through Tanoto Student Research Award, Tanoto Foundation has been supporting many different researches, particularly those that have been carried out by students of partner universities. This yearly event looks for young researchers with good potential from partner universities.

For students, Tanoto Student Research Awards feels like a breath of fresh air. “As a young researcher, we need a great deal of support from different parties. We are fortunate that Tanoto Foundation continues to provide financial support for these endeavors,” said Prasetyo.

Tanoto Student Research Award is a part of Tanoto Foundation’s efforts in improving the quality of higher education in Indonesia, or the “software” component. Tanoto Foundation also supports partner universities in the provision of the “hardware” part of education, namely facilities and infrastructure. Tanoto Foundation also carries out Tanoto Entrepreneurship Series which provides opportunities for Indonesian university students to learn about entrepreneurship directly from successful business actors.

Written by Poppy Amanda Sari, Tanoto Scholar from Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan

Success is related closely to knowledge. In life, knowledge will light our paths. The best protection during hard times is to increase our knowledge during easy times. However, there are many children in our country that still do not have regular access to knowledge. Furthermore, there are also those who would not want to share their wealth of knowledge with others freely.

The recipients of Tanoto Foundation Scholarships at Universitas Sumatera Utara Medan, or usually called Tanoto Scholars, understand this situation. This is one of the reasons why we try to encourage the students of Ade Irma Suryani Orphanage to use any available opportunity to learn new things. In the eight days that we spent with the children in June, we did many activities and learned different topics together. We played scrabble, learned about the world map, watched movies, made a volcano and soaps, and painted. The children were happy with the activities.

“I am very happy with your visit. I learned so many things and I want to be like you. I hope you continue to come to our place in the future so you can teach us more,” said Adam, a nine year old boy who live in this Orphanage.

Although there were many activities that we had to do, the response of the children made our hard work worthwhile. Their excited and happy faces wiped away our exhaustion.

As Tanoto Scholars, we are encouraged by Tanoto Foundation to give back to the community. In addition to our visit to places where we could share knowledge and information to children such as this visit to the Orphanage, we also train the communities on how to establish and maintain a simple community library and encourage students to love reading and learning.

Belinda Tanoto with training participants at Bougenville Center, North Jakarta.

Written by JakartaGlobe

“Every person should have the opportunity to realize his or her full potential.” A quote by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto, two business leaders and philanthropists who founded Tanoto Foundation.

The main focus of Tanoto Foundation is to become the center of excellence in poverty alleviation through Education, Empowerment, and Enhancement. Both Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto believe that people have the rights for education and to live life to the fullest. Fortunately, their tremendous vision had been successfully descended to their children, a legacy of their own blood.

Belinda Tanoto said that her father did not have the opportunity to complete his high school due to social and economical constraints then. Gratefully, the fate has changed for the next generation of the Tanoto family. Belinda herself managed to get a Magna Cum Laude in Finance and Political Science from University of Pennsylvania. A truly big achievement in her life, and for her family as well. Being asked about her feeling right now, Belinda truly reflects her current conditions as a gift, as well as motivation.

“I feel very lucky and fortunate that my siblings and I got the opportunity to go to one of the best schools. As I mentioned before, my parents did not get that chance, but they’ve been working really hard to make it happen to us,” said Belinda. “For me this is truly a gift. Knowing how challenging their life was, I am motivated to address the issue of education and poverty in Indonesia. And Tanoto Foundation provides the mechanism and venue for that.”

As a Member of the Board of Trustees for the Tanoto Foundation, Belinda has been following her parents footstep to strive within her philanthropist works in between her busy schedule as a key figure in RGE’s palm oil business. According to Belinda, her role within the Foundation ranges from setting up the vision as well as identifying the strategy in collaboration with her professional team.