CURA is a service club that I founded at JIS. Our goal is to bring smiles to children battling cancer by helping them experience the opportunities all children deserve. CURA has partnered with Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, YKAKI (Indonesian Childhood Cancer Foundation), and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) to support children through service visits and outreach projects.

During these visits, we engaged the kids with various activities, including club-made coloring books, origami, board games, bracelet-making, and quick science lessons. These activities helped distract them from treatment and brightened their day. Additionally, CURA members have designed and installed an acrylic sign for Cipto’s dialysis ward, painted murals at YKAKI and RMHC, and introduced science mini-projects for young patients at RMHC.

So far, in our first eight months of operation, we have grown from 80 initial members to a committed core of 25, donated over 60 million IDR, and conducted 12 service visits across Cipto, YKAKI, and RMHC. Alongside these, we organized four fundraisers and two charity runs (both NAGA events), each drawing over 150 participants and raising more than 27 million IDR respectively.

CURA’s work has extended beyond Jakarta—we helped organize and fund the transport of children from outside Java to receive cancer treatment and supported prosthetic eye surgeries for two children. This wider medical impact reinforced our commitment to addressing inequities in access to treatment.

CURA was recognized as the most promising and impactful service club at JIS, featured as the only club highlighted in the Head of School’s annual mail. This recognition has encouraged us to continue expanding our projects while keeping our focus on creating meaningful connections with the children we serve.

What I Learned: Leading CURA has taught me leadership, organization, and the importance of service. Working with partner hospitals and handling logistics has strengthened my communication and problem-solving skills.

Goal & Outcome: Our goal was to provide joy and support to hospitalized children while ensuring our club made a meaningful impact. The outcome has been overwhelmingly positive—our donations, murals, signs, charity runs, and science activities have contributed to a brighter environment for children and families facing immense challenges.