On 9 June 2025, President AIA-ACT, Les Boag accompanied by his wife Dawn Boag, visited at their own expense the SMP 2 Playen school which is in the Regency of Gunung Kidul within  the Yogyakarta Special Region Province on the Indonesian island of Java.  The Playen district and the Gunung Kidul Regency are well know as being poor due to being in a rain shadow area.  Back in 2001 AIA-ACT was made aware of the large number of children at SMP 2 Playen from extremely poor families who struggled to pay the fees to attend the school.  AIA-ACT started sending an annual bursary to help the poorest students.  

AIA has regular contact with the school through email communications and direct contact visits.  Les Boag has visited the school 4 times and fellow AIA-ACT Committee member. Pam Davis, has also visited the school as have previous KBRI staff members.  The school has always ensured that the funds AIA-ACT provide are used to support the education of the poorest children and have been fastidious in accounting for the funds provided with all recipients signing for the funds provided and a copy sent to AIA-ACT.

When Les Boag visited the school on 9 Jun 25 he had not realised when he arranged his visit that was a public holiday commemorating Eid al-Adha.  Despite this the Senior School staff, the English teacher and some other staff all came into the school to meet with Les Boag when he visited at 10am.  To his surprise there were also 21 students who had dressed up in their school uniform and came in to thank AIA-ACT for the funding support they had received last year. 

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Below is a photo of the six students who practiced introducing themselves and telling Les about themselves in English. The boy in the middle of the three boys lives with his poor Grandma as both his parents and other grandparents have passed away. Les reported he admires how the boy takes pride in wearing his school uniform and wants to learn at school and do well. Les said: “Actually, all the children impressed me with their pride in wearing their school uniform and their determination to learn.”