In December 2025, a student from Bali Island School organised aid relief and donations for those affected by floods and landslides in North Sumatra. This is the story of Cheva, a Grade 12 student, who created ‘Kereta Harapan Project’ (Train of Hope), to help those need.
In late November 2025, Sumatra was struck by catastrophic floods and landslide, triggered by Cyclone Senyar and extreme weather that spread across Southeast Asia. To date, over a thousand lives have been lost, with thousands more still displaced by the disaster.
Driven by a personal desire to make a positive impact, particularly during the Christmas period, Cheva was compelled to find a way to provide assistance to flood victims. To do this, she developed a non-profit initiative called Kereta Harapan Project, or the Train of Hope project.
“Its goal is to help affected communities by delivering aid through transparent, people-driven efforts, fostering a compassionate society where everyone in crisis receives timely support,” Cheva explains in her own words.
The passionate student continued to say that as she began working on her CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) project – a compulsory component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which is implemented at BIS – she reflected on her desire to create positive impact through volunteer work. Thinking on the many suffering from the lack of basic necessities, especially over the Christmas holidays, was a pivotal moment for Cheva: “This motivated me to launch the Kereta Harapan Project, bringing hope and love to those in crisis during the holiday season.”
Encouraged by her CAS Coordinator, Cheva began planning her project on the first of December 2025, creating a timeline and donation deadline, and a list of needs, from clothes, to food and of course monetary requirements for logistical purposes. She promoted the project through posters at the BIS campus and through the school community, including reaching out to the parents.
Eventually, on 12 December, all of her donations and funds were sent to Sumatra, reaching their desired destination. Donations included: including clothes, food, toiletries, shoes, and toys, and raised IDR 23,060,000 of cash in just one week.” With the help of a friend in Medan, I organised the distribution to areas in Aceh and North Sumatra. I also transferred the raised funds to KitaBisa, a reputable funding NGO, to support their efforts for the flood victims.
Cheva’s Kereta Harapan project helped to provide immediate aid to a distant community in need, but also helped to raise awareness in the local Bali community about the struggles elsewhere. Proud of their high school student, the Bali Island School celebrated by sharing Cheva’s achievements with the school community.
