Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia Launches “PerpuSeru” Project | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Today, Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia (CCFI) announces the launch of the PerpuSeru project. This is a nation-wide library development project that focuses on providing access to Information Technology hardware and software, library staff training courses, and advocacy development at 40 district public libraries across Indonesia. A US $5 million grant is being awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation’s Global Libraries initiative, which will provide thousands of Indonesians with access to IT-based learning activities at their district libraries. Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia will act as the implementing partner in providing support for the empowerment and sustainability of these participating libraries. The support will include regular monitoring, advocacy, and contribution of human resources.

Speaking today at the launch, Head of Research and Development for Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Tarmizi A. Karim and also Head of National Library Ms. Sri Sularsih supported the new library initiative and stated that libraries across the nation play an important and strategic role as source of information as well as providing inspiration for the community, as they seek to improve their lives.

Mr. Karim said, “We hope this program supports the development of local library. The PerpuSeru Library Project is an admirable step which will use the latest technology to reduce the digital divide and support the futures of Indonesian. This is fully in line with the National Development Priorities, one of which is to increase the access to, and the quality, of education, and for that, the Ministry of Home Affairs is ready to assist and facilitate the sustainability of the PerpuSeru program, which includes, replicating the model in other areas.”

The 40 district libraries participating in the PerpuSeru project will be chosen during a two month selection process kicking off at today’s launch. The submission deadline is November 23, 2011 and all potential candidates will go through a three-stage selection process that will entail an initial technical evaluation; a 100 point in-depth evaluation of the applications by the CCFI team and the PerpuSeru advisory group; and the selection of finalist libraries by a specialist jury, with subsequent field visits to determine if these libraries will join the PerpuSeru project.

Titie Sadarini, Chief Executive of CCFI explains, “We are very excited about our partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This provides great opportunities to empower more Indonesian people to realize their full potential. With current, relevant software on the public access computers of our district public libraries, we believe library users can harness the benefits of technology access while learning valuable skills that will open doors for them.”

Deborah Jacobs, Director of the Global Libraries Initiative at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation added, “We look forward to the opportunity to help provide Indonesians with the economic, educational, and social opportunities that information technology makes possible through public libraries The success and sustainability of PerpuSeru will depend upon the ongoing commitment of the Indonesian government, as well as the public and private sectors, as, together, we offer users relevant, timely and ultimately life-changing, information.”

Microsoft Corporation, a partner of the Global Libraries initiative, is prepared to donate approximately US$1 million in software over the 42 month grant period to selected libraries, as part of its global citizenship commitment to bring the benefits of relevant and accessible technology to communities. Since 1997, Microsoft has donated software worth more than US$285 million to support public access computing in libraries.

If there is a district-level library interested in joining the PerpuSeru project, more information and the printable application form is available at www.coca-colafoundation-ind.org.