Sponsor a Student Scholarship

Support a student to become a conservation leader and reduce threats to the orangutan’s ecosystem.

Since 2006, the Orangutan Caring Scholarship has been awarded to 274 students from which 166 scholarship graduates are working as interns or in various positions of influence for environmental conservation. The scholarship’s purpose is to empower Indonesians to be involved in local conservation as the most impactful solution to reduce threats to ecosystems and wildlife. 

Support a Student

Your support will go directly towards supporting these students and others in the scholarship program. You or someone you gift will receive an environmentally friendly digital (pdf) kit of photographs, stories, and certificates recognizing your support. 

 

What does a scholarship provide:

  • Tuition Support: Fundamental assistance for students studying biology, forestry, environmental science, or veterinary science at accredited colleges or universities in Aceh, North Sumatra, Central Borneo, West Borneo, and East Borneo.
  • Enrichment and Stimulation: A well-structured mentorship program with our partnering NGOs that aims to enhance the students' knowledge and skills, providing them with the necessary guidance to excel in their chosen fields.
  • Practical Experience: The opportunity to gain hands-on experience through internships with our partnering NGOs focused on orangutan conservation and habitat protection.
  • Empowerment: By supporting the students' education, the program empowers them to become future leaders in their communities who are well-informed and dedicated to the conservation of orangutans and their forest habitats.

Benefits of Sponsoring Education for an Indonesian Student:

  • Graduates become Advocates: The scholarship program aims to foster a strong sense of advocacy and commitment to orangutan survival among its graduates.
  • Contributing to Sustainable Development: By investing in the education of young scientists, the scholarship program plays a crucial role in building Indonesia's capacity for sustainable development, particularly in the environmental and conservation sectors.
  • Addressing Gender Inequality: The program actively promotes gender equality by encouraging and supporting women to pursue studies in traditionally male-dominated fields like environmental science and conservation.
  • Economic Empowerment: By offering women access to education and better income opportunities, the program contributes to their economic empowerment, ultimately leading to improved living standards for themselves and their families.

“People who live close to the natural world don’t have romantic ideas about it, but they know about its welfare and care about its welfare, and will look after it given the chance” – Sir David Attenborough

 

Arfah Nasution - A Success Story

Arfah received the grant from the Orangutan Caring Scholarship Program in 2011 when she was at North Sumatra University in Indonesia. Her interest and knowledge in wildlife, biodiversity and orangutan conservations had flourished through research activities and an internship she was required to do as part of the scholarship program. In 2013, she conducted field research on the “Batang Toru Orangutan” also known as the “Tapanuli Orangutan.” With fewer than 800 individuals left, the species had been declared critically endangered. Through this field research, where she had spent 3 months working closely with the locals and gathering more data about the remarkable species, she discovered her heightened passion in this specific field.

In 2015 Arfah wrote two scientific articles and posters that were published in two international forums in Indonesia and Japan. In 2016, she attended a winter workshop and international student conference at Ibaraki University in Japan and International Primate Conference. In 2017, Arfah attended  Tropical Biology Association Field Course in Sabah, Malaysia and International Conference on Biosciences (ICoBio) in Bogor Indonesia. In 2018, she attended Conservation Camp In Central Sulawesi, Wildlife Conservation Course in Malaysia, Indonesia Ornithologist Conference, and Pangolin Conservation Action Plan working group.

Her aspiration is to expand her chance to be further involved in more impactful research about biodiversity conservation and to have it published in scientific journals. Through her passion and dream, Arfah hopes to influence people, especially her generation and future generations regarding the importance of wildlife conservation and preserving the environment.

 

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