English Goes to Kampung (EGK) is a grassroots organization founded by English Teacher and Activist Roswita Asti Kulla.
Recognizing Education as a vital tool to alleviate poverty and gain access to job opportunities, EGK’s mission is to make education more widely accessible on Sumba Island.
Sumba’s children and youth, its generation of hope, are ill-prepared and ill-positioned to deal with the inherent challenges and opportunities of this new economic stimulus on their own. Few of the Sumbanese who live in rural villages (where poverty is at its most marked) speak English. Yet a basic command of the English language is an important stepping stone to tapping into job opportunities presenting themselves through the burgeoning tourism sector and other related sectors. There is a real need to provide Sumba’s village youth with resources to learn English.
In 2015, the initiative began with Asti conducting English and life skills classes for her students in local villages (kampungs) who were unable to attend school because the distance was too far or because they were struggling to meet the demands of daily survival. Today, the foundation reaches over 1,000 children along Sumba’s coastal areas and inland villages with 80volunteers organizing and coordinating activities.
Vision & Mission
To create a better and more sustainable life for young Sumbanese children along the coastal areas and the inland villages on the island of Sumba.
- To reach out to children all across the island to teach them conversational English.
- Conducting activities that develop solidarity among people, appreciation and love for the environment and a healthier way of life for all communities.
- Conducting creative empowerment activities aimed towards building an independent and productive community.
- Conducting social, cultural and environmental studies.
Asty is driven by her concern for her island’s next generation. She herself comes from an impoverished background but has risen above it despite the lack of financial resources which has deprived her of the opportunity to pursue her own dreams for higher education.
She says, “I won’t let the next generation lose their hopes or dreams because of lack of money. I want them to live better, and to succeed in achieving their dreams for the future. For this, they must have jobs and they must learn work- and life-skills that will allow them to be self-sufficient. We desperately need resources – human and material – to achieve this and to prepare them for a world that globalization is bringing to Sumba”
Nihigram
Your day at NIHI begins with a little bit of magic. A refreshing morning swim, the sound of waves rolling in, and the sight of NIHI’s herd galloping freely along the shoreline below. Moments like these are part of daily life on the Edge of Wildness, where nature quietly sets the rhythm of the day.
A short excursion from NIHI Sumba leads you to Coconut Cove, a quiet stretch of palm trees overlooking calm turquoise waters. The perfect setting for a gentle introduction to surfing, followed by slow moments by the sea and pizza fresh from the stone oven.
The perfect spot to watch a sunset you’ll never forget, where the evenings feel a little wilder.
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#nihigram by @lin_suree
Venture along 2.5km of white sand on a morning beach ride, where the day begins with horses, ocean air, and an endless stretch of shoreline. With the sound of hooves meeting the rhythm of the waves, the ride follows the coast as the morning light rises over the palms.
Because dreams were never meant to live on paper.
They were meant to be lived.
Wake up to horses grazing, rolling green hills, and endless views of the Indian Ocean.
This is NIHI. Life on the Edge of Wildness.
Start your morning with a game of padel in paradise, where the ocean breeze lifts your spirit and the sound of waves sets the rhythm. At @nihi, play becomes poetry, moments of laughter, movement, and connection woven together on the Edge of Wildness. Here, padel is not just a game, but a love story shared with nature, family, and friends.
Under the New Moon at @nihi, we gather in a calm, sacred setting where the mind softens and the body unwinds. Listen to the gentle rhythm of waves rolling onto Nihiwatu Beach, while our horses wander quietly along the shoreline. Take a moment to set intentions for the cycle ahead, and create space for what’s ready to come.
Raw beauty, untamed adventure, and moments that stay with you forever. Welcome to @nihi. A place that stays with you long after you’ve left. Experience the magic in the spaces between nature and luxury. A retreat from the modern world out on the Edge of Wildness.
There’s a magic that lives on the edge of the wildness. At @nihi, it’s in the sea breeze on your skin, the endless pull of the horizon, and the thunder of horses running free along the shore. NIHI Sumba isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling of deep calm, connection, and escape.
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#nihigram by @tomkellyslack
Today was Pasola Gaura in Sumba. Once a year, the island’s ancient traditions come vividly to life as villages gather for Pasola, one of Sumba’s most powerful and sacred rituals. From @nihi, guests have the rare opportunity to witness this extraordinary cultural event.
Riders charge across the field on horseback, hurling wooden spears in a dramatic contest between rival villages. The spectacle is intense, fast paced, and deeply symbolic.
For the Sumbanese, Pasola is far more than competition. It is believed that when blood touches the earth during the battle, it blesses the land and ensures a prosperous rice harvest for the season ahead.
A tradition centuries old, Pasola remains one of the most extraordinary cultural experiences in Indonesia.
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