President Jokowi Grants Scholarship to Manado Local Resident

Ibu Siti and her son, Devid Telussa, from Manado City, North Sulawesi Province. (Photo by: BPMI Presidential Secretariat)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Friday (01/20) during his working visit to Malalayang beach, Manado city, North Sulawesi province took his time to converse with one of the local residents, Siti.

Siti, a mother of a nineteen year old son named Devid Telussa, told President Jokowi that she could not afford to pay for her son’s single tuition fee (UKT).

“Pak Jokowi received me kindly and asked for my ID and cellphone number,” Siti said.

After the meeting, Siti was called by presidential staff telling her to send Devid’s data, who is currently studying in second semester at Law Faculty of Sam Ratulangi University, to be granted a scholarship from President Jokowi.

In the meantime, Devid said that the income of his mother, who sells pudding snacks, and his father, who works as a casual driver, is not enough to pay his UKT fees.

“We owed money from my friend’s parents to pay enrollment fee to the university and the debt has not been paid off yet,” he said, adding that he occasionally works part time as dishes washer at a restaurant to make ends meet.

Now, Devid’s parents can breathe a sigh of relief following the President’s scholarship until the completion of Devid’s study.

“I also want to express my gratitude to Pak Jokowi for the scholarship. Your help is priceless for me,” Devid added. (BPMI SETPRES/UN) (GWH/HD/MUR)