Empowering Indigenous communities with youth literacy facilitators.

The Sokola Institute, Indonesia

For over 20 years, the Sokola Institute has supported Indigenous communities in Sumatra, Indonesia, promoting literacy in learners’ mother tongues. Its Sokola Literacy Education for Indigenous Indonesians programme received the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy in 2024.

Youth from local communities act as facilitators, teaching in their own languages and creating materials based on local stories. Sokola views mother tongues as central to identity and dignity, shaping curricula around local linguistic structures to engage learners and connect with broader society.

Since the award, Sokola has expanded resources in languages such as Bahasa Rimba, Bahasa Sumba, and Bahasa Tengger. In the Lamboya District, 92 schools co-create materials with community knowledge holders. The Institute also supports Indigenous educator certification and continues advocating for multilingual education despite limited policy recognition, scarce resources, and socio-economic pressures.

On International Mother Language Day, the Sokola Institute sends a message to young people, educators, and policymakers:

“Mother languages are not relics of the past, but living knowledge systems that carry values, solutions, and ways of relating to the world. Supporting multilingual education means investing in more just, inclusive, and sustainable futures, where every child can learn without having to abandon who they are, and instead bring their unique identities, languages, and perspectives to contribute to a better world.”




Location: Jl. Jenggala 1 No.7, RT.005/RW.006B, Kranji, Kec. Bekasi Bar., Kota Bks, Jawa Barat 17145, Indonesia

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