Jakarta– The support from the Sobat Bumi Kalimantan Scholarship Program has opened doors for Ahmad Fauzan, a student at SMA Negeri 1 Marangkayu in East Kalimantan, to achieve his dream of becoming a Pegawai Negeri Sipil (PNS). This full scholarship program from PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), in collaboration with the Pertamina Foundation as its implementing partner, allows Ahmad to continue his studies at the college level.

Ahmad has been accepted into the Statistics program, which he has long desired, at the Institute of Technology Kalimantan (ITK) in Balikpapan. Throughout this time, he has maintained his dream of pursuing higher education. Ahmad comes from a modest family, his father works as a traditional market trader, while his mother is a housewife. Since he was in the second year of high school, Ahmad has been strongly motivated to become a civil servant, following in his older sibling's footsteps, who works as a PNS.

Ahmad was active in various extracurricular activities during high school, from basketball to physics, which led him to achieve accolades at the provincial olympiad level. Additionally, he participated in the Indian sport of Kabaddi, winning a bronze medal in the National Sports Day competition organized by the Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office of Samarinda City.

Ahmad is diligent in becoming a PNS, including seeking information about college scholarships. He took advantage of information about the BSBK program on social media, which became a refreshing opportunity to realize his dream. "Just do what you've started and don't forget your God because what plays an important role here are the prayers from your parents and your hard work," Ahmad quoted his parents' advice. They also often remind him to remain humble and not become arrogant if he is fortunate enough to receive the BSBK scholarship.

Ahmad couldn't hold back his happiness and tears of joy when he was selected as one of the BSBK scholarship recipients. His parents spontaneously hugged him upon hearing the news.

"Thank you to PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia for initiating and funding the Sobat Bumi Kalimantan Scholarship, as it greatly assists students in financing. My parents, who have limited income, certainly hope their child can pursue an education up to graduation without worrying about costs," Ahmad said proudly.

Ahmad and 14 other top candidates from Kalimantan were selected as recipients of the full BSBK scholarship for the 2024 program. The scholarship provides financial assistance for tuition fees, living expenses, support for environmental capacity-building initiatives, and Aksi Sobat Bumi dan Desa Energi Berdikari Sobat Bumi (DEB SoBI).

This year marks the inaugural implementation of the BSBK program, which is part of PHI's flagship CSR initiative in education, aimed at supporting the realization of Indonesia's Golden Age 2045 through the development of quality human resources. The BSBK program is fully supported by PHI's subsidiaries, namely PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM), PT Pertamina Hulu Sanga Sanga (PHSS), and PT Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur (PHKT).

Dony Indrawan, manager of Communication Relations and CID PHI, explained that the BSBK program is designed to help the children of Kalimantan realize their hopes and look forward to a better future. "This program is one of PHI's commitments to continue improving the quality of education by providing opportunities and access for potential local youth, especially from underprivileged families," said Dony.

Furthermore, Dony added, the company continuously implements CSR programs in the field of education that support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 on Education, Goal 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, and Goal 13 on Climate Action, as scholarship recipients will be involved in Sobat Bumi activations.

PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI) is part of Pertamina's Upstream Subholding, managing upstream oil and gas operations and businesses in Regional 3 Kalimantan, by Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, aiming to become a world-class oil and gas company. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, in collaboration with SKK Migas, PHI conducts innovative Corporate Social Responsibility programs in the fields of Economy, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realize #KalimantanEnergyForIndonesia. PHI is headquartered in Jakarta. More information about PHI is available at https://phi.pertamina.com.