The Peace Brigades International-Indonesia Project is looking for 'Language Buddies' volunteers to assist human rights defenders through an online English language program.

The program addresses a long-time request from Indonesian human rights defenders to strengthen their English language skills. Given the importance of English at the international and regional levels in Asia, grassroots human rights defenders see it as an important skill they need to build their advocacy and protection networks.

A Language Buddy is expected to commit two hours a week of their time for eight weeks from October through December 2020. The commitment is centered around short conversations at least once a week with a partnered Indonesian human rights defender. In these buddy sessions, you will help an Indonesian human right defender practice basic English conversation and language skills.

Sessions should be between 15-30 minutes long and can be via WhatsApp/Signal or another medium, either written (via a messaging app), or spoken (via voice messages or video calls). PBI-Indonesia would provide tips and other supports to structure the sessions.

If you are interested in becoming a Language Buddy, please contact kursusdasar@gmail.com and we can email you the application form.

PBI provided protective accompaniment in Indonesia from 1999-2011. Then in 2014, PBI began collaborative efforts to provide trainings for defenders, as well as to help build advocacy and protection networks at the national level, and support field research.