St. Brigitta Learning Centre: Where Faith and Friendship Shape the Future of Kei Besar Youth

On Kei Besar Island, a rugged and remote stretch of land in Southeast Maluku, Indonesia, meaningful change rarely arrives with fanfare. It comes quietly, through conversations, commitment, and the shared concern of people who refuse to give up on the next generation.

Such is the story behind St. Brigitta Learning Centre, a church-based initiative that is steadily transforming the lives of children and young people on the island.

The centre was born from the meeting of two very different life journeys.

One belongs to Dr. Angelina Vanessa, a general medical practitioner from Jakarta who dedicated more than a decade of her life to serving remote communities through DoctorShare. For 12 years, she worked as a program officer on Kei Besar Island, one of Indonesia’s most isolated regions.

DoctorShare itself is widely known across the country for its “Kapal Apung” or The Floating Hospital, founded by Germany-trained surgeon Dr. Lie Dharmawan. The Floating Hospital has sailed across the Indonesian archipelago, bringing surgical and medical services to areas without hospitals, electricity, or specialist care.

The other journey is that of Father Patrisius Jeujanan MSC, a native son of Bombay village on Kei Besar Island. During the COVID-19 pandemic, government travel restrictions forced him to remain on the island for nearly seven months. What initially felt like an interruption to his pastoral duties soon became an opportunity for deeper reflection.

A shared concern, a shared vision

Living and working on the same island, Dr. Vanessa and Father Patrisius spent long hours discussing the future of local children and youth. Both came to the same conclusion: formal schooling alone was not enough.

Young people on Kei Besar needed safe spaces beyond the classroom, places where they could grow in discipline, confidence, creativity, communication skills, and faith.

From that shared concern, St. Brigitta Learning Centre took shape. Designed as a non-formal education hub, the centre focuses on music, English language learning, public speaking, character formation, and the nurturing of Christian faith, particularly meaningful in a predominantly Catholic community.

Located on elevated ground, the learning centre features a newly built multifunction hall that serves as classrooms and, when needed, a communal dining space for visiting groups. Several simple but well-furnished rooms on the upper floor provide accommodation for volunteers and guests who come to support the program.

Born in music and song

Music, it turns out, is the heartbeat of the centre.

Across Indonesia, the Moluccan people are widely known for their natural musical talent, and Kei Besar is no exception. Song and rhythm are woven into daily life, prayer, and celebration.

This musical spirit was immediately evident when a small group of doctors, educators, and young volunteers from Jakarta arrived on the island on December 22, staying until January 2, 2026, to conduct charity and educational activities. As they climbed the stone steps leading to the learning centre, they were greeted by students strumming guitars and singing local songs in joyful harmony.

That warm welcome was only the beginning.

During the visit, students confidently led storytelling sessions, spoke in front of audiences, joined discussions, and performed traditional dances. Their ease in expressing themselves reflected years of patient guidance by teachers and volunteers who believe that confidence is as important as knowledge.

The people who keep it alive

While Dr. Vanessa and Father Patrisius Jeujanan now reside and work in Jakarta, the daily life of St. Brigitta Learning Centre is sustained by Mrs. Tien Jeujanan, a professional educator with year-long teaching experience in Manado (North Sulawesi Province) and Papua.

A gifted musician, Mrs. Tien plays several instruments and sings with ease. Whenever the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Church in Bombay needs an organist, she is always ready to serve.

She is supported by two dedicated volunteers.

Ms Magdalena “Lena” Jeujanan, a former religious sister with formation experience in the Philippines and eight years of service in Italy, teaches English and choir and assists as a guide for foreign visitors. During major liturgical celebrations, she often leads the parish choir with enthusiasm.

Another volunteer, Ms. Maria Lisa Desi Talubun, a university student, serves as a parish choir conductor while also teaching children and teenagers at the learning centre.

Looking beyond today

The mission does not stop with St. Brigitta Learning Centre.

In recent months, Dr. Vanessa and Father Patrisius Jeujanan MSC have helped initiate the establishment of St. Carlo Acutis Kindergarten, an effort warmly supported by the parish priest, Father Anselmus Amo MSC.

Together, the priests have also encouraged the local community to develop a retreat facility at “Bukit Doa” (The Prayer Hill), located about eight kilometres from the learning centre.

Plans are also underway to build a mini soccer field, a simple but vital facility on an island with few recreational spaces. “We are morally obliged to provide public sports facilities on Kei Besar Island,” Father Patrisius Jeujanan MSC said.

“Young people need healthy spaces to channel their physical energy. We do not want them spending their afternoons glued to mobile phones, wasting money on data packages, and falling into scrolling addiction.”

On this remote island, St. Brigitta Learning Centre stands as a quiet testament to what happens when medical service, pastoral care, and local commitment come together, patiently nurturing a generation with hope, talent, and purpose.