Zucy Maria Helen: Memperluas Peluang Pembelajaran Anak Usia Dini di Papua

For more than 25 years, Suzie, as Zucy Maria Helen is known, has dedicated her life to improving access to education in Papua. Combining her experience as an educator, school leader and community development practitioner, she is committed to ensuring children receive a strong foundation for learning.

Originally from Wamena, Papua Pegunungan, Suzie began her career after completing an undergraduate degree in English education. She worked with non-government organisations on social development initiatives, including teacher training and community-based education programs in remote areas of Papua.

In 2000, widespread unrest in Wamena led many NGOs, including the organisation where Suzie worked, to withdraw from the region. Rather than stepping away from education, she looked for another way to continue serving her community and joined the civil service in the education sector.

Over the following years, she was posted to remote districts and became a principal at primary and junior secondary schools. Her experience working closely with students proved to be a persistent challenge.

‘Many students reached junior high school but still struggled with basic literacy. That made me question where the foundation was missing,’ she said.

Strengthening Early Learning at Yayasan Shekina

In 2018, she joined Yayasan Shekina Papua, a church-based foundation on the outskirts of Wamena. The foundation had established a school after recognising that many children in surrounding communities were not attending school.

Although the kindergarten program was already operating, Suzie saw opportunities to strengthen its curriculum, teacher development and classroom practices. She chose to work closely with educators, helping them build stronger teaching systems and improve the learning experience for children.

She subsequently helped formalise the kindergarten program and supported the foundation’s broader Children's Education Development Program, Program Pengembangan Pendidikan Anak (PPA).

After five years with Yayasan Shekina, however, Suzie realised that her practical experience alone was not enough to address the challenges she encountered.

‘I had shared so much of what I knew, and at one point, I felt like I was running out of new ideas. If I wanted to continue helping teachers and children, I needed to upgrade my knowledge,’ she said.

That reflection prompted her to seek further education. In 2020, she joined the English Language Training Assistance (ELTA) program, strengthening her academic English skills and preparing for postgraduate study.

In 2023, she was awarded an Australia Awards Scholarship to undertake a Masters of Education in Early Childhood at Edith Cowan University. For Suzie, studying in Australia was an opportunity not only to gain new knowledge but also to reconsider how she approached leadership, teaching and problem-solving.

She was particularly impressed by the university’s digital systems, emphasis on academic integrity and its culture of open discussion. A discussion with a lecturer about feedback on one of her assignments became an important lesson in constructive professional dialogue.

‘When I returned, I realised leadership does not always mean giving instructions. It can mean listening, asking questions and reviewing decisions together,’ she said.

Bringing New Ideas Back to Wamena

Suzie completed her degree in December 2023 and returned to Wamena in early 2024, determined to translate her learning into practical improvements.

One approach that particularly influenced her was play-based learning. She observed that some early childhood classrooms in her region remained heavily teacher-centred, with children spending long periods sitting and completing written exercises.

‘Children learn best through play. They should not sit in rows and write for long periods. They need interaction, games, puzzles, storytelling and movement,’ she said.

Drawing on her studies and local experience, Suzie developed structured literacy modules for children supported by Yayasan Shekina and the PPA program. The materials combine storytelling, puzzles, role-play, small-group discussions and simple problem-solving activities.

She also adapted the materials to the local context, incorporating stories about sago trees, papeda and everyday life in Papua. In one activity, children read a story about harvesting and preparing sago, then work in groups to sequence events, retell the story, and create drawings demonstrating their understanding.

‘Children today may not even recognise papeda anymore. So, we use stories to reconnect literacy with culture and identity,’ she said.

The modules were developed and piloted between August and November 2025, then refined based on teacher feedback. Suzie then trained educators not only to use the materials but also to understand the principles behind play-based learning.

‘I told the teachers that it is not just about using new games. It is about understanding how children think and how play helps them express ideas,’ she explained.

Despite limited resources, Suzie mobilised small-scale sponsorships and community support to continue teacher training. By early 2026, the revised lesson plans and literacy modules had entered formal implementation, with teachers reporting stronger engagement and participation.

For Suzie, strengthening foundational literacy is a long-term investment in the future of Papua.

Establishing Papua Pegunungan’s First Licensed Daycare

Her commitment to early childhood development also led her to establish a daycare centre in February 2024.

The idea emerged after she noticed that working parents, including teachers, health workers and government staff, often struggled to find suitable childcare.

‘I saw teachers bringing their children to school because they had no alternative. Some doctors and office staff were also facing the same difficulty. There was no structured daycare service available in our province,’ Suzie said.

Starting with limited resources, Suzie worked to establish a centre that prioritised child safety, hygiene and developmental needs. Activities include age-appropriate play, early sensory stimulation, storytelling and supervised rest.

Obtaining official licensing proved to be a significant challenge, requiring coordination with multiple government offices and repeated document submissions.

‘The licensing process took almost a year. There were times when documents had to be resubmitted, and we had to follow up consistently,’ she said.

Her persistence paid off. By December 2025, the centre received national licensing, making it the first licensed daycare centre in Papua Pegunungan.

Today, it supports more than 20 children, including infants as young as two months old and employs six local staff members. Suzie provides oversight on curriculum development and staff mentoring while continuing her work at Yayasan Shekina.

Creating Opportunities for Future Scholars

Suzie’s commitment to education extends beyond the programs she directly manages. As an Australia Awards alumna, she actively shares scholarship information with educators, civil servants and students in Papua Pegunungan.

In December 2025, she participated in an online information session about Australia Awards scholarships. However, unreliable internet connectivity in Wamena limited participation, prompting her to organise an in-person session the following month.

In January 2026, she brought together civil servants, lecturers and university students from Jayawijaya and neighbouring districts to discuss scholarship requirements, application preparation and study opportunities.

Her support did not end with the information session. She began mentoring prospective applicants, helping them prepare for IELTS and reviewing their application documents.

‘If we want more applicants from Papua Pegunungan to succeed, we must prepare early,’ Suzie said.

Her efforts are already producing results. One of the students she mentored, Angky Afliana Benu, was awarded an Australia Awards Scholarship in 2026 to study Digital Learning at Monash University through the ELTA Pathway.

Building a Legacy of Learning

Today, Suzie is focused on ensuring that the initiative she has started can continue and grow beyond her direct involvement.

‘For me, the most important thing is to ensure that the work continues even when I am no longer directly involved. By sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for others, I hope it will continue to grow and reach more people,’ she said.

Her journey demonstrates how learning can become a catalyst for wider community impact: from questioning persistent challenges in the classroom to seeking new knowledge overseas, adapting that knowledge to local needs and creating opportunities for others to learn and lead.