Didirikan pada tahun 2003, Sokola Institute merupakan organisasi pertama di Indonesia yang berfokus pada pendidikan bagi masyarakat adat dan kelompok terpinggirkan lainnya di Indonesia. Organisasi ini didirikan oleh lima aktivis yang awalnya bekerja dengan Orang Rimba di Jambi, Sumatra. Upaya yang mereka lakukan diawali dengan mengembangkan kurikulum yang berakar pada fonetik lokal dan bahasa ibu, yang dirancang khusus untuk kebutuhan masyarakat adat. Sokola terus mengadvokasi pendidikan sebagai hak asasi dan alat untuk memberdayakan masyarakat terpinggirkan dan pada tahun 2024, Sokola Institute dianugerahi Penghargaan Literasi Internasional UNESCO atas kontribusinya yang luar biasa dalam bidang literasi dan pendidikan bagi komunitas kurang mampu, terutama di kalangan masyarakat adat.

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Founded in 2003, Sokola Institute is the first organization in Indonesia which focuses on education for indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities in Indonesia. The organization was co-founded by five activists who initially worked with the Orang Rimba in Jambi, Sumatra. Their pioneering efforts in literacy and education began by developing a curriculum rooted in local phonetics and the mother tongue, tailored specifically to the needs of indigenous communities.
Operating across 11 provinces in Indonesia, Sokola delivers education that respects and integrates the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the communities it serves. The institute has successfully benefited over 15,000 children and adults, with a strong emphasis on empowering local youth to become educators and advocates for their communities.
Sokola’s work spans some of the most remote and underserved areas of Indonesia. Over the years, the organization has gained significant international recognition for its innovative programs. One of Sokola’s most notable achievements is the “Sokola Rimba” program, which was later adapted into a book and an award-winning film.