Women in Business – Together we can do more
Meet Esti and Charmaine. What do they both have in common? They’re women. They’re entrepreneurs. They both have set up successful businesses in Jakarta catering to the international community.
Esti McMillan established EMC Relocations to help expats moving to Indonesia with all their relocation needs. Charmaine Heilijgers is the founder of A for Effort, a maths and science tutoring centre for international students in Indonesia.
Moving to Jakarta from abroad can be an overwhelming experience for many expats. There are so many things to arrange with little to no prior knowledge of life in Jakarta. No matter which country the newly relocating expats come from, all have something in common that they need: housing. For those families relocating with children: schooling. The collaboration between EMC Relocations and A for Effort aims to make the relocation to Jakarta simpler for all new families.
EMC Relocations
First stop: EMC Relocations. EMC Relocations is an all-round relocation service for expats moving to Jakarta. Esti McMillan studied, lived, and went on to raise her family overseas. From her own personal experience, she understands the importance of being well-informed when moving to a new city. With her wealth of knowledge about Jakarta, housing, and the expat community, Esti established the renowned EMC Relocations in 2003 to help new families with all their relocation needs.
New clients arriving in Jakarta meet Esti personally so she can get a good sense of who they are and what they are looking for. This helps EMC to narrow down their offer of housing and other services to meet the specific needs of the client. In turn, EMC will provide new families with all the necessary information they need to get acquainted with the city and get off to a good start.
The personalised service EMC provides for clients includes home search, school search, general orientation, cross-cultural training, a settling-in program, interior design, and immigration services. EMC will inform new clients about which areas expats normally live in, distance to schools and work, and what other expats within the community do for daily activities. This information is vital for new families to know before deciding on a home; a commitment they make for several years.
The partnership EMC makes with new clients does not end once the housing deal is finalised. It is a partnership that extends throughout their stay in Jakarta, and beyond.
For families relocating with children, the next point to consider is schooling. EMC Relocations can help families to find the right school in Jakarta, whether consideration is based on the type of curriculum, school location, or school culture and values.
Jakarta is host to many top international schools where the quality of education will have a lasting impact on students attending them. Students and parents alike are usually thrilled to get this opportunity. However, with this comes to the usual challenges associated with any transition.
Students coming from abroad are often faced with a change of curriculum, change of school culture, and change of expectations. Not to forget, they need to work on making new friends and setting up a new routine. These academic, as well as social changes, can impact their school results tremendously. Even the biggest maths whiz could struggle during this time of transition when faced with many changes in their lives.
A for Effort – Maths and Science Tutoring
This brings us to the second stop for new families: A for Effort. A for Effort is a maths and science tutoring centre located in Jakarta, with a focus on helping students attending international schools with their maths or science journeys.
A for Effort was established by Charmaine Heilijgers, who recognised the need for international-focussed tutoring in two subjects: maths and science. Although there are many tutoring centres available in Jakarta, none were specialised in curriculums from international schools. Growing up attending international schools, Charmaine had the personal knowledge and experience to set up a tutoring centre that had the same international teaching approach students were used to and lessons that were aligned with their school’s curriculum. Through engaging and interactive lessons, A for Effort aims to increase the student’s understanding and confidence in these subjects.
Particularly during a time of relocation, A for Effort can help students to transition from one school to another. This often involves identifying and filling the gaps students might have between the two curriculums.
Besides helping students transition into their new school life in Jakarta, A for Effort can help students in various other ways. That help can be to further simplify and explain the material, to challenge the students more, or to provide the additional personal support and guidance they might long for.
Attending an international school can open the doors to the most popular and sought-after universities worldwide. This often comes with additional pressure to attain the best possible grades. A for Effort will help students in their final years of high school to prepare for their IB, AP, or other subject exams to enhance their chances of acceptance at their favourite universities. Professional tutoring can help students tremendously.
With A for Effort having taught a total of over 2,000 tutoring sessions in just the last 2020-2021 school year, Charmaine has plans to continue the expansion of A for Effort while maintaining the personalised approach and quality lessons that clients are expecting.
EMC Relocations x A for Effort
The collaboration between A for Effort and EMC Relocations aims to expand the reach of both companies. Both have a renowned reputation amongst the international community and cater to these specific demands of expat families: relocation and education.
As part of their relocation services, EMC can help new families beyond their home search and help them find the right school for their children. A for Effort can help those families to ease the educational transition their children might be experiencing, and help set them up for a positive and progressive educational experience in Jakarta.
Contact
The small group of experienced tutors at A for Effort undergo continuous training to ensure high-quality lessons for all students. Lessons are offered both online or in-person at A for Effort’s own private tutoring classrooms in Kemang. Parents are kept informed about their child’s progress through daily lesson updates and monthly progress reports.
A for Effort can be reached at [email protected] or +62-(0)819-1100-1203. Their website can be visited at www.aforeffort.org.
EMC Relocations is a one-stop boutique service. Being boutique means they truly cater to the individual needs of each of their clients. For more information on their services, visit our website www.emcrelocations.com. For inquiries on houses and other services, email them at [email protected] or contact Esti directly at +62-(0)811-949-235