TransformNation (TfN)

Teacher-Training Program
TransformNation (TfN) is the answer to the education crisis in marginalized areas of Indonesia. The program invests deeply in indigenous youth to train and equip them as teachers and leaders through a holistic model of transformative Christian education.

RECRUIT

Through an extensive recruitment process, young people across Indonesia apply, are interviewed, and a small group is selected. Most of which come from poor rural communities with limited opportunities.

TRAIN

During the first 4 years of the program, TfN trainees obtain a bachelor’s degree in Christian Education, while being discipled and encouraged to grow in character, encounter Jesus daily, and adapt to new environments, cultures, and peoples.

SEND

Upon completion of phase one, TfN trainees are required to complete a four year internship, where they are given the opportunity to teach at rural Christian schools and serve as educators, leaders, and catalysts.

Why Teachers?

We believe that the most effective way to reach out to children, set them free from poverty, and share the knowledge of God is through great teachers.
What makes great teachers?
Great teachers don’t simply just execute a lesson plan. They spend thousands of hours investing in children to help shape the way they see the world. They are passionate and full of love. They are problem solvers and initiators. They look into the eyes of little children and see future leaders. Great teachers are the most influential people in the world.

TfN Goals

TfN graduates are not only teachers! They are educators, leaders, and catalysts.
Through an extensive 8-year program, TfN trainees are academically equipped to become skilled educators who will influence and transform communities, society, and culture.

TfN in Numbers

Since TfN began in 2011, 99 Indonesian youth have been trained and empowered. They are serving 35 communities across the Indonesian archipelago and are currently impacting more than 2000 children.

TFN TRAINEES

(YEARS 1-4)

TFN INTERNS

(YEARS 5-8)

TFN ALUMNI

CHILDREN IMPACTED

COMMUNITIES SERVED

TfN Curriculum

TfN trainees are enrolled in two campuses.
The first is with the local university to obtain their Bachelor of Education degree.
The second is a comprehensive ministry training program to prepare and further shape their calling, character, and leadership.

How You Can Support

The TransformNation program thrives on a sponsorship model where each TfN trainee is linked to an individual or organization that is committed to support them financially, prayerfully, and through letter writing. The annual scholarship for each TfN trainee is $2,400 USD / $3,000 CAD. This covers recruitment, training, tuition, living costs, and all necessary educational materials.
Monthly sponsors, who give $50 or more, are encouraged to take the opportunity to correspond with their assigned trainee(s) through letter writing twice per year. Although this is not mandatory, we know that it serves as a great encouragement to the trainees and contributes to their overall success in the program.
If you would like to sponsor a TfN trainee, please email info@mustardseed.org 

Visit TfN Alumni Initiatives

Let's see how TfN alumni are impacting children in remote villages:

TfN News

Forgiveness and Redemption

Kashi and Kirk’s Journey in the Papuan Highlandsby Lucie Howell We really are disconnected from places like the Papuan Highlands, where age-long tribal customs reign in isolated villages up in the mountains far from our ‘civilization.’ A letter from Kashi,...

Empowering Young Hearts for Christ

MSI’s Lab School blesses their city by helping local youth grow closer to Christ. Through M Youth Center (MYC), hundreds of youth receive discipleship and mentorship each year. Marking their 22nd anniversary this March, the Director of M Youth Center shared their...

GUIDED BY LOVE: Building a School with Faith and Purpose

Starting a school has been a meaningful journey filled with challenges that tested our love and commitment. One of the biggest challenges we faced was the complex process of getting permits from the local authorities. At the same time, we are dealing with unrealistic...

IN THE HEART OF PAPUA: Bringing the Spirit of Christmas to the Edge of the World

By Paul Richardson, MSI International Director I’ve never seen terrain so wild, beautiful, and treacherous as Papua’s mountains. The towering might of those peaks is beyond description, reminding me of the magical time when Christmas is in the air. In July 2021,...

EMBRACING THE NEW YEAR: Messenger of Love and Grace

As we draw near to the end of this eventful year, I find myself looking back on our school’s chosen theme, “Winners,” and how it has resonated with our journey as educators. Entrusted with not only teaching, but also assisting our dedicated school principal, I’m...

Female Interns Igniting Transformation in the Toughest Places

2023 has been a remarkable year for the TransformNation teacher-training program. A group of twelve female interns, who graduated in June, have embarked on a quest to bring hope to underserved places. The chart below shows where they are serving. They share their...

Rising Against All Odds

Dorina's Journey: Fostering Children's Transformation with Jesus' Love During the initial week of my teaching journey, I found myself on the brink of giving up. While the enthusiasm to teach remained unwavering, unexpected turns put my commitment to the test. First,...

Living A Transformed Life Inside Out

Last June, the third generation of TransformNation (TfN) Interns, known as “Class C,” completed the 8 year program! Read below as they express their gratitude to MSI donors, share testimonies and future plans: *** AMANDA“One of my students passed away during my...

Letters That Change Lives

Many MSI donors and their sponsored students build life-long relationships. In many ways, these relationships become a major part of their lives and help shape their spiritual journeys. Let’s hear how correspondence between Mary and Bob Thiessen and their sponsored...

Reflecting On Jesus' Sacrifice

The TransformNation (TfN) program prepares youth as educators, leaders, and catalysts. Students and interns are trained to invest their lives in their students and communities. This Easter, three of them reflect what Jesus’ sacrifice means to them. Dorina with her...

“TransformNation, our teacher training program, offers a transformative model of Christian education that is based on Christian discipleship. Graduates are trained not only to be great teachers, but to become seasoned leaders, equipped to impact entire communities in multiple ways. The program is practical, relevant, built on practice and experience, and boldly announces hope in Jesus.”
– Paul Richardson, MSI International Director.