Meet Stefanus: From Village Student to Math Competition Winner

Stefanus Deka, a 14-year-old student from Mbay, Flores, has achieved something remarkable. He won first place in the district-level mathematics competition — the first student from his village to ever reach the finals, let alone win. ## The Beginning When BCC first met Stefanus two years ago, he was walking over 5 kilometers each way to school. His family could barely afford his school fees, and he didn't have proper textbooks. But his math teacher, Pak Yosef, noticed something special about him. "Stefanus would solve problems in ways I hadn't seen before," Pak Yosef recalls. "He has a natural intuition for numbers." ## The Sponsorship Through our Adopt a Student program, Stefanus was matched with a sponsor who provided monthly support covering his school fees, textbooks, and transportation. With a proper bicycle, he cut his commute from an hour-long walk to a 20-minute ride. ## The Competition Armed with proper study materials and the confidence that comes from consistent support, Stefanus entered the district math competition in October 2024. He competed against 87 students from across the regency. "When they called my name as the winner, I couldn't believe it," Stefanus says with a shy smile. "I called my mother first. She cried." ## What's Next Stefanus is now preparing for the provincial-level competition. His dream of becoming a computer scientist feels closer than ever.