Emil leads social safety-net program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A private program to coordinate the distribution
\nof funds for rural societies' non-governmental organizations
\n(NGOs) was established here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The Community Recovery Program (CRP) was set up by a number of
\nNGO and community organization leaders to help the most needy
\nwith food security, basic social services, job creation
\nopportunities and income generation.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday the program members signed the trust fund
\ncooperation and funding agreement with the United Nations
\nDevelopment Program (UNDP) and the United Kingdom's Department of
\nInternational Development.<\/p>\n
The UK, represented by Peter Johnstone, pledged assistance of
\n850,000 (US$1.4 million), and the UNDP, through its
\nrepresentative Ravi Rajan, promised $500,000.<\/p>\n
CRP is expecting to raise funds from the international
\ncommunity and also local business groups, according to Emil
\nSalim, the chairman of its National Council.<\/p>\n
Emil has already set up the Gema Madani group to campaign for
\na civil society, with activists including Erna Witoelar. Erna is
\nnow CRP's facilitator.<\/p>\n
Emil said that as a \"synergy\" of private parties, CRP was
\n\"proof that one can be independent to contribute to the country.\"<\/p>\n
The program will have a network, involving local banks, to
\nreach NGOs and community organizations in rural areas. The
\norganizations will be encouraged to propose programs most
\nsuitable to the needs of their particular communities.<\/p>\n
\"But we are not giving charity, people have to earn (money) to
\nreturn the funds (so they) learn more about self-empowerment,\"
\nsaid Emil.<\/p>\n
This is also to decrease people's dependency on the government
\naid, he added. The management of funds will be transparent, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Last month the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef)
\nrepresentative to Indonesia, Stephen J. Woodhouse, criticized the
\nmany charities for the poor, saying they could lead to
\ndependency.<\/p>\n
CRP has set up a consortium of 27 organizations which are
\nentitled to channel funds to the thousands of other organizations
\nwith which they work.<\/p>\n
Among the consortium members are Yayasan Pendidikan Bersama in
\nDeli Serdang, North Sumatra, which focuses on scholarships for
\nelementary and junior high school students; Kharisma Pertiwi
\nIndonesia, which concentrates on job creation and income
\ngeneration for women with unemployed husbands in Mataram, West
\nNusa Tenggara; Permata Hati, a job creation and income generation
\ngroup for vendors in Tangerang, West Java; the Indonesian
\nAssociation of Accountants and the women's division of Moslem
\norganization Nahdatul Ulama.<\/p>\n
The Program has a steering committee of 12 people, including
\nBudhy Tjahjati Soegijoko, deputy of foreign economic cooperation
\nat the National Development Planning Board and economist Kwik
\nKian Gie.<\/p>\n
A similar program set up last month, the Indonesian Committee
\nfor Humanitarian Programs (KKI), has been appointed by the
\ngovernment to distribute aid to the needy.<\/p>\n
The government has recently encouraged the involvement of NGOs
\nto handle social safety net programs to ensure the assistance
\nreaches the needy. (01)<\/p>",
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