Foster Parents Movement goes remote<\/p>\n
By Antoni Tambunan<\/p>\n
BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan (JP): While most organizations
\nstruggle to find their feet in the first year of operation, the
\nFoster Parents Movement has shown an outreach that surpasses many
\nother campaigns.<\/p>\n
Established by President Soeharto and chaired by Halimah
\nBambang Trihatmodjo, the organization has an impressive array of
\nnames from both the military and the bureaucracy across the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Every time Halimah visits a region, local military leaders,
\ninformal leaders and bureaucrats race to tell her their
\ncommitment to the movement.<\/p>\n
At the national level, President Soeharto is the Foster
\nParents Movement's chief patron. At the provincial and regency
\nlevels, the patrons are governors and regents.<\/p>\n
The board of advisors includes the Coordinating Minister of
\nPeople's Welfare Azwar Anas, ministers of social services, home
\naffairs, education and culture, religious affairs, and the Armed
\nForces chief. At the provincial and regency levels, the advisors
\ninclude chiefs of the regional military commands and vice
\ngovernors.<\/p>\n
The Foster Parents Movement strives to assist the government's
\ncompulsory education program, raise money and send six million
\npoor children to school.<\/p>\n
Anyone can become a foster parent by donating Rp 60,000
\n(US$20) a year for an elementary schoolchild or Rp 90,000 for a
\njunior high school student at Bank Rakyat Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The organization uses the money to pay for the students'
\ntuition and school supplies. So far, 600,000 children throughout
\nIndonesia have been able to attend school due to the work of the
\norganization.<\/p>\n
Chairwoman Halimah Bambang Trihatmodjo spoke to The Jakarta
\nPost recently and challenged critics who believe the organization
\nhas gained so much public support because she is President
\nSoeharto's daughter-in-law.<\/p>\n
Question: Who was behind the establishment of the campaign?<\/p>\n
Answer: President Soeharto launched it in Semarang on May 29,
\n1996.<\/p>\n
Q: Why are you interested in the mission?<\/p>\n
A: I am an Indonesia and my heart brings me to this, helping
\nchildren who no longer have any hope of going to school. You know
\nhow easily Indonesians are moved when people are suffering.
\nBesides, this is everyone's responsibility.<\/p>\n
Q: You have three children with Bambang Trihatmodjo. How do you
\nmanage your time?<\/p>\n
A: Household affairs are not the responsibility of a wife only.
\nThey are also the husband's responsibility. My husband and I have
\nagreed that I should be involved in this movement. Besides, this
\nis a noble mission, helping our children face up to
\nglobalization.<\/p>\n
I usually discuss my activities with my children and I seek my
\nhusband's approval. We both agreed to share family
\nresponsibilities together.<\/p>\n
Don't forget, all my three children are involved in the
\ncampaign.<\/p>\n
Q: Do you think this movement has gained popularity because of
\nyou?<\/p>\n
A: I don't think so. But I hope that the movement will be really
\npopular and people will support it. I'm proud and grateful.<\/p>\n
Let's hope that this mission is not just popular because I am
\nPresident Soeharto's daughter-in-law. Let's hope the expression
\nof support I received from local officials every time I visited a
\nregion was because they really cared (about the children).<\/p>\n
Q: Do you have other ambitions, such as becoming a minister?<\/p>\n
A: Not at all. This is something that I do because my heart tells
\nme to.<\/p>\n
The Foster Parents Movement cooperates with other
\norganizations to help children. This cooperation is necessary so
\nthere won't be any overlapping in activities such as making an
\ninventory of children who need help and distributing the
\nassistance.<\/p>\n
Q: You have effectively solicited the help of high ranking
\nofficers in the Armed Forces...<\/p>\n
A: Please do not misinterpret this. Armed Forces members are also
\nIndonesians who care (about the children). Besides, we hope that
\nthe Armed Forces will be able to extend the movement's outreach
\nto even the remotest places.<\/p>\n
Please do not look at the organization as competing against
\nthe government's social services program. It's one of the
\ngovernment's partners.<\/p>\n
So far, Indonesian businesspeople, at the national and
\nregional levels, have shown great support for the movement. And
\nremember, the same support has also been shown by foreign
\norganizations, including those from the United States, Hong Kong
\nand Malaysia.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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