Orphan babies still attracting sympathy<\/p>\n
By K. Basrie and Christiani SA Tumelap<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Times may be tough, but harsh realities of the
\ncrisis are not stopping compassionate members of the public from
\nsharing what they can with children in orphanages.<\/p>\n
In separate interviews with The Jakarta Post yesterday,
\nadministrators of Tunas Bangsa and Sayap Ibu Foundation
\norphanages acknowledged a decline in regular donations but said
\nthe institutions could still meet their children's needs because
\nof assistance from individuals and companies.<\/p>\n
\"We always believe there must be good people out there even in
\nthis time of hardship,\" said R. Tjiptowinoto, head of the Sayap
\nIbu Foundation on Jl. Barito II, Kebayoran Baru, in South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Suparsih, head of the city-owned Tunas Bangsa orphanage in
\nCipayung, East Jakarta, said simply: \"Thank God, we still can
\nfeed the children with nutritious food and milk.\"<\/p>\n
Founded 43 years ago, privately run Sayap Ibu (literally
\n\"mother's wings\") cares for 40 children aged under five years.
\nThe group includes 13 babies less than two months old and nine
\ndisabled toddlers, among them Ayu, 2, whose head has swollen to
\nalmost four times larger than normal.<\/p>\n
City-run Tunas Bangsa currently cares for 42 children,
\nincluding 10 babies, dozens of offspring of mentally ill mothers
\nand others from destitute families.<\/p>\n
The orphanages are among the few institutions in the city
\ncaring for neglected under-fives.<\/p>\n
Tjiptowinoto, a volunteer worker at Sayap Ibu for 16 years,
\nsaid the impact of the crisis had forced staff members to be more
\nthrifty in purchases of food and other items for the orphanage.<\/p>\n
\"Although we've not faced too serious financial and food
\nproblems here so far, we have to be very careful in using our
\navailable resources as we don't know whether people will still
\nwant to donate to us tomorrow.\"<\/p>\n
Stock<\/p>\n
Besides the occasional contributions from kindhearted people,
\nSuparsih said Tunas Bangsa had been able to survive on its cash
\nreserves and stocks of food, milk and other children's needs
\ndonated months before the crisis hit.<\/p>\n
\"Adults can go without their meals if they have to, but not
\nthe babies.\"<\/p>\n
Orphanage staff and attendants are using their resources
\nfrugally to make sure they last as long as possible, she added.<\/p>\n
Despite the available commodity stocks at the two orphanages,
\nboth Tjiptowinoto and Suparsih hoped the affluent would make
\ncontributions, in whatever form possible, to ensure the children
\ncontinue to be healthy and happy.<\/p>\n
Suparsih said it was impossible to expect the city
\nadministration's subsidy of Rp 2,000 per child a day and another
\nRp 1,000 per child a day contributed by the Dharmais foundation
\nto cover all the children's needs, inclusive of meals, diapers,
\nschool fees and medicines.<\/p>\n
\"Not that I don't appreciate it,\" she added. \"But you can
\nimagine how we could survive without the public donations while
\nwe are supposed to provide at least Rp 15,000 for each child a
\nday to cover all their needs.\"<\/p>\n
She said at least eight people visited to contribute donations
\nto the orphanage every month last year, but the number had
\ndropped to only four or five a month this year.<\/p>\n
\"We even lost some foreigners who came here regularly to play
\nand help educate the children as most of them left the country
\nduring the riots in May.\"<\/p>\n
Adoptions have also tailed off.<\/p>\n
\"Normally, about two or three babies left us per month but it
\nseems there's a break at the moment, particularly the Indonesian
\nparents,\" Tjiptowinoto said.<\/p>\n
An average of 25 toddlers at the orphanage were adopted by
\nlocals and 10 toddlers by foreigners per year.<\/p>\n
Under the supervision of Johana Sunarti Nasution, wife of the
\ncountry's most senior living army leader, Gen. (ret.) A.H.
\nNasution, Sayap Ibu is one of the few orphanages here holding the
\ngovernment permit to handle adoptions for both local and foreign
\ncouples.<\/p>\n
The children at the two institutions still have reason to
\nsmile, particularly when some families choose to hold birthday
\nparties for their children at the orphanages.<\/p>\n
\"The children are always very happy on such occasions. You
\nshould see the look on their faces,\" Suparsih said.<\/p>",
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