Aussie Christians, Muhammadiyah team up to help Acehnese youths

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Foreign organizations continue their relief efforts in Aceh, demonstrating their commitment to the long-term care of survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Father Chris Riley, the founder and CEO of Youth Off The Streets, signed a memorandum of understanding last week with Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization, outlining the Australia-based non-governmental organization's commitment to helping the children of Aceh.

"The MOU formalizes the partnership between Youth Off The Streets and Muhammadiyah and includes details of what each group will contribute to the partnership, which is ultimately designed to benefit the many thousands of children," the Australian organization said in a statement.

This commitment includes the provision of safeguards and protection for the children, and continued efforts to reunite children separated from their families in the tsunami.

It also outlines the ongoing support for the children of Aceh as they return to school.

Youth Off The Streets and Muhammadiyah also will help the local economy by providing employment for locals. They recently employed cooks, child care workers, psychologists and translators from the area.

"I am very grateful for the privilege of being able to help in this time of need. Instead of focusing on (our religious) differences, we have been able to focus on common humanity," Riley said in the statement.

Set up in 1991, Youth Off The Streets is known for its work with chronically homeless and drug addicted young people. It has grown to provide a wide range of services for children.

Shortly after the tsunami ravaged Aceh, there were reports about Acehnese children who would be adopted by a U.S-based Catholic organization.

The reports, which were eventually found to be false, angered some Acehnese, most of whom are Muslim.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-based Refugees International has sent a survey mission to Aceh to identify medium and long-term requirements for the reconstruction of the province.

The delegation was headed by Joel Charny, the vice president for policy at Refugees International, and United States-Indonesia Society official James McNaughton, who is also a vice president at Asia Investment Consultants.