Bachelors willing to go on the block for a good cause

Mehru Jaffer, Contributor, Jakarta

Despite Oscar Wilde's wicked definition that philanthropy is simply the refuge of people who wish to annoy their fellow creatures, the simple act of giving is said to light up many a dead spirit.

It is no wonder that members of the Forum for Executive Women (FEW) were abuzz with excitement recently. The occasion was an unusual auction of six eligible bachelors that was held here to raise funds for students who want to continue their studies but do not have the finances to do so. Tya Daud proved extremely persuasive as the auctioneer and ended up raising Rp 18 million for the charity. Last year at a similar auction Rp 15 million was raised.

Tya added that she agreed to take to the stage to "sell" men only because it was for a good cause. The six bachelors up for auction agreed that it was precisely the thought of doing something good for someone else that had lured them to the event which turned out to be fun as well.

Billed as the not-to-be-missed end of the year party, FEW organizers made sure that everything was available in plenty, from dancing to dining. The bachelors who were auctioned ended up with a dinner date with those who paid for them for an evening at restaurants also involved in the charity. The money was eventually picked up by Siri Lienau, head of the scholarship program of the International Community and Activities Center (ICAC), who told The Jakarta Post that the amount was just enough to see at least five more students through university.

Since 1999 nearly a dozen students have already graduated from the University of Indonesia and the Bogor Agriculture University, thanks to ICAC. In fact without the help she received Janthi Dharma S may well have remained a university dropout forever.

"What I got is not just money and training but also self- confidence," says a beaming Janthi today. Starting more than 27 years ago as the Agape House, after the Greek word meaning selfless love, ICAC aimed at providing a drug-free environment for teenagers here. Over the years its work has expanded to meet various other needs of both the local and international community. Its leadership development scholarship program was introduced in the thick of the economic crisis two years ago to enable eligible students to continue their studies.

Today thousands of other people in Jakarta alone are involved in all kinds of charitable work from raising funds to resettle urban street children to creating shelters for the homeless. There are a multitude of men and women here who do little else in their life but voluntary work to help those who are deprived, sick or vulnerable. They spend all their time founding and managing asylums, hospitals and cultural organizations; donating time and money to keep these agencies alive.

Most schools include community service as a prominent part of their activities, and Dr. Jack Penha of Tolong Anak Anak, the social service project of the Jakarta International School, seldom tires of repeating that apart from those the students help, they too gain tremendously from their work.

The Art of Living (AOL) foundation began with visits to various orphanages, prisons, old people's homes and hospitals. Since then AOL has adopted entire schools in the North Jakarta area where conditions were found to be appalling. At AOL emphasis is placed on introducing children to the importance of civic awareness in the hope that young people from even the poorest of the poor families will grow up to be selfless members of society.

For more information about the student sponsorship program of ICAC call Siri Lienau on 75816710. For information about AOL contact Meenu at kusum@cbn.net.id or webmaster@infotech.co.id.