Companies give hope to Acehnese children

Debbie A. Lubis Contributor Jakarta

Many companies have shown their concern for the welfare of the children of Aceh following the tsunami that struck the province last December.

Some companies have helped the children return to school and resume normal lives by building schools and providing school supplies such as stationery and books. Others have provided decent housing and introduced small enterprise schemes.

Sampoerna Foundation, in the first phase of an education rehabilitation program, has built 150 emergency schools in eight districts in Aceh that were most affected by the tsunami.

Each of the emergency schools consists of one tent able to house 60 students. The tents are equipped with chairs, books, blackboards and stationery. As a result, 4,000 students are able to continue their studies during this difficult time.

According to Hendri B. Satrio, the foundation's communications officer, the project will last a year. It involves the Ministry of National Education, donors, local teachers and other parties. The emergency school program is expected to end by August this year since most of the schools damaged in the tsunami have been repaired.

The foundation began the second phase of its Aceh program in May by providing free tutorial programs for high school students. The first program was for students preparing to take the national final exams and the second was for students preparing for university admission tests.

During the second phase of its education program, Sampoerna Foundation also helped to refurbish school buildings and provided textbooks and scholarships for high school and university students.

To help the children of Aceh and Nias receive an education, Avon Indonesia has disbursed a handsome amount of money through several organizations.

Avon Indonesia's public relations and marketing support manager, Gunawan, said the company donated US$150,000 in March this year through Unicef. In April, the company disbursed $70,125 through the Indonesian Red Cross and the Kompas Humanity Fund.

In June, the company donated $43,000 through the Nurani Dunia Foundation, which is chaired by noted sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo.

To help provide wider access to education and health services, pharmaceutical company PT Novartis Biochemie, in cooperation with the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA), provided a "Mobile Service for Children" on July 14 this year. Klaus Ribbe, president director PT Novartis Biochemie, said in a written statement that the cars would serve the educational and health needs of children living in tsunami-affected areas.

The cars will serve as mobile libraries as well as helping meet the health and education needs of children in Aceh. Friends and staff of Komnas PA will organize the service.

"Just like children around the world, children living in tsunami-affected areas also have the right to learn and to be healthy," said Seto Mulyadi, the chairman of Komnas PA.

He said most of the books provided by the mobile libraries would be storybooks, some written specially for children affected by tsunami. There will also be a team to encourage the children to brush their teeth, cut their nails and perform other basic personal grooming tasks.

When the tsunami struck, PT Novartis Biochemie immediately sent medicine through several organizations, including GP Farmasi. The company also sent volunteers to Aceh in cooperation with local non-governmental organization.

To is providing houses and sustainable sources of income, Citibank Peka has provided houses and macro-financing for needy families in Aceh. The housing project, in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity, will build 350 houses in the villages of Tibang and Mulya in Banda Aceh.

Ditta Amahorseya, the vice president and head of corporate affairs at Citibank Indonesia, said the project also involved traditional leaders in the two villages.

"We will provide a prototype of the houses and give community members a week to give us some input," Ditta said.

The project will cost about Rp 5 billion. Citibank Peka also provides macro-financing programs for tsunami survivors. One program involves training NGOs workers in micro-financing and another involves offering funds for the establishment of micro- enterprises.