Food shortages worry orphanages

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara: Food shortages are threatening orphanages run by the Stella Maris Foundation, which provides shelter to 250 children in the Sikka regency.

The foundation's chairwoman, Conds, said Tuesday her seven orphanages were increasingly worried about the availability of rice, milk and sugar.

Those essential commodities that were available, she said, had gone up in price by up to 400 percent since the economic crisis began last July.

A 50-kilogram sack of rice now costs Rp 85,000 (US$8.90) compared to Rp 35,000 last year, she said.

Conds threatened to take the orphans onto the streets to demonstrate their plight.

"I will carry my children in trucks to the (Sikka) regent's office to make him aware of this problem," she said. (yac)