Foster Parents Movement goes remote

By Antoni Tambunan

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan (JP): While most organizations struggle to find their feet in the first year of operation, the Foster Parents Movement has shown an outreach that surpasses many other campaigns.

Established by President Soeharto and chaired by Halimah Bambang Trihatmodjo, the organization has an impressive array of names from both the military and the bureaucracy across the country.

Every time Halimah visits a region, local military leaders, informal leaders and bureaucrats race to tell her their commitment to the movement.

At the national level, President Soeharto is the Foster Parents Movement's chief patron. At the provincial and regency levels, the patrons are governors and regents.

The board of advisors includes the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare Azwar Anas, ministers of social services, home affairs, education and culture, religious affairs, and the Armed Forces chief. At the provincial and regency levels, the advisors include chiefs of the regional military commands and vice governors.

The Foster Parents Movement strives to assist the government's compulsory education program, raise money and send six million poor children to school.

Anyone can become a foster parent by donating Rp 60,000 (US$20) a year for an elementary schoolchild or Rp 90,000 for a junior high school student at Bank Rakyat Indonesia.

The organization uses the money to pay for the students' tuition and school supplies. So far, 600,000 children throughout Indonesia have been able to attend school due to the work of the organization.

Chairwoman Halimah Bambang Trihatmodjo spoke to The Jakarta Post recently and challenged critics who believe the organization has gained so much public support because she is President Soeharto's daughter-in-law.

Question: Who was behind the establishment of the campaign?

Answer: President Soeharto launched it in Semarang on May 29, 1996.

Q: Why are you interested in the mission?

A: I am an Indonesia and my heart brings me to this, helping children who no longer have any hope of going to school. You know how easily Indonesians are moved when people are suffering. Besides, this is everyone's responsibility.

Q: You have three children with Bambang Trihatmodjo. How do you manage your time?

A: Household affairs are not the responsibility of a wife only. They are also the husband's responsibility. My husband and I have agreed that I should be involved in this movement. Besides, this is a noble mission, helping our children face up to globalization.

I usually discuss my activities with my children and I seek my husband's approval. We both agreed to share family responsibilities together.

Don't forget, all my three children are involved in the campaign.

Q: Do you think this movement has gained popularity because of you?

A: I don't think so. But I hope that the movement will be really popular and people will support it. I'm proud and grateful.

Let's hope that this mission is not just popular because I am President Soeharto's daughter-in-law. Let's hope the expression of support I received from local officials every time I visited a region was because they really cared (about the children).

Q: Do you have other ambitions, such as becoming a minister?

A: Not at all. This is something that I do because my heart tells me to.

The Foster Parents Movement cooperates with other organizations to help children. This cooperation is necessary so there won't be any overlapping in activities such as making an inventory of children who need help and distributing the assistance.

Q: You have effectively solicited the help of high ranking officers in the Armed Forces...

A: Please do not misinterpret this. Armed Forces members are also Indonesians who care (about the children). Besides, we hope that the Armed Forces will be able to extend the movement's outreach to even the remotest places.

Please do not look at the organization as competing against the government's social services program. It's one of the government's partners.

So far, Indonesian businesspeople, at the national and regional levels, have shown great support for the movement. And remember, the same support has also been shown by foreign organizations, including those from the United States, Hong Kong and Malaysia.