Foundation gives poor women, children a chance in life

Foundation gives poor women, children a chance in life

Grace Segran, Contributor, Denpasar, Bali

Touched by the poverty and paltry living conditions of people
in the remote areas of Bali, Jeannine Marie Carroll and Roy
Massie got together and started Yayasan Kembang Hati, also known
as the Blossoming Flowers Foundation. Their desire was to help
destitute women and children from these areas rise above their
current hopeless situation.

Today, five years on, the foundation has helped improve the
quality of lives of scores of children, women and their families
through education, health and social welfare programs and by
providing enterprising opportunities that will allow them to
attain a sustainable income.

Carroll was born in Peru, South America, of American
parentage. She has lived in Indonesia for the last 15 years. She
is the owner and director of PT Putrindo Empat Lestari, a
business that produces jamu (herbal medicine) and operates a
chain of spas. She is now living in Bali with her family.

Roy Massie is a doctor who specializes in third world
medicine. He was born in Manado, Sulawesi. In 1995, he spent a
year's sabbatical in Boston Medical Center specializing in this
special branch of medicine.

Dr Massie is currently living in Jakarta and hopes to be
actively involved in the foundation after he serves out his
current contract with the government.

As chairperson, Carroll is assisted by volunteers from the
local community who oversee the running of the orphanages and
programs.

The foundation currently focuses on assisting orphanages that
are in greatest need of aid.

"We provide basic funding for food, medicine, clothing,
bedding, furniture and building repairs," says Carroll. "These
enable the orphanages to provide rudimentary social welfare
services to the children in their care."

Orphanages in Indonesia are not occupied solely by children
with no parents. Some have no parents at all, while others still
have parents but are forgotten or abandoned by them, explains
Carroll. The majority of the children come from very poor one-
parent households, with many siblings.

Orphanages are often opened by a caring member of the local
community, with good intentions of helping disadvantaged
children, says Carroll. However, sadly, no other criterion is
required in the establishment of an orphanage.

"No supervision is imposed by any governmental or social body.
They also lack funding. As a result, we often find that
necessities such as food, shelter and medical attention are
grossly inadequate," says Carroll. "Because of the economic
situation in Indonesia over the past years, many of these
orphanages are now in a worse situation than before due to the
dramatic increase in the number of children in them."

Carroll relates the case of an orphanage called Miftahul Ulum.
In 1999, soon after krismon (monetary crisis), Yayasan Kembang
Hati discovered this orphanage in Singaraja, North Bali.

The children were all under the age of 12, with most being
under the age of six. They were living in squalor, sleeping on
grass mats on a dirt floor and eating, praying and attending
school in two small rooms (3 meters by 7 meters of total living
area) with mud walls and a corrugated zinc roof. One man cared
for all the children and a woman came in to cook. The orphanage
did not come under the jurisdiction of the government or any
social committee, so there was no organization taking care of, or
overseeing, it.

Yayasan Kembang Hati tried to sort out the situation.
Improving the facilities and living conditions for the children
were identified and prioritized. Clothing, beds and bedding and
food were donated. Then Yayasan helped to build separate
dormitories, one for the girls and one for the boys, as well as
new bathrooms, a kitchen and a storeroom.

"Today Miftahul Ulum is a thriving orphanage where healthy
children have a bed to sleep on and enough food to eat," says
Carroll.

At Al Iman, in the mountain village of Pegayaman, children
were found with skin infections, head lice and intestinal worms.
There was no running water, the roof leaked badly over the
sleeping areas and the children slept on the floor -- 14
youngsters to a room the size of a closet! It is no wonder the
health and vitality of the children was critically low.

Presently, Kembang Hati is repairing the roof of the girls'
dormitory, purchasing bunk beds for all rooms and tables and
chairs for eating, reading and writing. Food and medication are
supplied on a regular basis.

The foundation continues to monitor the orphanages. "Although
much progress has been made," says Carroll, "the orphanages still
need caring people to spend time with the children to help
develop their emotional well-being".

Another objective of the foundation is to help women who are
the heads of households living below subsistence level, to become
self sustaining. This project involves providing micro credit
loans for a training course, and a minimum sum of money to
support the family during the training program.

As there is a large garment industry in Bali, most women take
up sewing courses. Additional loans are also provided for the
purchase of sewing machines and other equipment to set up home-
based businesses.

According to Carroll, the foundation is in the process of
getting a manager to oversee the administration of its
operations.