JIS community widens coverage of its aid
JIS community widens coverage of its aid
JAKARTA (JP): In response to the current economic crisis, the
Jakarta International School (JIS) community is striving to
expand the coverage of its assistance to needy children
throughout Indonesia, an executive of the school said on Tuesday.
The expansion of help is being conducted by introducing four
new projects aimed at expanding the outreach of Tolong Anak-Anak
(TAA), the JIS social services organization, which has helped
feed, clothe, house and educate the children over the last 20
years, James Penha, TAA coordinator, said.
A One More Chance House in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, has been
established with TAA funding to get children off the streets and
into school, he said.
Early this month, 14 children moved into the house, having
left their former posts on Jl. Pramuka in Central Jakarta where
for months they had literally been singing for their supper, he
said.
"To run the house and take care of the children aged between
12 and 18 years, we have hired a house mother," Penha said,
adding that the school had also donated furniture, fans and
television sets to furnish the house.
"The number of children accommodated at the house is projected
to continue increasing. We hope it will rise to 25 soon," he
said.
Penha explained that the second project was run by JIS high
school seniors, who invented the new TAA Cilandak project to show
their appreciation and concern for local kampongs surrounding the
JIS campuses.
"This project is financed by funds they voluntarily raise
among themselves," he said.
In cooperation with local community leaders, the students
contributed to the schooling and health of children in the area,
he said.
"This project shows awareness among the students on what they
could do to help the needy children in Indonesia, which is hard
hit by the crisis. They feel they have gotten a lot from the
country and in turn they want to do their best to help the
country."
Through the Saturday project, the third of the new
undertakings, JIS students invite children from TAA-supported
foundations, orphanages and projects to special days at Jakarta
amusement parks and on the JIS campus, Penha said.
On future Saturdays, the JIS youngsters plan, in turn, to
visit foundations to help with house repairs and to play with and
teach institutionalized children, he said.
He explained that last month TAA also sealed a new connection
with the Daughters of Charity in Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta.
In addition to providing basic foodstuffs for distribution by the
nuns, TAA donated funds to insure the schooling of 67 children
living in slum areas along the wharves.
These new ventures join the dozens of other endeavors under
the TAA umbrella, Penha said, adding that, in all, since August
TAA has donated Rp 30 million to children in Indonesia.
Between May 15 holiday closure of the school and its reopening
in August, TAA donated over Rp 86 million to 20 foundations and
orphanages caring for youngsters. This emergency relief arrived
on top of the Rp 153 million in grants made by TAA during the
1997/1998 academic year.
Hundreds of JIS students, teachers, administrators, staff and
parents continued to raise funds for TAA by staging theatrical
events, by selling everything from cakes to Christmas cards to
specially produced audio CDs and by personal and group
contributions. (hhr)