Orphanages struggle for self-sufficiency

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Lies Haryoso, who runs the Hairun Nisaa orphanage, faces a constant struggle to find the money to buy food and pay the school fees for all 80 of her children.

"To tell you the truth, we don't have enough money to be provide the children with enough food and pay all of their school fees at the same time," Lies told The Jakarta Post recently.

"Because we prioritize their education, we often have to reduce the food budget ... by serving only rice, one vegetable dish plus soybean cakes or tofu," she said.

Hairun Nisaa houses 80 orphans in two buildings -- one in Manggarai, South Jakarta, for girls and another in Kampung Rambutan, East Jakarta, for boys. It also oversees the care of more than 100 orphans who have been placed with foster families.

Lies said each orphan, including those placed with foster families, received a daily subsidy of Rp 3,000 (some 30 US cents) from the Jakarta administration.

"But that is all the funding we receive. We get no other funding from any other source. We do regularly receive food, books and other materials from Mercy Corps International, but I have to use my own money and my family's money to cover other expenses," she said.

There are hundreds of orphanages in Jakarta struggling to come up with the money to provide shelter, food and education for some of the thousands of orphans in the city.

Hairun Nisaa is one of 25 orphanages that receives regular donations from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

During a visit to the orphanage on Nov. 11 by new U.S Ambassador to Indonesia Lynn Pascoe, Lies handed out food and stationery.

Christopher Whitney of Mercy Corps International, a partner of USAID in Indonesia, said his organization helped about 50 orphanages across the city with donations of food and educational supplies.

"For example, we contribute rice, soybeans and oil to help each child through the month. However, their situation is still difficult. All of the orphanages rely, at least partly, on donations, such as food donations from organizations like ours, as well as from local companies and individuals," Whitney told the Post.

He said Mercy would work to help orphanages in the city be able to raise money on their own so they could be self- sufficient.

The U.S. government has vowed to provide US$236 million, along with US$75 million in food assistance, over the next five years to improve the access and quality of key human services in Indonesia, including Jakarta.

Administered through USAID, the program hopes to improve the health of local communities using an integrated approach that combines support for health, food, nutrition and water services across the country.

USAID director of basic human services in Indonesia Herbie Smith said the agency was now helping at least 25 orphanages in Jakarta, mostly in the form of food assistance, school supplies, refrigerators and air conditioners.

Lies expressed hope for more help.

"Not only this orphanage, but others as well need regular funding from other sources, such as international and local non- governmental organizations. The money provided by the government is not enough," she said.