School program reaches out to kids

Jamuna Nair, Contributor, Jakarta

There are some schoolchildren, who despite hectic study schedules, still find time to help others.

An inspiring example is Tolong Anak Anak (TAA) or Help the Children Foundation, a social service project of the Jakarta International School (JIS).

TAA has raised funds to support orphanages, schools for the handicapped, foster homes and hospitals across the country for the past 25 years.

Five years ago, this nonprofit foundation, comprising more than 100 student members (ranging from elementary to high school), 10 student board members and three faculty advisers, decided to take on a bigger and more personal commitment by launching the One More Chance Foundation (OMCF) to help street- children and orphans.

"OMCF is under the umbrella of TAA. Today OMCF has 30 children under its care and they are accommodated in three houses," said TAA coordinator Jose Carre.

The One More Chance Houses located on Jl. Lebak Bulus Raya in South Jakarta consist of a house for boys aged between eight and 14, another for boys aged between 14 and 18 and one for girls aged between eight and 14. The children have been entrusted under the caring wings of Irma Dwikusumawati as director and house mother, Intang William Lubis as assistant director and other staffers, including "street-educators" (teachers experienced in teaching street-children), Carre said.

TAA, as patron, contributes toward the OMCF children's housing, food, clothing, health care, schooling, after-school tuition, religious instruction and transportation. "Without us they (the OMCF children) would be on the streets ... simple as that," Carre said.

TAA treasurer Dr. Jack Penha said TAA needed Rp 18 million a month to the run the OMC Houses and between Rp 20 million and Rp 30 million a year to support the other charities that relied on JIS. The other charities include the Nur Abadi School for Handicapped Children, Yos Sudarso Navy Orphanage, Sayap Ibu Orphanage, Wisma Cheshire (home for the disabled) and the Mitra Netra School for the Blind.

The funds are raised, among other ways, through book sales, bake sales, UN Day card sales or by holding plays and soliciting donations from companies. The JIS Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is also one of TAA's staunchest supporters.

Daunting as this task may seem under the current economic climate, TAA's spirit and resolve in raising funds for charity have not been weakened. Penha said TAA has decided to help 18 more needy families in Cilandak and Cipete in South Jakarta by paying toward their children's school fees.

Those involved in TAA's social service are also benefiting.

"Because it (TAA) is so strong, you actually can make a difference with some of the people," said Pavitrhra, a grade 12 member.

"I am giving back something to the country I have been residing in for so long. It makes me feel good."

Michal Sarapatka, also a Grade 12 TAA member,lamented that underprivileged children in Indonesia were not receiving enough help from society. "I like playing soccer with the (OMCF) children," Michal said. "I also help organize visits to the (OMC) houses and orphanages."

Michal who is also "the photographer" of TAA, has taken captivating pictures of the OMCF children that have been posted on TAA's website (www.tolonganakanak.com) or used for fund- raising.

Like Pavithra and Michal, Bhuvana Radharkrishnan is also actively involved in TAA.

"TAA has given me a great opportunity to help children," said the Grade 12 student. "As TAA's website manager I am helping promote (the project) by advertising on the web. You're helping these kids have better lives and that feels really great".

"You're not working for yourself," Pavitra chipped in. "You're helping so many children. It's sort of like a bond. It's so hard to break that."

Penha aptly summed up TAA's principle: "We don't try to get people to help for reasons of guilt or pity. We gain from the work we do and they (the charities) gain from the work we do. That's the perfect kind of relationship to have".

TAA's fund-raising adviser Manjula Salomon said besides organizing activities for the OMCF children in their houses, the children were also regularly brought to the JIS campus to enjoy sporting activities, such as swimming, with their JIS counterparts.

The OMCF children are also afforded English language tuition and computer lessons by the high school students.

"In these last few years we've been tracking our alumni and this service culture has traveled with them. Many of them can no longer live without contributing in some way to the community they live in," Salomon said proudly.

As another illustration of its unwavering commitment and concern for the OMCF children, the TAA has set up an endowment that it hopes can be used to run the OMC Houses in the event the former is unable to continue its financial support.

"If we are not in the country or the situation changes, these funds will keep the three houses going," said Salomon.