World goodies on sale at women's charity bazaar

JAKARTA (JP): Some walked away with Norwegian smoked salmon and Chilean wine. Others preferred the Columbian coffee and the Belgian chocolate.

Visitors yesterday to the opening of the 30th Women's International Club Jakarta charity bazaar had the chance to buy snacks and other specialities from 39 countries.

The goods, provided by the embassies and by 240 businesses, will be on sale until from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Jakarta Convention Center.

The bazaar was opened yesterday by Mrs. Tuty Try Sutrisno, wife of the Vice President.

WIC Jakarta president Mariah Waworuntu said that purpose of the annual bazaar "is to collect funds to support the many social welfare projects the WIC is involved in".

The club, established in 1950, helps orphanages, centers for senior citizens, homes for abandoned babies, homes for socially displaced people and schools for disabled children.

It also helps students of tertiary education institutions in the last two years of their study.

"We also visit patients in hospitals who are lonely and have nobody who cares," Waworuntu said at the opening.

To open the bazaar, Tuty pushed a button causing a large globe of the world to rotate.

Dozens of children then displayed clothes of the countries participating in the bazaar, and sang the "Heal the World" song.

All profits from the two-day bazaar will be donated to 19 social foundations and institutions in Greater Jakarta.

These include six orphanages; Rawinala school for the handicapped and blind; Panti Laras I and II transit homes for the mentally disturbed; Sumber Asih, Sumber Budi and Bhakti Luhur schools for the handicapped and retarded. (ind)