WVII to continue Kalimantan project
WVII to continue Kalimantan project
JAKARTA (JP): World Vision International Indonesia (WVII) will
receive US$100,000 in aid from Hong Kong-based World Vision to
continue its health project in Sanggau, West Kalimantan.
Edy Sianipar, the WVII area manager for Jakarta, West and
Central Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan, told The Jakarta Post from
Pontianak on Tuesday that the funds will be used to finance the
three-year old project.
"Although the amount is only small, we are sure that it will
be very helpful," he said.
The starting fund of US$860,000, which came from the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID) and World
Vision Relief and Development (WVRD), is expected to run out at
the end of September.
Larry Casazza, director of health/child survival programs of
the WVRD, said that the project could not receive additional
funds from either USAID or WVRD because their request lost out to
other grant-seekers.
"The USAID receives about 40 proposals each year and only 20
of them are funded," he said.
"It demands a progress report and details of the next
program," which, he added, were not included in WVII's request
for additional funding.
The child survival project is located in Batang Tarang and
Tayan Hilir, which are two sub-districts covering 19 villages and
84 hamlets with a population of 31,147.
Untung Sidupa, the project manager, said that WVII will
continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Health as well as
Samaria and the Harapan Katulistiwa Foundation, two local non-
governmental organizations.
According to Untung, both sub-districts were chosen because of
their high maternal and infant mortality rates.
"Our main target is to reduce the rate by motivating the
villagers to take part in our project," he explained. "So when
the project is finished, the people are expected to be able to
take care of their own health."
Untung said that the project has assisted local public health
centers in both Batang Tarang and Tayan Hilir in the training of
village health care workers.
The project also operates village drug posts, health insurance
plans and health service posts for mothers and their infants in
various villages.
It has also installed nine gravity-flow, piped-water systems
and built 22 public latrines. (05)