Success Stories

Since its inception in 2005, Hope 4 Our Children has been providing small scaled projects with the hope to give impacts to the lives of economically disadvantaged children.

Livelihood skills and Education. Education is critical to making a change in children’s lives. Yet for many children, education and livelihood skills trainings are still beyond reach. Hope 4 Our Children envision that livelihood skills open doors for economically disadvantaged children to pursue their dream. In 2006, Hope 4 Our Children started livelihood training of baking at Subulussalam Orphanage Boarding School in Aceh by funding various cooking equipment to make cookies and cakes. The live-in children were given responsibility to make cookies and cake to sell as a source of income for the institution. One of the live-in children was an orphan girl named Subur. She mastered her cookery skill when she was given the responsibility to make cookies at the Orphanage Boarding School while completing her High School Degree. With a specific culinary skill of baking black forest cakes, Subur was able to finance her entire college education. It was the cookery skill that she learned at the Orphanage Boarding School that enable her achieve her bachelor degree in 2011. Her brother, Jujuri, followed Subur’s footstep in making and selling cakes. He will be completing his bachelor degree by the end of 2011.

“...The livelihood skills training started with cake and cookies production and chicken farm that Hope 4 Our Children financed in 2006. … These skills have proven to help generate extra income for orphans to complete their bachelor degree. The routine schedules of cooking responsibilities help them learn to multitask between their study and their cooking obligation for the institution. It is self management skill that helps them get through. …There were at least 10 orphans who received their bachelor degree after Subussalam Orphanage Boarding School implemented projects with Hope 4 Our Children’s help. … These livelihood workshops not only help train the orphans, but also generate extra income for the Orphanage Boarding School in order to bring in more orphans in need of assistance.”—Elly Risman, Director of Subulussalam Orphanage Boarding School, Aceh

Sustainable Economic Development. Hope 4 Our Children works to create a lasting, sustainable program for economically disadvantaged children. We recently learned that an orphanage Boarding School that Hope 4 Our Children helped in 2006 received recognition in June 2011 as a model orphanage boarding school in provincial level of Aceh. They were given an award because of its live in students’ partaking in home economics programs (Pendidikan Kesejahteraan Keluarga). This is a huge accomplishment for an orphanage boarding school that had an influx of 87 tsunami orphans in 2004 with no hope to provide its live in children with merely food. Hope 4 Our Children came in to Dayah Babulilmi in early 2005 with funding to build a dorm for 100 live-in girls mostly being tsunami orphans, and the duck farm project. As the dorm construction was completed and occupied with orphan girls, and the duck farm has started to produce 100 eggs daily, private donors and local government officials began to give notice to the institution’s significant development. From various donors, they bought embroidery and sewing machines and trained its students. In the backyard, they plant traditional remedies from various Indonesian herbs. They built and rent out paddy granary that brings in sufficient profit to secure its 150 live in students to pay for school fees and uniform for formal education. Throughout the years after the tsunami, those live in orphans eagerly participate in various livelihood trainings and grow to be more involved in establishing the institution’s home economics program and income generating activities. Accomplishment like this one makes it clear that we are headed in the right direction.

Panti YAWI Orphanage - Fish Farm

The orphanage is in preparation of the fish farm.

Orphans at Panti Al-Munawwarah Orphanage

Pak Zul, the Head of the orphanage (far left), Pak Riza Andes -Hope 4 Our Children's consultant - (far right) with Panti Al-Munawwarah orphans.

Panti Al-Munawwarah Orphanage - Chicken Farm - Cage

Panti Al-Munawwarah Orphanage - Chicken Farm

Orphans at YAWI Orphanage - Excited to be Involved

Orphans at Panti YAWI Orphanage - Farm Maintenance

Orphans at Panti YAWI, West Sumatera - In Charged of the Farm

Orphans are in charged of duck farm maintenance. Those youth learn livelihood skill of maintaining a duck farm. They are excited to participate in selling the eggs as they'd receive additional allowance each time they sell eggs to local markets, restaurants.

Orphans at Panti YAWI Orphanage

Mini Grant from QED Family Fund for Duck Farming Project, West Sumatera

In January 2010, Hope 4 Our Children received a mini grant from The QED Family Fund in the amount of $3,000 to implement the Duck Project. Hope 4 Our Children proceeds with collaborating with Panti Yayasan Wanita Islam Orphanage (YAWI Orphanage) in West Sumatera in implementing the Duck Project. After September 30, 2009 earthquake in West Sumatera, the living condition in the orphanages at becomes increasingly untenable and demands immediate interventions. Some of the orphans have been evacuated by their family members as most of the rooms were destroyed by the earthquake. Hope 4 Our Children funds a duck project at Panti Yayasan Wanita Islam Orphanage (YAWI Orphanage) for a couple of reasons. (1) to provide egg as source of nutrition for the orphans, (2) to provide livelihood training for the orphans by involving them in the farm maintenance, (3) to help YAWI Orphanage be a self sustained institution.

With the funding, YAWI Orphanage built the farm to place the ducks and bought 100 ducks. The orphanage sets up a schedule for students/orphans to maintain the duck farm. The students/orphans learn that in order to produce eggs, ducks need a good quality diet, protection from the elements and predators, and a clean environment. In addition, ducks need a high quality feed on a regular basis and vitamins. Food should be protected from light and heat, as these can cause rapid breakdown of vitamins that are crucial to ducks health. Insects and rodents carry bacteria and parasites that can make ducks sick, and should not be allowed to come in to contact with ducks’ food. Any food that is moldy, moist, or old should be thrown out and ducks should get plenty of feed daily. These are some of the farm maintenance tips that the students learn as they take turn in cleaning the cage and feeding the ducks.

Hope 4 Our Children hires a consultant to oversee the implementation of the project and to provide expertise to the project. The consultant, Riza Andesca, is a graduate student majoring in Animal Husbandry at Andalas University. He provides his expertise in building and maintenance of the duck farm. He visits the orphanage once to twice a week to monitor the project implementation phase and to ensure that the project is implemented within the target.

Duck Farming Project in West Sumatera

Three Dayah boys in front of the new dorm

The twins Hasan and Husain (tsunami survivors) as well as another boy stood in front of the newly finished dorm.

Dayah Babulilmi's dorm project - completed

The construction of Dayah Babulilmi orphanage boarding school's dorm has been completed. The dorm with 12 rooms and 12 bathrooms was built for 87 tsunami orphans in Dayah Babulilmi, Sigli, Aceh.

Hope 4 Our Children raised $58,000 for the construction of this dorm from a fundraiser helped by John Stevens, Sterling Charitable Gift Funds as well as donation from The Embassy of Indonesia in Washington D.C.

Temporary houses project in Jogjakarta - completed

Temporary houses project for 15 families victim of Jogjakarta earthquake is completed. With $2,300 we received from donors in Washington DC in June 2006, we were able to help 15 families in Bantul area have a place to live. Through a cooperation with a local partner, Dompet Dhuafa, we helped those families by building 15 temporary houses replacing their destroyed houses. (Imagine, with $150 we can build one temporary house!)

Dompet Dhuafa, Hope 4 Our Children's local partner on the ground sent us these pictures. You can see in the picture: The "Kepala Kampung"/Head of village (with the yellow hat), the woman with the yellow T-shirt stood proudly in front of her house and a representative from Dompet Dhuafa (with black and green shirt).

Houses for Jogja earthquake victims

Dompet Dhuafa sent us pictures of the temporary houses in Jogjakarta. You can see the Hope 4 Our Children's logo and Dompet Dhuafa's logo on the name plate just above the door.

Kuli Dollar sponsored children program

Kuli Dollar is a mailing list of group of Indonesians who reside in Washington D.C. metro area. For the past year, they started sponsoring disadvantaged children in Jakarta area, through their program called Senyum Sedolar (means smile with a dollar: encouraging each member to contribute $1).

Tenri Parani, the most active member and initiator of this informal organization, asked us to visit the children they have been sponsoring for the past year under the Kuli Dollar sponsored children program (the program initiated by Mbak Nurul Fatiyah) when he learned of our trip to Jakarta. They are sending their donation through the help of a local partner, an organization called Al-Mustadha'afiin.

Tenri asked us to deliver a total of $1,700 contribution from Kuli Dollar. The breakdown is the following:

* A total of $1,500 earmarked for Jogjakarta was given to Ibu Ayat (Al-Mustadha'afiin). She also has some programs helping the earthquake victims.

* A total of $100 was used to buy bags for the children (we ourselves contributed another $50 for the bags purchase).

* A total of $100 we allocated for the Jogjakarta housing program (please see my report "Temporary Houses for Bantul Residence - 3rd day" (July 1, 06)).

***

My husband Arif Mustofa and I visited two sites of Kuli Dollar sponsored children. One of the place was located near Cipinang garbage disposal area.



Picture: my husband Arif (wearing light blue T-shirt) spoke with the disadvantaged children, and gave them encouragement to stay in school. The children can't afford a merely Rp 40,000 monthly tuition (equivalent to $5/month).

We first met the children, talked to them and answered any questions they may have, and after that, we visited the place they lived.

We can't call their houses permanent. The buildings were only about 6 feet tall, with tiny door and windows. The houses were attached to each other. Each of them contain only 2 rooms of about 4 feet by 4 feet each room, The outer room functions as their living room, while the inner room are their bedroom (all members of family: parents and cildren). No bathrooms are to be found in the buildings. They go to public bathrooms located in the center of the complex. It cost Rp 300 to use the bathroom. Their condition wrer so poor. As we walked through the location of the garbage disposal, we can find that some of the semi permanent houses were built on top of those garbages. The children sponsored by Kuli Dollar live in this very place. Some of them (about 15 out of the 30 children) are orphans. Their mothers work as clothes washer with barely enough to afford for food.

At the end of the meeting, we distributed school bags for those children. The bags were quality bags but affordable. We bought at Cempaka Mas, a wholesale mall. They were very happy as you can see from the pictures.

Kuli Dollar members- just to let you know that your initiatives are so wonderful. Each and everyone of you makes a difference in the lives of these children. You are giving them opportunity and the hope for a better future.

Bless each and everyone of you. My husband and I were very lucky to have had a chance to meet them on behalf of you, and chatted with those children.


Ina Nasution

School bags for the children

Picture: The children looked so happy for the gift (bags) we brought them. Imagine that to some of them this was his/her first school bag ever.

We bought the 60 bags from the donation given by Kuli Dollar.

I also introduced my son Akmal (the little boy wearing black T-shirt) and my nephew Arshad (the little boy with the red pants) to Kuli Dollar sponsored children.

Temporary houses for Bantul residence - the 3rd day

Temporary house for Mbah Sukiman


Picture: here is the temporary house for Mbah Sukiman in the third day of construction.

We spent three days in Jogjakarta. When we left Jogjakarta, the constructions of the temporary houses are in progress. Some of the houses are in pieces, some of them have been used already. The temporary houses concept are suitable for Jogjakarta residents who are still hesitant to stay inside their house. They rather camp outside their houses as they still fear for more earthquakes. These temporary houses are not only economical, practical, but they are also earthquake proof, perfect for Jogjakarta and Bantul residence.

We are very pleased to learn that with less than $2,300, we are able to help house 15 families in Bantul area. This donation stretches a long way.


Ina Nasution

Temporary house for Mbah Biyo

Picture: here is the house for Mbah Biyo. Almost ready to use by the 3rd day of construction. We are pleased to learn that Dompet Dhuafa used local carpenters to build these temporary houses.

Temporary house for Mbah Pawiro/Parjiyem

Picture: here is the temporary house of Mbah Pawiro/Parjiyem, victims of Jogjakarta earthquake. With the funds we received from Washington area donors, we built this temporary house for Mbah Pawiro/Parjiyem.

Temporary house for Mbah Karjo/Tuminem

Picture: Here is the temporary house for this elderly couple victims of the earthquake. Dompet Dhuafa with its expertise provided fast & ready made temporary house in 3 days! Donors from Washington DC area / Hope 4 Our Children helped Mbah Karjo/Tuminem, the earthquake victims in Bantul, Jogjakarta.

Trip to Jogjakarta

After my visit to Aceh, I began another journey to Jogjakarta, a place recently hit by an earthquake. The earthquaked claimed thousands of lives and wounded ten thousands more.

I visited Jogjakarta with my husband Arif and my son Akmal. They came because we also planned to visit my husband's extended family, who live in Klaten. Their houses were shaken by the earthquake. One of his distant family suffered a back injury that paralized her.

We began our journey by visiting a Junior High School in Bantul, a place most hardly hit by the earthquake. Dompet Dhuafa, Hope 4 Our Children's local partner in Aceh project, accompanied us. Dompet Dhuafa is a local organization that has allocated about Rp 3 billion (or about $300,000) for victims' basic needs in eight locations in Jogjakarta. According to one Dompet Dhuafa's representative, Arif Abdulllah, most of the victims' basic needs have been provided by donation from both international and local donors (as well as from the government). They still need help in the recovery process. One of the efforts done by Dompet Dhuafa is providing tents as temporary classroom in SMP Bambanglipuro (Bambanglipuro HS). They were meeting with the principal, teachers as well as the head of Kampong (village) who informed the students'data and copies of their ID cards.

It was fortunate that the earthquake did not happen during school hours, one of the teachers stated. Otherwise there would have been more victims.

The ceilings in classrooms were completely destroyed; some of them are covered with glass, now scattered all over the place.

Photo destruction in a classroom in Bantul

Temporary school project called Sekolah Ceria

We continued our tour by visiting a camp served as temporary classroom for elementary school children in Bantul. Their school was completely destroyed. It will take months before they can use their classrooms. A psychologist from Dompet Dhuafa is conducting psychosocial interventions toward the children to help treat them recover from trauma. They play, sang and learn together. The students are provided lunch everyday. This program called Sekolah Ceria is supported by college students served as volunteers. (Dompet Dhuafa has a separate scholarship program for college students. These students were coordinated as volunteers to help assist these temporary classrooms.) There are 12 tent classes conducted simultaneously all over Jogjakarta.

Hope 4 Our Children provides some of its funds to support the implementation of one temporary class in Bantul area.

Picture: temporary class Sekolah Ceria.

Sekolah Ceria

Picture: one of volunteer teacher at temporary class Sekolah Ceria and the children attending Sekolah Ceria.

Temporary house for Mbah Dakir

Picture: here is a house for Mbah Dakir, who was a victim of Jogjkarta earthquake.



Ina Nasution

A school in Bantul

The banner hanging at an elementary school in Bantul "Now accepting new students".

One of my husband's extended family - a survivor

My husband Arif's extended family originated from Klaten, 20 kilometers from Jogjakarta. One of his mother's cousins was a survivor. She suffered a broken back bone, and is still in intensive care unit at Assyafiah Hospital in Bantul. We visited her at the hospital. She still looks very weak. Thankfully her friend is one of the doctors at this hospital. We are hoping she will receive treatments she needs to help her recover. Her house is ground zero, debris were the only thing that remained. Out of respect and privacy, my husband advised me not to take her picture.

A child victim

Indra Sulaiman, a six-year old boy, was at home with his dad when the earthquake happened. A column feel on his thigh. It was broken. Fortunately within a couple of days, he was helped by a medic team from Russia. They installed a disk in his thigh. He still has not fully recovered. However he has been so eager to go back to school; he has been watching his friends from the temporary class Sekolah Ceria learn.

(I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to bring my son Akmal along to visit the destroyed areas as well as to visit the victims. I hope this experience helps shape his views to feel compassionate to less fortunate people. I asked him to talk and chat with Indra.)

Picture: my son Akmal in temporary classroom, in Bantul.

Temporary housing for widows in Bantul

My husband and I received funds from Washington area donors as well as from Hope 4 Our Children, for a total of about $2,300 (note: out of this $2,300, a total of $1,000 was from a donor at MCC, Maryland). We decided to allocate 100% of the funds for construction of 15 houses for the earthquake victims (and the remaining amount for one temporary class Sekolah Ceria). Through the help and expertise of Dompet Dhuafa, who identified the location of people who needed the most help: the earthquake victims in Kadirojo village, Bantul.



Picture: widows victims of earthquake spoke with Dompet Dhuafa representatives and my husband (in blue shirt).

The funds will be allocated to build temporary houses for those victims. The cost of construction is about Rp 1.2 million or about $145. The size is about 4 meters X 5 meters, located in front of their destroyed houses. The houses will be built by local carpenters, employing earthquake survivors who have relevant skills.

Dompet Dhuafa representatives, Arif Abdullah and Putra, along with my husband Arif Mustofa, spoke in front of the victims, all of them are widows. They are still struggling to make ends meet. There were 15 families helped by this amount. They were very pleased to learn that their -temporary- houses will be built.

One of the victims with her children

Picture: one of the victims to be helped by the funds from Washington area donors/Hope 4 Our Children. Background is their destroyed house.

A victim with two broken legs

Picture: here is one of the victims' daughter (who suffered broken legs). We will help this family by building a temporary house for them.

Helping mbah Purwo

Picture: here is Mbah Purwo in front of her -used to be- house. We will build a temporary house for her.



Ina Nasution

Aceh - Subulussalam's Mixed farming project

The program just started about two months ago. Mixed farming is one of the efforts supported by Hope 4 Our Children to help Dayah Subulussalam self sufficient.

Dayah Subulussalam bought 78 chickens for egg production. The chicken produces about 70 eggs daily. The amount is sufficient to provide nutritious food for the students. When the supply is sufficient for the boarding school, DS sells the eggs to the local market. The local market welcomes this, as the price is Rp 50 cheaper than the market price of Rp 500.

Picture: egg production.

the students are in charged

Henri (wearing brown shirt) is a senior in Dayah Subulussalam high school. His extracurricular activity is to manage this mixed farming program. He was appointed as the person in charge for the mixed farming project.

Picture: in front of the mixed farming project cage.

He explained to me that he is extremely pleased with this responsibility. He is helping Dayah Subulussalam. At the same time, he also is learning the sets of skills he will need once he graduates from high school. He mentioned that he wants to learn more about mixed farming, and asked me to send him literatures from the US to help equip him with better skills.

Handicraft Subulussalam products

Beside making snacks and cake, they are taught how to make handicraft to sell. One girl received a scholarship to attend a training on how to make handicraft in Jakarta last month. She came back and trained her peers how to make handicraft.

I was very thrilled to see how creative they are. I brought back samples of their work (anyone interested in buying? All the proceeds will be given to Dayah Subulussalam children).

Picture: the girls in front of their handicrafts.

Dayah Subulussalam girls handicrafts

Picture: the girls just started making handicrafts. It is one of the alternatives for home industry.

helping hands of U.S. children for Acehnese children

Following tsunami, people from all walk of life mourned, helped and contributed what they can to the tsunami victims. The donors were not only professionals or housewifes, but also elementary school children.

Hope 4 Our Children received donation from at least two schools, Al-Fatih Academy in Virginia and Waterford Elementary School (through their PTO). They did not only convey their concern and express their condolences, but they took an extra step to help the tsunami survivors by collecting funds for them. Those children were able to raise more than $3,000 in total!! In addition, girl scout children of Sterling, Virginia also participated in the fundraising event held by John Stevens (Dragonslayer Application), by singing and donating (see picture).

These funds were allocated 100% for the contruction and refurbishment in Dayah Subulussalam orphanage boarding school.

With their donation, Al-Fatih children also sent their letters to the tsunami victims. They sent their condolenses to those Acehnese orphans. I was not fully aware of this, until an Acehnese child gave me a response to an Al-Fatih's child letter. During my visit, I took my time to collect replies from Acehnese children.
(Dayah Subulussalam children responded and wrote back letters to US children thanking them for their thoughtfulness and for their help. I received more than 20 letters to bring home with me.)

I was extremely touched by how much of a difference a small kind gesture from a child can make and can effect another; how priceless those children's contribution were, by taking a step to raise fund and donate, as well as expressing their condolences and thoughts to help those Acehnese children heal.

I ended my journey to Aceh by inserting all those letters into my plastic folder. I will keep them safe until I can hand them to AlFatih children or Waterfold Elementary school children. This trip has been so fulfiling. I just can't express how much a small gesture, small amount of money can stretch a long way here in Aceh. hope I can convey the message accross on my short blogs.


Ina Nasution

About Dayah Subulussalam

There are 223 children of Dayah Subulussalam (DS), a total of 102 children are live-in students. Dayah Subulussalam provides Islamic education as well as formal education. Out of 102 live-in children, a total 49 children are not able to pay monthly tuition of Rp 180,000 or $20 (including cost of living at dorms, cost of food and education). These students are orphans or very poor children. This was the reason why DS has been having problems affording themselves, let alone accepting tsunami survivors into DS.

DS has 19 full time teachers; they are bachelors graduate and associate degree graduates from colleges all over Indonesia.

Picture: Dayah Subulussalam's children in front of one of the refurbished dorms. They were holding Hope 4 Our Children banner.

Dayah Subulussalam school management

The school management is still not sufficient. Currently, the absentees list were not recorded, and the grading record are kept manually (means: hand written). There is so much room for improvement.

I took the opportunity to train three teachers who are computer literate, on different forms to simplify school management. I just derived them from simple excel tables: how to make simple attendance sheet, record students’ grades as well as list of final students’ grades and tuition payment record. We generated different tables and forms for the use of school management.

They just recently received a desktop and printer from Department of Education’s local branch. In addition, I brought with me a used laptop donated by Ratna Siregar (Hope 4 Our Children VP) and a new printer, donated by Pinky Mara, Hope 4 Our Children volunteer. They were very thrilled of the donation. Hopefully this can improve the school management.

Training the new Dayah Subulussalam teachers

Dayah Subulussalam just recruited six new teachers for the formal school. They came from universities all over Indonesia. Elly Risman, the Education Director and founder of Dayah Subulussalam, who is based in Jakarta, also visited Dayah Subulussalam with Ina Nasution. She took the opportunity to gave the orientation as well as train the six new Dayah Subulussalam teachers.

Picture: Elly Risman, conducted teacher training for the six new teachers.

Met Dayah Subulussalam children

On behalf of Hope 4 Our Children, I brought gifts for children in the form of school bags. The children gathered at a meeting place. Before that, the principal, Mr. Bambang Achiruddin, who was a graduate of prestigious teacher college in Jakarta, asked both Elly Risman and I to speak in front of the children.

It was a good opportunity to meet face to face with the children. I encouraged them to learn and read. I took the same quote (in Dayah Babulilmi), the first word from Allah in the Quran Iqro which means Read. I stated you all learn not only from the school, but you can learn merely from anybody and from books you read. Please always remember that today has to be better than yesterday, and tomorrow should be better than today.

To further motivate them, I shared an experience of my late grandmother, Tinur M. Nur, who came from a very small village called Pandai Sikek in West Sumatra. I told this story to Dayah Babulilmi students. She was only elementary school graduate, but she had such will power and motivation to read, to learn, and to give women opportunity to learn at school. At the age of 16 (it must have been in mid 1920), along with several of her girl friends, they were determined to build a school for girls. They picked up stone from a river nearby, and passed them one by one, hands to hands to build a school building. Finally the building was in place. It was the first school for women in Sumatra, called Diniyah Putri. (I didn’t mention to them that in the process my grandmother and her friends were arrested by the Dutch for trying to gather people). It is very important to have a dream and a goal. If you fail, don’t be discouraged. Keep on trying. Insha Allah, you will find your way.


Picture: Ina spoke in front of Dayah Subulussalam children.

New bags for the children

The children were so eager. Imagine Indonesian school system that did not encourage students to raise their hands. After I spoke, there were three students raising their hands to ask me questions. It took them a lot of courage to do that, and I am very, very proud of them.

Gift for the children – new bags! They were very happy. Alhamdulillah, thanks to Allah.

Bag for Dayah children

Picture: Ina and one of Dayah Subulussalam girl who just received a new bag. On the right hand side (wearing black) is Elly Risman, the founder and Education Director of Dayah Subulussalam.



Ina Nasution

Masjid in Subulussalam

Dayah Subulussalam has one- almost complete-masjid for its residence to pray. The construction is almost done. It has been used for praying since a couple of months ago. It still lacks bathrooms and a place for ablution.

Masjid's Bathroom

Masjid's bathroom is still not yet built (see picture).

Cultural notes

Here is my picture riding a becak at Subulussalam. Becak is a mean of transportation in many cities in Indonesia. I thought I should share this picture (to my son).