Charity Events: friends to keep children off the streets

October 31st, 2009 was a very special day for Friends of Nurani Insani. On that day, we had our first and second fund raising events all happened in the same day.

In the morning, fifty kilometers from Melbourne, Australia, a garage sale was held in Rosebud by our dearest friends Joan and Malcolm Haynard. They are very concern with our micro-financing project and families like Atin’s and Tasrifah’s. With the support of Joan and Malcolm Haynard’s friends, the garage sale raised AUD$ 1,705 equal to IDR 14,770,000.

Joan and Malcolm Haynard's Garage Sale

At night in Jakarta, Indonesia, a Halloween Party was held to not only raise the fund but also raise the attention of local’s awareness to the condition of Nurani Insani school through social media Twitter. The guest were from Jakarta Twitter Users Group (JTUG), FoNI committee members and friends. That night, we raised IDR 1,710,000, a computer and a printer for Nurani Insani.

Raising voice and awareness in costumes

Thanks to all of our friends in Rosebud and Jakarta for their generosity and caring, more families will be included to the micro-financing project. With this project more children will be taken off the streets and can start concentrating on their studies and plays.

We will continue reporting stories of families and children from the micro-financing project, so stay tune!

Vintage Decoration

a mere decoration, broken & old

the closed windows to put behind

The Students understand that computer is a very valuable item. Not because when it connects to the internet it then becomes a window to the world, but because it does not get thrown away when broken by its old age.

FoNi is looking for the opportunity to give the students access for more information and education. Those vintage decorations needed to be replaced with functional items that can help us to explain the kids; there are options than to work on the streets.

To help us redecorating the students’ lives, click HERE

Upik and Andrean

Upik, mother of Andrean

Pictured above on the left is Upik.

Upik really struggles financially. She has a young son named  Andrean who is a student in the elementary school at Yayasan Nurani Insani in Petamburan, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Upik’s husband died when Andrean was just seven months old. Life has been very hard for her—paying the rent and finding money for food for Andrean and herself have been a constant worry for her.

Upik asked if she could have our help to start her own small business.  She brought samples of her idea along to school for us to see and try. She would like the capital to cook these sweet doughnuts which are topped with the sugary syrup pictured in the bucket on the left.

All she is waiting for is a Friend to help her with IDR 200,000 (about US$20).

Friends of Nurani Insani have told  Upik we will try to find a caring person/family who would like to help her.

We have many people waiting for help—their stories are different but the need is the same—just a small amount of money goes a long way here towards self sufficiency, and, it keeps the kids off the streets.

To date all of our schemes are successful and two have even expanded with a bit of extra help.

To help Upik and others like her, click HERE

Atin and Rafli

Atin was in such a desperate situation a short while ago, with children sick and her husband out of work, that she approached a hospital and offered to sell one of her kidneys so she could feed and look after her family.

Atin, mother of Rafli, and her gasoline stand in Tanah Abang. Motor-cyclists are her particular buyers

Look at the difference about 1 million Rupiah (+/- AUS$ 112) has made to the lives of these people.
A little business that is growing every day—the stand has just been freshly painted by reinvesting the profits from the first month of operation.

Atin has just asked if we could extend her an extra 50,000 Rupiah (+/- AUS$ 6) so she can purchase a crate of bottled tea to resell.  She can see a market opportunity for herself, through the hot, thirsty cyclists when they purchase their petrol. She has an old esky frig which she will fill with ice to keep the bottles chilled.

Atin is now working on the street side with both of her kidneys intact.

Dada and Safaat

Dada needed help to survive.

Friends of Nurani Insani funded her starting stock of vegetables for this now thriving little business which Dada runs with help from her husband.

Dada & husband, parents of Safaat

It means a very early start for this family, as Dada goes to the market and buys at wholesale prices then sells on to people in her  neighbourhood. But with this little business, Dada’s son Safaat can concentrate on his study at Yayasan Nurani Insani and stay off the streets.

Dada was very keen to get established as the Idul Adha celebrations will take place late November.  This is a time for cows and goats to be  sacrificed and the meat distributed to the needy.  Vegetables will be needed at this special celebration time and Dada is now set up, ready to sell her fresh produce.

Samsul and Ketupat

This boy and his family have been assisted by a scheme designed for parents of students at Yayasan Nurani Insani.  The scheme provides small amounts of money for financially disadvantaged families to start up their own small business.  Applicants are assessed by the school and if their ideas are sound, the project is recommended to Friends of Nurani Insani (FoNI) for funding.

Samsul told us that he can make a Ketupat in two minutes.  His materials are decorative tapes and the end result looks very attractive.  He and his mother decide on the colour schemes and work together to produce the finished goods.  In the past, they have worked for a third person who has supplied the materials and made most of the profits.

Samsul & his trophy for his excellence ketupat making

Samsul's Ketupat

Friends of Nurani Insani through Yayasan Nurani Insani, decided to help Samsul and his mother by advancing them the money to buy their own materials.  Now they make then directly sell their Ketupat to local clients.  From all reports, they are doing well and all of the profits from their hard work are theirs to keep.

This family now have a means of supporting themselves and earning enough money to buy food.

Tasrifah and Firman

This family was the first to be assisted by a scheme for parents of students at Yayasan Nurani Insani, in order to keep away their children from working on the street  The scheme provides small amounts of money for financially disadvantaged families to start up a small business.  Applicants are assessed by the school and if their ideas are sound, the project is recommended to Friends of Nurani Insani (FoNI).

Tasrifah and Firman

The young boy, Firman, on the right was the sole provider for his family as his father passed away some months ago.  Firman was working at the traffic lights begging every afternoon and into the night until he gathered enough money for rice for his family for that day.  He is also legally blind. FoNI provided his glasses and specialist eye consultations.  He can now sit close to the front of his classroom and take part in day to day lessons.

Friends of Nurani Insani through Yayasan Nurani Insani, heard of the family’s plight and advanced 165,000 rupiah (about Aus $17)  to enable the mother, Tasrifah, to purchase the ingredients to cook and sell breakfasts.  After just four weeks, business was increasing and there was a demand for lunches as well.  A further advance of 200,000 rupiah (about Aus$20) was made to cover the cost of expansion.

The child now helps his mother to sell food but no longer works at the traffic lights.  Business is good and this family now have a means of supporting themselves with dignity and pride.

Tio can now see!

Reported of not being able to see the whiteboard which lead to the examination with an eye specialist, one of boy left with a far better result.

He received a glasses and now have no trouble following his classes and reading the whiteboard.

Back in the time when his eyes were still troublesome, he always attended the school with smile. His smiles are now wider and his eyes are always brighter every time he greet his friends and teachers at school.

To Ibu Een, who always stands at the door of Nurani Insani to greet children every morning, Tio always shows off that his glasses are still in good condition.

This is the picture of Tio playing with bubble in ESL class. That day, they learned letter B, and Tio had no trouble chasing every bubble.

Tio in glasses

Legally blind students to be taught Braille

We were informed about three students who had hard times reading the whiteboard. After taking them to an eye specialist, two of them were announced legally blind. The news devastated us more when the specialist said there is nothing can be done to change the situation.

For now these students and under regular care of a Professor at SOS International Jakarta and they are receiving multi-vitamins to maximize the little sight they do have. The boys are still attending school in Nurani Insani.

FoNI is now aiming to have these two wonderful boys taught Braille. We welcome all the help we could get so these students can continue their study.

English as A Second Language (ESL) Program

FoNI started its involvement in Nurani Insani school by commencing ESL (English as a Second Language) in May 2009.Both teachers and students were very excited to receive the lesson. We are hoping through English and aside from getting a new language skill, the school will gain extra confidence and motivation for better quality of education

Classes are on Thursday for students in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. We have included preschoolers in English classes starting August 2009.

Kirstin in grade 6 class