NewsletterJanuary - March 2017

Indonesia Field Office

Economic Empowerment through Independent Villages in Gampoeng Blang Adoe, North Aceh

To embody economic improvement within the small enterprise community in Gampoeng Blang Adoe, Kuta Makmur, North Aceh, effective skill training is necessary to be implemented among the locals. Therefore, facilities, capital, and training should be adopted together as one continuous program. Muslim Aid Indonesia, funded by Muslim Aid Australia, has launched an empowerment program, where beneficiaries received facilities, capital and training in farming, fishery and sustainable home-based industry.

Facilitated by Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Indonesia, around 50 people are participating in this program. According to the program in charge, Elfi Hasnita, the participants have received various training: sewing,

fertilizer production, fish cultivation and farm produce cultivation. “Financial, innovation, administration, marketing and mentoring are also provided to improve their capacity,” said Elfi Hasnita. The program started in September 2016, and will end on April 2017. “Monitoring and mentoring will continue until the end of the program,” added Elfi. According to Elfi, other than North Aceh, the empowerment program is also running in the eastern part of Aceh, such as in Timbang Langsa and Gampoeng Bayeun. For these areas, the training focuses on food production and sewing.

Rainbow Family Program Ensures Quality Education for Orphans in Aceh

Muslim Aid Indonesia through Rainbow Family Program (Orphan Care) has helped 45 orphans finish their education (middle and high school level). These orphans came from 8 regions in Aceh, such as Bireun, Bener Meriah and Aceh Utara.

“In 2016, there are 45 orphans who had graduated high school.This year, we will add further sponsorship to 43 orphans in Aceh,” said Abdul Hamid, Manager of Rainbow Family Program.

According to Hamid, the program provides financial, as well as supports in health and psychological care.“The orphans receive regular medical check up. We also give mentoring sessions to ensure healthy psychological and mental growth, amidst challenges in their lives. Additionally, we often take the kids to have different learning experiences with outbond programs,” added Hamid.

Currently, Rainbow Family program is supporting 444 orphans from Aceh and Yogyakarta.

Rainbow Family program is a scholarship program for orphans which aims to provide financial support for the continuation of education for orphan and poor children. The funds are given to orphans at the level of kindergarten through high school. Furthermore, Muslim Aid also provides mentoring on sanitation and health for the orphans, as well as coaching on character development to ensure a strong personality and independence in the future.

Health and Education Support For Hundreds of Orphans in Yogyakarta

As part of Muslim Aid Indonesia’s efforts to improve quality of life, support and follow up programs are in place for 111 orphans in Yogyakarta. The main focus is to strengthen the quality of health and education among those in need. Muslim Aid Indonesia, funded by Muslim Aid Australia since 2014, is committed to facilitating basic needs for orphans who take part in the Orphan Aid program. As of January 2017, Muslim Aid Indonesia continues to monitor health, nutrition and education of the orphans. “In terms of nutritional needs, we try to fulfill their nutritional deficit by distributing food packages to 9 orphanages where they live,” said Suharti, Muslim Aid Coordinator in Yogyakarta.

In addition, Muslim Aid also collaborated with Clinic Naura Husada also to facilitate the orphans by givinga free dental examination. Medical check-ups are conducted 3 times a year. “Blood tests and medical check-ups are routinely being conducted. We will also facilitate further medical attention, even if it’s in the hospital, “ said Suharti. As for education, Muslim Aid provides mentorship for orphans. This program aims to develop creativity and capacity outside of school. Other supports include education fee and pocket money.“We monitor the improvement of each kid, academically and non-academically,” said Suharti. According to Wulandari Devi, one of the orphans in the Orphan Aid program, this program has helped her and her friends to be more attentive and versatile.“Through this program, God willing, we have no worries for the future,” said Wulandari.

Bantul Declared Free of Rubbish by 2019

In an effort to support the program of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry that target reduction of plastic waste to 1.9 million tons in 2019. Muslim Aid Indonesia cooperated with the government of Bantul regency, Central Java, declared the village free of garbage on December 25, 2016 . The declaration conducted at the Karangtengah village, Imogiri District.

“This activity is part of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation implemented by Muslim Aid in three villages in Bantul.” Said Muslim Aid Coordinator in Yogyakarta, suharti.

In addition to the declaration, the residents of each village also conducted cleaning the village and planting the trees, facilitated by Muslim Aid. “Carrying a poster campaign on environmental issues, We hope able to increase public awareness about the importance of keeping the village clean and stay green” suharti said.

Vice-Regent of Bantul, Abdul Halim Muslih appreciate the declaration Bantul districts free of garbage in 2019. According to Abdul cleanliness is a part of worship. “Trash has a religious dimension. People who throw litter on the ground means not obey with their religion” added Abdul after doing a joint declaration.

Sustainable Living: Embroidery Skill Training For Timbang Langsa Residents

Muslim Aid Indonesia funded by Muslim Aid Australia organised embroidery skill training for Timbang Langsa, Aceh residents. This training was held for five days with a main focus on make Pucuk Rebong motive.

“The aim of this workshop is to make trainees more independent in economic sustainability,” said program in charge, Elfi Hasnita.

In this training, participants were limited to 15 people. The requirements are enforced in order to make participants limited so that they can optimally follow and pay attention to the training.“After they completed this workshop, they have a duty to teach other villagers who want to learn embroidery skill,“ said Elfi.

In this program, Muslim Aid has also collaborated with the National Crafts Council (Dekranasda) Aceh to assist participants in the market and develop their embroidery products.“The participants will continue to be trained and will be Dekranas partners,” said Elfi.

According to Yunita, one of the participants in this program, she said that the program has improved her skill. “Exactly, with the training me and other participants can easily to make motive embroidery Pucuk Rebong”.

Furthermore, Muslim Aid also facilitates the residents with other trainings such as fish processing and homemade product certification.

Muslim Aid Focuses on Recovery and Rehabilitation Program for Earthquake Victims in Aceh

Muslim Aid Indonesia collaborates with Muslime Helfen Germany and the Indonesian Muslim Humanitarian Foundation (YKMI) to distribute humanitarian aid, such as food, mineral water and hygiene kits for the earthquake victims in Pidie Jaya, Aceh.

The distribution is carried out among 8,234 people in 8 villages of three sub-districts in Pidie Jaya.“The assessment and the distribution of aid in the field is collaboration among Muslim Aid, The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and Disaster Management of Aceh.” said MAI Country Director, Mahfuzur Rahman.

In addition, the recovery and rehabilitation program for the victims will also be implemented in line with the data collected by a team of Muslim Aid Indonesia in the field.“The focus of our recovery program is the provision of clean water supply to the affected residents, and distribution of shelters for families in need,” said Mahfuz.

Muslim Aid Indonesia, Collaborating With MDMC, Establish Disaster Preparedness Schools in Bantul

Indonesia has a high and frequentdisaster risk. Geographically, Indonesia is an archipelago that lies at the conjunction of three active tectonic plates: the Indo-Australian plate, the Eurasian plate and the Pacific plate. These plates are active, and very often form earthquake paths and a series of active volcanoes along the Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and North Sulawesi. Bantul district is one of many areas that is above the surface of these plates and so often become a disaster point, such as earthquakes, landslides, strong winds, floods, fire, and abrasion. Based on this, Muslim Aid Indonesia in collaboration with Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC) conducted a disaster preparedness program in Al-Ma’arif junior high school located in the district of Bantul. “The program aims to enable the school authority to plan a good disaster management. And we will continue this program in other schools ,” said the coordinator of Muslim Aid Yogyakarta, Ms Suharti.

According to Suharti the program is expected to improve the knowledge of teachers and students on causal disaster, as well as to provide a practical skill to be implemented in case of disaster. “The method we use is participatory learning methods, focus group discussions, and also disaster simulation. Alhamdulillah, as many as 213, including teachers and students took part in these activities,” said Suharti. Through these activities the facilitators and stakeholders concluded some key important points to be done continuously: “Implementing disaster preparedness education in accordance with the existing curriculum in schools, socializing disaster preparedness through the school press and evaluating the implementation of the school disaster preparedness once a year,” added Suharti.

Not only in Yogyakarta, Muslim Aid Indonesia will also conduct disaster preparedness program for school in West Nusa Tenggara in 2017

Skill and Business Training for East Aceh’s Residents

Muslim Aid Indonesia provided a skill training in business development for the residents of Gampoeng Bayeun, Rantau Selamat, East Aceh. The project was funded by Muslim Aid Australia, and was facilitated by Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Indonesia (YKMI). Residents from villages participated in this training.

“This training is only the first step and we are focusing on production. The next step will focus on marketing and packaging,” said the Head of YKMI’s Micro Finance Program, Intan Maulida.

In this training, participants were limited to only 30 people, in order to provide optimal attention and quality training materials for each one.“Theraining includes, production of curtains, bed sheets and cookies.We selected 10 participants, from each villages” said Intan.

During this training, all participants were very active. Other than given training materials, the participants were also given motivation to innovate, and to keep up with market demands.“We are encouraged to the innovation, so that our productions are in line with consumers’ demands,” said Upie, one of the participants.

Water Wells and Water System for NTB and Yogjakarta

Funded by Muslim Aid Australia, Muslim Aid Indonesia has finished 60 water wells and 10 water system in West Nusa Tenggara and Yogyakarta. In NTB as many as 11 water wells have already been used in mosques and mushallas by the residents.

In Yogyakarta as many as 12 water wells have already been used in 12 boarding schools and orphanages.

Yogyakarta and NTB sub field office are now had been finished of building the water wells for some that need clean water supply in December 2016. Around 1995 households received easy access clean water.

MAI’s WASH Program supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by providing children with a sustainable water source, reducing the number of fatalities caused by thirst and starvation, providing clean water for farming providing a sustainable and fertile solution for many households and the environment and provide access to clean water for farming providing food for communities.

We Are Grateful To Our Development Partners

Support Education For The Orphans in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar

In order to improve quality of education for orphans, Muslim Aid Indonesia being funded by the Global Ehsan Relief of Singapore launched a program to care for orphans in the city of Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar. The program is in the form of support for education and food for those in need, which is facilitated by the Indonesian Muslim Humanitarian Foundation (YKMI).

“We have already supported 50 orphans who participated in this program, from the age of 3-12 years “Said program in charge, Elfi Hasnita.

According to Elfi future, this support will be extended to other areas such as the districts of Bener Meriah, Aceh Barat Daya, North Aceh and East Aceh in the future.

In this program, educational support will be provided periodically. “Covers school education fees, monthly food cost, costs for uniforms and savings” said Elfi.

In addition, in order to enhance the creativity of the orphans, Muslim Aid Indonesia also provides mentoring support to them