Project : Child Centres

Despite being an emerging country, social and geographical disparities are still commonplace in Indonesia, with half of Indonesian households living below or near the poverty line. This has oftentimes severe repercussions for the children and youths within those households.

Through this project, PER seeks to support five centres, plus a new centre since January 2020, for disadvantaged and stigmatized children and youth, located in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area. They support around 170 girls and boys aged 5 months to 18 years (and up to 21 years for student sponsorships and in exceptional circumstances), mostly from the urban area of Jakarta or from Java, but also from throughout the whole country. The centres provide them immediate access to their basic rights, while giving them the means to build themselves a better future and to become independent adults.

The Nusantara, Mizan Amanah Cipete, KDM, Emmanuel, and YRAP (for fishing families) centres provide orphans, street or very poor children with a stable home, nourishing food, adapted care, and monitored education.
The Citra Baru Centre arranges and sponsors surgery for underprivileged children suffering from cranio-facial deformities (i.e. cleft lip) and provides temporary accommodation.

To improve the care given to children, PER’s assistance provides financial support for daily operational needs, for schooling, and for the general educational needs of the children. This support is essential; without it, most of these centres are unable to accommodate children within acceptable conditions. Thanks to the actions of volunteers who provide language courses, physical/cultural activities, hygienic and sanitary awareness, the associations are able to contribute to the education and enlightenment of the children. The PER committee maintains regular liaison with the centres and ensures the proper use of its aid, its impact and to inquire further about each centre’s individual needs and requirements.

This project enhances and formalizes PER’s programmes in line with their continuous support over the past 20 years to the centres. Some additional activities are planned, depending on funding levels, to increase support for school fees, building renovation, and documentation requirements (i.e. birth certificates).

Support Project for Children and Youth Centres in disadvantaged urban areas of Jakarta, Indonesia:

  • Overall objective:
    Improve the living conditions and future prospects of children and disadvantaged youth
  • Specific objective:
    Improve the quality of education, health and enrichment of the daily life of children in the Nusantara, Emmanuel, Citra Baru, KDM and Mizan Amanah centres
  • Annual cost: IDR 265 million, excluding school fees (2019)

In 2019, 27% of our budget was spent on medical expenses and the other 79% on educational activities (language, sports, culture, professional training (KDM since 2018)).

  • The 5 centres are currently registered with the Department of Social Services and/or the Department of Law and Human Rights.
  • Each centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PER.
  1. The daily operation and the ability to support centres are reinforced.
  2. The education and empowerment of children and youth are provided.
  3. The athletic, artistic and cultural aptitudes and abilities of children and young people are developed.
  4. Health education of children and young people is improved.
  5. The association network for children and underprivileged youth in Jakarta is reinforced.
  • Yayasan Nusantara (Kuningan, Jakarta):
    This home supports 23 disadvantaged boys aged 8 to 21 from across the country.
  • Yayasan KDM (Bekasi):
    A large centre which hosts, rehabilitates and educates 79 street and abandoned children, aged 1 to 20 years.
  • Yayasan Emmanuel (Bogor):
    The “Nicolas” Orphanage accommodates 10 orphaned boys and girls, originally from Jakarta and surrounding areas. Now aged 15-17 years, they were brought together years ago and now form a family.
  • Yayasan Citra Baru (Kemang, Jakarta):
    A foundation that coordinates and supports surgery primarily for infants, children and young people with cranio-facial malformations, tumours and 3rd degree burns. In 2018, 47 children out of 125 patients from across the country have been operated on and given temporary accommodation by the centre.
  • Yayasan Mizan Cipete (Cipete, Jakarta):
    Full support for 17 underprivileged children aged 6 to 14.
  • Yayasan Rumpun Anak Pesisir (Jakarta Utara) (in development):
    This centre supports over 300 families in the fishing district and 65 children who regularly use its services.

Some statistics of our beneficiaries:

Number and gender:
The 5 centres accommodate a total of 100 girls and 150 boys. The disparity between the two genders is due to the fact that Nusantara is a male-only establishment and that KDM receives 2 times more boys than girls.

Age:
– 39% of the children are less than 4 years old, most of whom are in Citra Baru.
– Around 19% are 5 to 10 years old.
– 30% are 11 to 16.
– Approximately 12% are older than 16 years (with the oldest being 22 years old).

Origins (in 2014):
– 43% of the children originate from the Jakarta Metropolitan Area, while 41% are from Java, and another 16% from other islands.
– 12 girls and 40 boys are accommodated at KDM, a centre for street children.
– 10 orphans are currently housed at the Emmanuel Foundation orphanage.

Education (except Citra Baru):
– The majority (58%) of the children are attending primary school.
– 10% of the children are in kindergarten.
– 10% middle school.
– 15% high school.
– Two of the students have opted to pursue a higher education (see Sponsoring project)

Health (Citra Baru):
The children at Citra Baru receive surgeries for cranio-facial malformations, where 73% of the children were operated on for cleft lip or palate. 12% children are operated on for an Hemangioma or another tumor, and a small percentage for a Hydrocephalus, burns, etc.