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How Susila Dharma USA funds projects
Twice a year, at bi-annual board meetings, the Susila Dharma USA board determines how much money there is for allocating in grants to projects. The board then goes over the grant requests that have been received from national and international projects supported in the past as well as requests from projects that are new to SD USA. In order to decide about which grant requests to fund the board reviews the grant requests as well as reports from the projects to see if the needs and justifications are straightforward or if more information is needed. Through discussion amongst the board, and sometimes follow up with the project, project leader or SD International, the board determines whether it's a good use of SD USA funds to give a grant for the coming 6 months or year and if so what amount of money and in what installments. Sometimes SD USA is able to grant the whole amount that was requested and sometimes this is not possible because funds are limited, or the amount seems too large.
Most projects have partners—other national Susila Dharma organizations, non-governmental organizations, churches, etc. Only with these partners are so many needs able to be covered. For a given project, the portion contributed by Susila Dharma USA members is usually only a small percentage of a project’s costs. Throughout the year, the board constantly adjusts its grants between its budget, changing needs, support from other partners, the Almoners Fund, and the emergency needs, It’s not an easy job, but it’s very rewarding.
2006 PROJECT LIST
NATIONAL:
ALMONERS FUND - USA
The Almoners fund gives out one-time emergency grants of $100 to $500 to individuals in dire financial straits.
BELLINGHAM COMMUNITY MEALS - Bellingham, WA
This program provides free meals to the needy of Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington, in an environment of friendliness and respect. SD USA funds this project in partnership with local churches. Icsan Reynolds.
MONTEREY BAG LUNCH - Monterey, CA
The Subud group in Monterey, CA meets monthly to prepare and distribute bag lunches for homeless people in their area.
PROJECT QUEST - Portland, OR
Project Quest Integrative Health Center is a holistic center specializing in providing care, community and education to people with chronic and life-challenging illnesses, including HIV/AIDS and cancer. Emphasis is placed on creating a healing, accepting atmosphere, and uses alternative therapies, nutritional education, and healthy community meals to foster a sense of support and belonging. As one long-time participant explains, it has "literally saved my life." The project was started in 1989 by Lusijah Marx.
TEEN MOMS & MORE - Kirkland, WA and Los Angeles, CA
Teenage parents attending high school are given useful and fun items for their babies and themselves. They are given encouragement and support to continue their education and provide positive parenting.
TUNING IN - Miramonte, CA
A creative arts camp in a rural setting is provided for low-income children to explore music, puppetry, drama, arts and crafts. Mahalia LoMele.
WITH OPEN HANDS - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Michael and Michaela Cook run this program working with Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. This project provides services to low- and fixed-income residents. A food pantry serves 40 - 80 families per month with staples and non-perishable food. An English as a Second Language (ESL) class currently enrolls about 25 students.
INTERNATIONAL:
ASOCIACION VIVIR - Ecuador
Innovative health education program teaching women how to take responsibility for their families' health. Combines low-cost Western, Native and alternative traditional health practices with nutritional and psychological training.
BINA CITA UTAMA - Kalimantan, Indonesia
Scholarships for local Dayak children are provided to attend this school located in Rungan Sari. Salamah Dick.
YAYASAN USAHA MULIA (Y.U.M.) - Indonesia
YUM is one of the oldest Susila Dharma initiatives. It was started in 1975 by a group of Indonesians and expatriates for the purpose of aiding the poor and destitute in Indonesia. It is a registered charity in Indonesia, and is also an associate member of Susila Dharma International, which has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC0 and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
YUM oversees several charitable organizations, including:
CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - Indonesia
Founded in 1976, the Children's Village is located about 100 kms from Jakarta, up in the hills of Cipanas. It is a home for children aged 5 - 18, and can accommodate about 60 - 70 children. The children are orphans, from broken or very poor homes, or from troubled families who can't support their children emotionally or financially. The aim of the project is to raise and educate the children so that they become self-reliant, self-disciplined people with sufficient education and skills. The children are supported to go to school, and are provided with all their basic needs and supplies.
PREPARATORY SCHOOLS (KUU) - Cipulir & Pondok Aren, Jakarta
Established in 1982, this was originally called the "Market Boys" project. Its purpose was to rescue street children from begging in the streets and it provided them with simple skills by which they could do something useful to earn money. This project eventually expanded to two 'Prep Schools" which now operate in the slum areas of Cipulir and Pondok Aren. The schools prepare students for enrollment in public school to continue their education.
INDONESIA RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT NETWORK (IRDN) - Indonesia
Formed in 1998 in response to the Indonesian economic crisis and the resulting hardship to thousands of families, IRDN provides relief by distributing basic food and supplies to families living within and near Subud groups in Indonesia. The project also supports children to stay in school. The long term goal of this network is to build self-reliance through village co-operatives. Oliva Reksodipoetro.
TEUNOM PRESCHOOL - Rebuilding a school destroyed by the tsunami
The 2004 tsunami destroyed the successful Makar Belia Preschool in Aceh which had 50 students. An international funding collaboration, including a group in Crestone, Colorado, has allowed the full rebuilding of the school. This project is now complete.
CLEAN WATER PROJECT - Providing community-managed clean water supplies
A clean water supply is essential to the good health of a community, reducing the occurrence of diseases. In 2002, IRDN built two wells and tower reservoirs and a pipeline network in a transmigration site to bring clean water to 102 houses. Education was provided on personal and environmental hygiene. Management and maintenance have been handed over to the stakeholders under local village administration. Funding is being raised for several other communities who have requested similar projects. This project is coordinated with the Malaria Control project to reduce the risk of malaria resulting from poorly managed water systems.
CLEAR PATH INTERNATIONAL
Clear Path International serves landmine accident survivors, their families and their communities in Southeast Asia. Its programs include medical and social services for individual survivor families and capacity-building support to local hospitals, such as medical equipment and supplies donations, and technical training and support. Imbert Matthee.
COMPLEX SCOLAIRE LEMBU IMBU - D.R. Congo
This school in Kinshasa provides food, health, and community services as well as the educational needs of children and adults. Charlotte Ndona.
FUNDACION AMANECER - Colombia
This Foundation in Armenia, Colombia, offers community preschool education, child-care, and micro-enterprise training for teens and adults. Fundacion Amanecer also provided support for families displaced by the 1999 earthquake in Armenia.
FUNDACION SEMILLAS Amor y Fe - Colombia
Fundacion Semillas Amor y Fe is a school for young children offering community outreach programs. The school is located in an impoverished community in Colombia, an area that includes homeless families and those who had to abandon their homes and belongings in the countryside due to war.
FUNDACION EDUCUTIVA AMOR - Colombia
Fundacion Educutiva Amor is a school and community center in Soacha, a migrant community on the outskirts of Bogota, which provides primary and secondary education and a range of community support services for students and their families.
INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (ICDP) - South America
The primary purpose of ICDP is to keep children alive, and provide them with the love and attention they need when they are young to become
good parents. ICDP helps break the cycle of poverty and neglect by providing training classes to parents and caregivers of children to reactivate caring skills. ICDP often works with communities that have been uprooted by extreme poverty, migration, war and disease. Sensitizing enriches the relationship between caregivers and their children.
Q FUND - Africa
TIERRAVIVA - Argentina
Creative classes in art, drama, and dance are provided to incarcerated women with their preschool children who also live in prison with them. Rasjad Cesar.
TIJUANA CHILDREN - Mexico
School supplies and clothing are collected and distributed by Subud San Diego, CA, to children living in poverty in this border town.
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