As a result of assessment done in 2005, Hope 4 Our Children allocated funds to refurbish and paint four Dayah Subussalam's existing dorms. The funds was also used to construct a water system that can provide necessary water in the dorms. The construction of the water system is necessary as a protection mean for the children, especially for the girls. We also build bathrooms and toilets for the children. The project benefited 223 children of the Dayah, which consists of the orphans, tsunami victims, and children from low socio economic background.  

As the condition of the Dayah, both physically and financially, made it almost impossible to support the children, let alone accept more children,  Hope 4 Our Children also allocated funds for the  Dayah to help them to become self sufficient. The funds were used to to start small business of crafting, and mixed farming. 

Additionally,, Hope 4 Our Children has also allocated: 

• funds to cover food for children for eight months
• books, towels and sarong and hygienic supplies for the children

For more information on the Dayah Subussalam project, click here

B. SIGLI PROJECT

• medical equipment: thermometer, blood pressure monitor, exam bed; and medication: which includes penicillin,  flu/cold/cough  medicine, fever medicine, anti biotic, diarrhea/gastrointestinal, medicines.
• three months of a doctor's salary
• three months salary for three nurses

3. Dayah Babul Ilmi -  Orphanage Project

In February 2006, Faizah Badeges, Hope 4 Our Children’s Board of Trustee, visited Sigli and identified Dayah Babulilmi as a target project based on her assessment of the Dayah and recommendation from local leaders in the area. Even though the Dayah had influx of tsunami children, few reliefs reached the Dayah because of the remote location of the Dayah, which is four hours from Banda Aceh.  

As a result of the visit, Hope 4 Our Children allocated $61,998 for Dayah Babulilmi for the construction of 12 rooms and 12 bathrooms for tsunami survivors to provide shelter for the homeless children. Hope 4 Our Children selected Dompet Dhuafa (www.dompetdhuafa.or.id) as the partner to monitor the progress and construction of Dayah Babulilmi dorm project.

The construction of the dorm started in early June 2006, and completed on schedule in September 2006. In addition, Hope 4 Our Children furnished the new dorm with bunk beds and mattresses.

For pictures and more stories of Ina’s visit to Dayah Babulilmi, please click: www.hope4ourchildren.blogspot.com

Duck Program (on going)

The Duck Program is one of our sustainability and capacity building programs. The purpose of the program are three folds, first is to provide nutritious food for the students of boarding schools. Research shows health and nutrition are directly related to school performance; the second goal of the program is to provide the schools with extra income needed to sustain services. The hope is that the farm could generate enough income, which will allow the schools not only to sustain services, but to increase the quality of the services; finally, the program also functions as a training opportunity for students to learn livelihood skills by involving them in the maintenance of the farm.  

Hope 4 Our Children has started the Animal Husbandry program in Dayah Subulussalam Orphanage Boarding School in Aceh. The project was a success.  Drawing from our experience with Dayah Subussalam, we are expanding the program.

Presently, we are working with Dayah Babul Ilmi on a similar program. With the help of Al-Fatih Academy (www.alfatih.org) , we have allocated small amount of funds to help Dayah Babul Ilmi  to start a duck farm. However the amount was still not sufficient. Additional funds are still needed to scale up the farm so that it can provide enough income to sustain Dayah Babulilmi’s services to the children.

To raise the needed funds, currently Hope 4 Our Children with the help of Al-Fatih Academy (www.alfatih.org) is working on raising more funds for the program. Should you want to join us in giving the children and the Dayah a mean to gain their economic stability, please contact us at ina_nasution@hope4ourchildren or ratsir@hope4ourchildren. Together, we CAN make a difference.

B. Dayah Babul Ilmi -Phase II:  Integrated Community Development Initiative

(NOT YET FINANCED)

Dayah Babul Ilmi Project Phase II is an integrated community development programs aimed to: a) transform Dayah Babul Ilmi from a traditional religious boarding school into a community learning center; b) enable and empower families and the community to be able to care for the orphans themselves; and 3) improve well beings of all members of the community, the children in particular.

The goal of the project is to reach children, both orphans of the tsunami and others in the community, who have not been able to access educational opportunities and to promote learning and skills development.

The project is designed as an integrated and community oriented project. The improvements will enable the Dayah to provide the orphans with not only education, but also food and health services needed for their physical and cognitive development. The programs will also benefit other children in the surrounding community, their families, and the community as a whole. 

In executing the project, Hope 4 Our Children will work with local NGOs and the community itself to foster sense of ownership and to build local capacity. The transformation of the Dayah from a traditional religious boarding school to a community vocational learning center is not only to honor the traditional and historic function of a Dayah in Aceh as a place to seek knowledge, but also to utilize the already available capacity in the community to avoid unnecessary expensive construction costs. The project intends to work with the community for approximately 4 years to provide them a sufficient time to increase their capacity to sustain services.

The benefits of the project are both necessary and practical. It will contribute to the economic and social growth of the Dayah and its surrounding community by implementing a model of sustainable development. The outcome of the project is to ensure access to at least basic education and nutrition conditions. Additional outcomes include psychosocial well-being, food security, and empowerment of women. 

Programs:

1. Nutrition and Health Interventions

• School garden for nutrition

• Free breakfast for all Dayah's current students

• Supplemental vitamins

• Linking the Dayah and the community to other development partners who offered de-worming program and hand washing facilities program

• Essential Nutrition Action awareness

2. Go Back to School Program

• Formal : To ensure that each child receives basic education

• Non Formal : Accelerated education will be implemented for older children who have been out of school for a long period of time; and vocational trainings will be provided to supplement formal schooling to equip children with necessary skills needed for future success.

3. Income Generation Program

• Animal husbandries and agricultural project for the Dayah

• Vocational trainings for parents and other members of the community

• Micro loan

• Small Business Training for the Dayah, parents, and other members of the community

3. Community Capacity Building

• School Management training for Dayah's administrators

• Basic Psychosocial training for Dayah's administrators, teachers, and parents