A CHILDREN’S HOME IN INDONESIA

The children of the Yayasan Permata children’s home were children at risk. They worked or begged on the streets to survive. These children had either been abused by their parents or abandoned as their parents were too poor to provide for them. Their last resort of survival was the streets. These children are left defenseless, and many times are forced into child prostitution. Without protection, these children would be homeless, starving, abused, uneducated, unloved and alone; fighting each day for mere survival.

Yayasan Permata children’s home began as a small social work/community development to the street children who lived in the slum areas. This ministry was pioneered by Ibu Tina, a fiery single mom from the island of Suluwesi, Indonesia. By actively working with and supporting the street children Ibu Tina discovered that many of the children were living in abusive situations, or had been left abandoned with no one to care for them. The need for a safe home became very apparent. With blind faith, Ibu Tina rented a home and began taking in children one-by-one as needs arose. Over the years, foreigners have come to either help volunteer their time in the home or give donations. Since the very beginnings of the home, God has faithfully provided the daily needs of the home without fail.

Before APCF’s involvement, the Yayasan Permata children’s home was only able to house and educate four children. Now, through the support of APCF, the home provides for and educates over 20 additional children. They have also been able to rent an additional house to offer a roof to these children. Three of their children have now graduated from high school. Since then, one has begun university; one has begun a leadership training school. The third has taken on a leadership position at a youth community development center.

The Yayasan Permata children’s home currently provides love, hope and an education for 30 children, 13 girls and 17 boys. 9 girls and 15 boys live in the home. Yayasan Permata supports 2 additional girls with their college education. Yayasan Permata also supports 2 girls and 2 boys, who live with their families in local slums, with their education.

A prime objective for 2010 is to develop new business opportunities to help the home become more self-sufficient.  Their vision for the coming 3-5 years is to be in a multiplication phase, where they are able to open up to at least three new homes, providing for unwanted children throughout Indonesia.

Following this concept they will never stop expanding, offering an ever-growing number of otherwise destitute children love, hope and a meaningful future.