3 Outstanding Children Films

Wow.... it was really touching to watch three films created by ISCO children, being shown to public at Plaza Senayan, last week, June 22, 2009.

The three short movies, entitled : I want to be a COOK someday, My mother a JAMU seller, and My father a DANGDUT MC, were among several movies produced, directed, written and camera-shot by ISCO children, under the supervision of Nia Dinata and friends. The children were trained, guided, and motivated by Nia Dinata's team in a film-making workshop especially set up for them, for almost 2 months .

This workshop was part of ISCO's various programs to inspire children that they can reach their dreams, that they can become somebody. Seeing the movies, makes you believe even more that these children have all the potentials. Just give them the chance -equal chance- like other children.

ISCO had the supports from Kiehl's (L'Oreal) management to show the films in public to show people what these children are able to do. The children also displayed some of the handycrafts they made. Several celebrities made beautiful designs for the shopping bags sold during the event, and the proceeds of the sale would go to ISCO, to help more needy children discover their potentials and talents.

Thank you all for your supports !! Make these children's dreams come true !!

URBAN POOR CHILDREN LONGING AN HONEST AND FIRM NEW INDONESIAN PRESIDENT WHO CARES FOR CHILDREN

Jakarta, 13 May 2009 — Urban poor children are hoping that the upcoming Indonesian president to be a good, honest, firm, and not corrupt leader, who cares more about children education.

These children's aspiration for the ideal president was written by dozens of street children in Tanah Merah, Semper slum area, on a piece of fabric. They are going to send the uniquely written fabric to the Presidential Palace, as expression of their concern for the nation, while doing a long-march .

These children are just a small part of 1,725 urban poor children supported by ISCO Foundation, from Jakarta, Depok, Surabaya, and Medan areas. They are receiving 12 years of free formal schooling from the Foundation, an NGO that has been actively helping Indonesian children for their right for education over the last 10 years.

The writing of these children aspirasion was held as part of the Recycled Material Handicraft Exhibition in Children Activity Center in Tanah Merah area. The government representative also came to see the children handicrafts handmade. They are Djafar Muchlisin, S.Sos, M.Si as the Head of Help Section of Social Catastrophy Victim, as representative from Social Section DKI Jakarta and Dr. Wahyu Hartomo, M.Sc as the Asisstant Deputy Children Social Issue, and also representative from The Ministry of Woman Empowerment, and the local authorities.

In this occassion, PT HERO Supermarket Tbk handed the donation they received from their customers all over Indonesia, totaling to Rp 467 millions Rupiah, through their ”Small Money, Big Hope” program.

According to ISCO Executive Director, Ramida HF Siringoringo, the fund is going to be used to support children education in 4 shanty areas in North Jakarta, and West Jakarta, and 1 coast slum area in Medan.

Founded in May 1999, ISCO started their programs in two slum areas, sponsoring 58 children. Now, ISCO is sponsoring 1,725 children in 26 areas in Jakarta, Depok, Surabaya, and Medan.

ISCO is going to celebrate its 10th anniversary by conducting a special gathering in Jakarta, Surabaya, and Medan involving about 1,400 children in July 2009.

These gatherings are going to be attended by many of children, who will be doing various activities such as puppet show, children choir, and lots of educative games. In Jakarta alone, at least 800 children are going to celebrate the happy moment in Taman Bunga Wiladatika, Cibubur, East Jakarta in July 11th 2009.

”Four ISCO Main Programs are giving free education from pre-school to high school, establishing and running Children Activity Center (CAC), providing additional nutrition, and fighting for children education right,” Ramida said.

Every supported children has an obligation to attend CAC to reduce the possibility for them in becoming street children or children labourer. They are learning the values of life such as attitude, discipline, diligency, honor, as well as strengthening their school subject. They are also receiving additional food and nutrition, vitamins, and fruits to support their health condition.

ISCO chooses urban slum areas because the tendencies for children to become street children or child labourer in these areas are high. It is very easy for them to get exploited by their own parents, or influenced by their neighborhood to do negative activities.

“By following the CAC program, children will learn about some manners as queueing in line, being a responsible person, building self confidence, and achieving high school grades,” Ramida said.
She hopes that Indonesian government realizes how important the tasks to eliminate poverty is, where out of those 41,7 million poor people (which is about 21,9 percent of Indonesian population), 150.000 are street children.

CIPINANG BESAR SELATAN

Cipinang Besar Selatan, is ISCO's first sponsored area. Its location is in East Jakarta, close to the highways, traditional markets, river banks, and it is very very densely populated. Children in this area are very vulnerable to go to the streets and become street children, as they live very closely to the areas where most busy Jakarta people pass by and do their activities. The busy streets, buses, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles, carts, sellers, buyers, drivers, passengers, pedestrians, all are too attractive for these children to work as beggars, food hawkers or garbage collectors. They have often been sent out onto the streets by impoverished parents who can't support their families, and as a result, are deprived of an education.

ISCO sets up Children Activity Center in Cipinang Besar Selatan to attract these children to do fun and educational activities, and minimize their time spent on the streets. The tutors in the Center help these children with their school work or do some interesting projects together with the children.
The children seem to enjoy going to the Activity Center. They learn many things, school stuff as well as other important things such as self hygene, eating healthy food, taking care of the young ones, and other living values.

ISCO strives to keep these children stay at school,and to rise all kids upward to their highest results as most parents do, and our target is to provide formal jobs to all sufficiently educated. ISCO wishes to cut the poverty cycle through better education for these children.

10 TAHUN YAYASAN ISCO, 1999-2009.

Bersamaan dengan workshop tahunan staf ISCO, pada tanggal 25 Peb 2009 tim besar & para board ISCO merayakan 10 tahun ISCO berkarya. Acara dimulai pukul 20.30 dimulai dengan salam pembukaan dari panitia, dilanjutkan dengan makan bersama hingga pukul 21.30.

Setelah para board berkumpul semua, pukul 22.00 diputar slide tentang perjalanan ISCO dan para stafnya yang sangat berdedikasi tinggi membantu mewujudkan hak pendidikan anak. Suasana haru dan sukacita mewarnai wajah teman-teman...

Tiup lilin yang dilakukan oleh board (Pak Pascal, Ibu Isti, Pak Soetjahjo) menambah meriahnya acara peringatan 10 tahun ISCO. Acara penutup adalah pemberian penghargaan bagi para staf yang sudah bekerja di ISCO selama 5 tahun lebih dan juga pembagian "panduan program ISCO Foundation" kepada perwakilan staf ISCO dari Jakarta, Surabaya dan Medan.

10 tahun ISCO berdiri, semoga membawa perubahan yang berarti bagi pendidikan anak negri..

ISCO Foundation 1999-2009.