Yayasan Kechara Indonesia (YKI)
Dear friends,
Recently, I received yet another wonderful update from Valentina. I was informed that Yayasan Kechara Indonesia (YKI) received an award by the West Jakarta Mayor!
YKI was recognized as one of the social organizations in Indonesia who showed significant achievements throughout the year… so on Indonesia’s Independence Day, Valentina attended the award ceremony to receive the award on behalf of YKI. How wonderful!
I thought that I’ll share this joyous news with everyone. Below is a write up by Valentina on her thoughts after winning the award. She also share a little history about how YKI was established. Enjoy!
Tsem Rinpoche
Valentina shares her thoughts after winning the award from West Jakarta Mayor:
I am very happy and touched because I did not think about getting any award or recognition when I first distributed food packages. I only thought about executing my Guru’s instruction.
I do think getting recognized via an award like this will increase YKI credibility and help us to achieve our short-term and long-term goal.
Valentina, representing Yayasan Kechara Indonesia received the award from the West Jakarta Mayor. YKI was recognized as an achieving social organization in Indonesia
History of Yayasan Kechara Indonesia
Inspired by H.E. Tsem Rinpoche, and what Kechara Soup Kitchen in Malaysia have achieved; Valentina Suhendra started distributing packet food to the homeless in Jakarta on November 2010, starting with only 18 packets. As the years pass, Valentina receive more support and volunteers to carry out Kechara Soup Kitchen Indonesia, and as of March 2014, the group is distributing 400 food packets/ week.
Although KSK Indonesia started out on a personal capacity, due to the good motivation and works carried out by Valentina and her dedicated group of volunteers, they have officially registered Yayasan Kechara Indonesia as a non-profit organization and received governmental approval to operate officially since February 2014.
Vision
YKI is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty. Inspired by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, YKI is dedicated to working with the world’s most vulnerable people. YKI serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender, YKI is committed to the poor. YKI serve the needy people and seek to promote the transformation of their well being.
Mission
YKI’s mission is to be a non-profit organization that engages people to eliminate poverty and its causes. YKI work with people of all cultures, faiths and genders to achieve transformation.
Activities carried out by YKI
1. Food Distribution
Every weekend, YKI distributes food packages to the urban poor in several locations in Jakarta. Sharing the same mission as Kechara Soup Kitchen in Malaysia, YKI hopes to have a permanent soup kitchen to provide food and necessities to the homeless, with a bigger hope to nurture them off the streets. YKI also have a food bank where dry food stocks are distributed to the needy.
Volunteers of YKI distributing food to the poor and homeless in Jakarta
Elderly folks receiving dry food such as rice for their daily needs from YKI Food Bank
2. Student Sponsorship
The student sponsorship program provides assistance to children from less fortunate families to enable them to pursue higher education which otherwise would be impossible for these children to continue due to financial difficulties in their family. Education is important for these young generation generation in order to ensure they are equipped with knowledge and certification for them to secure and sustain a good job which will enable them to provide for their families; and eventually lead them out of poverty. This is one of YKI’s mission, to provide a lasting solution to improve the standard of living within poverty stricken communities.
New students from under privilege families enrolled this term, they will receive sponsorship for their studies in school until graduating
3. Medical Sponsorship
YKI also provides basic medical care and sponsorship for the urban poor. Very often, we overlook the fact that in many families that are poor, to have food on the table itself is a great blessing. Sometimes, these families and mostly elderly folks have much difficulty of meeting their daily needs, and medication and medical help is considered a luxury they are unable to afford. Due to this, YKI provides these basic medical care for these under privileged people to ensure that they receive medical aids and improve their quality of life.
The elderly receiving walking aids from YKI part of their medical sponsorship program
Young children getting vitamins, essential for their health
4. Others
YKI also involves in several other activities when the need arises. From providing basic needs like stationary items to children from poor families, to providing clothes for victims of a fire disaster.
Stationary sponsorship for children from poor families
Families receiving stationary from YKI to relief the financial burden on poor families with children in school
Young children receiving new sets of school uniform
Down on luck. Fire victim receiving packets of used clothes to help them through this difficult time
Young children from poor families receiving toys, something that is essential for the growth and creativity of young children
How does Yayasan Kechara Indonesia sustain their activities?
Fundraising have always been one of the most challenging tasks for NGOs, and YKI is no exception to that. Although YKI received donations from through the kindness of the community, often these donations do not cover the total running cost of YKI. However, the difficulty in raising funds never deterred the members of YKI, as an alternative way to cover the running cost of YKI, the members would engage in yearly fundraising attempts as well as a show of their commitment to doing charity through YKI by engaging in activities such as mountain climbing, marathon runs and even organized garage sales!
Climbing Mt Peclet, France
August 2012
YKI committee, Hau Shio Wei undertook a challenge to climb Mt. Peclet in France. The purpose of this challenge was to raise enough funds the YKI’s (known as Kechara Indonesia in 2012) administrative needs. It was due to this fundraising attempt that managed to fund raise enough money to pay off a loan taken by Valentina for Kechara Indonesia. Relieved of the burden of this loan, Valentina then proceeded to establish Yayasan Kechara Indonesia, which is what we have today.
Climbing Mt Semeru, Java Island
16 – 19 May 2013
5 hikers from YKI took this fundraising challenge to climb Mt Semeru in order to raise enough funding for YKI’s charitable activities such as food and other items for distribution, medical sponsorship, student sponsorship etc.
Jakarta Marathon
October 2013
In this fundraising event, 6 YKI members signed up for the Mandiri Jakarta Marathon. The theme of this marathon was called LUNAS (Lari Untuk Nasi Bungkus) – Run for a pack of rice.
Climbing Mt Rinjani, Indonesia
September 2014
Four of YKI’s members got involved in this fundraising attempt to raise funds for YKI’s various philanthropic programs and it’s administrative fund.
Garage Sale
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Congrats to Yayasan Kechara Indonesia for winning the award which is a representative of great achievement and contribution to the society. So happy to see so many people benefited by the services provided by YKI. All this happened because of the hard work, kindness, compassion and care by the team towards others.
Thank you Rinpoche for your inspiration.
Kudos to Valentina and her team in Indonesia!!
In this article, I can feel the faith and devotion that she has in her Guru, manifested out through her achievements in Indonesia. Her consistency and dedicated efforts is a great example for us. Besides that, she must have put in a lot of efforts in nurturing a group of people that can support her good cause too. Lately, they have been very active in the blogchat too, sharing Dharma with us.
May Yayasan Kechara Indonesia continues to thrive on and may whatever their mission and visions be fulfilled. Last but not least, I am glad that Rinpoche sees through the potential that Valentina has in her. Thanks to Rinpoche that many people have benefited from YKI, and many more to come. I am glad that YKI members are taking their time off from their busy schedule to help the needy and the poor. Well Done!
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. Congratulation to Yayasan Kechara Indonesia for their great achievements throughout the years.
The team are so committed, dedicated and innovative in helping the poor and in fundraising. May KYI activities flourish to benefit more people.