VZCZCXRO1956
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #3304/01 3371055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031055Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7250
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1687
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2103
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1234

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003304 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP. EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN KPAO KCRM SOCI EAID ID
SUBJECT: WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT -- JAKARTA SMALL GRANTS 
RECOMMENDATIONS 
 
REF: A. STATE 136319 
 
     ¶B. SURABAYA 00081 
     ¶C. MEDAN - EAP/RSP 311/30/07 E-MAIL 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Mission is pleased to recommend the 
following three proposals for EAP's 2007 Women's Issues Fund 
Competition for Small Grants.  Mission closely reviewed and 
carefully weighed 45 applications in total before choosing 
these proposals.  Each of the recommended projects would 
advance--in targeted, measurable ways--women's economic 
empowerment or contribute to curbing violence against women. 
Detailed descriptions and budgets for each recommended 
proposal have been emailed separately to EAP/RSP.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) Capsule summaries of the proposals are provided 
below.  They are not in any preferential order. 
 
--------------------- 
Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity, Jakarta 
 
Project Title: Women's Literacy Empowerment Program 
 
Total Amount Requested: $24,945 
 
Project Overview:  Promoting women's economic empowerment is 
recognized as a necessary step toward enabling women to 
become full participants in society.  Founded by a former 
president of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah - Indonesia's 
second-largest Islamic organization with nationwide networks 
- the Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity will advance 
women's economic empowerment in three villages of East Java. 
 
The Maarif Institute will work with East Javanese NGO SITAS 
DESA to support women's groups in three villages of Blitar. 
Working with an established network of women's groups, the 
proposed project will provide microfinance services and 
develop small enterprises among these groups.  The capital 
raised through these economic enterprises will sustain four 
kindergartens that these women's groups recently established. 
 These kindergartens - initially founded with the villager's 
own capital but facilitated by SITAS DESA - currently provide 
education and nutrition for local children and basic health 
education for parents. 
 
The initial creation of these kindergartens improved women's 
participation in the villages' public life as they lead 
public decision-making on issues important to them.  The 
Maarif Institute's proposed program would provide these women 
with the economic tools to sustain these recent developments 
and make a difference in advancing women's leadership in East 
Java. 
 
--------------------- 
Women Institute (Institut Perempuan), Bandung, West Java 
 
Project Title:  Empowerment of Rural Women by Developing 
Rural Women's Organizations, Advancing Economic Rights, 
Ending Violence, Especially Trafficking 
 
Total amount requested:  $25,000 
 
Project Overview:   Poverty among women in rural areas of 
Indonesia has caused a host of social problems including 
trafficking, violence against women and children, urban 
exploitation of women and children, and urban blight.  West 
Java, where this project would focus, is a densely populated 
province (16 percent of national population) ranking low on 
major social indicators:  it ranks third for the largest 
number of people living in poverty, totaling 12.1 percent or 
4.3 million of its residents.  Because length of school is 
low for its children (boys less than 8 years, girls less than 
7), large number of children aged 12-18 seek work, and the 
decline in the region's textile industry has driven these 
youth to urban areas and abroad, where they are routinely 
exploited.  West Java is a major sending area for trafficked 
women and girls. 
 
This project will address the economic and social source of 
poverty among women and girls through a holistic and 
practical approach combining grassroots organizing, economic 
empowerment training, supporting micro-economic initiatives, 
and providing rehabilitation services.  The networking would 
draw in large numbers of women, the training will empower 
women to stand on their own feet, the support of market 
initiatives will get women started, and the rehabilitation 
will incorporate the thousands of women who return home, 
 
JAKARTA 00003304  002 OF 002 
 
 
broken down from exploitation.  The project proposes to 
sustain itself through sales of women's products and teaching 
women how to fundraise on their own.  With this type of 
education and empowerment, Indonesian women can oftentimes 
manage to succeed on their own, lacking awareness and the 
meager resources to start an enterprise otherwise.  Many 
female migrant workers return home with nothing more than 
shame and debt.  This project has never been funded by the 
USG, is innovative and has a strong multiplier effect.  The 
four women running the project are all well educated and have 
rich experience in working in women's advocacy with 
international organizations.  They have strong reputations 
that lend credibility to the project. 
 
--------------------- 
The Foundation for Solidarity and Self-Supporting Community 
(SEKAM), Jakarta 
 
Project Title: Empowerment and Protection Assistance Program 
 
Total Amount Requested:  $25,000 
 
Project Overview: Women and girls affected by urban poverty 
are among the populations most vulnerable to social problems 
such as physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and economic 
exploitation.  Many "street girls" - young women living their 
day-to-day lives on public streets - drop out of school 
because their parents cannot afford to pay the fees 
associated with Indonesia's public education system.  Out of 
school, these girls lack a social network and life skills to 
make better life decisions.  On the fringes of society's 
social fabric, these girls lack basic health knowledge - 
often making life decisions to the detriment of their own 
personal health and safety.  Reintegration into schools and 
economic empowerment to enable the parents to protect girls 
from economic and sexual exploitation. To date, few 
comprehensive programs address the needs of girls living on 
the streets in Indonesia's urban centers. 
 
This project will address the social and economic source of 
street girls' vulnerability.  The project will address the 
social aspects by providing life skills training and 
counseling for street girls.  At the same time, SEKAM will 
work with the parents of these young girls - providing 
empowerment not only to the girls themselves but to their 
families in order to foster a comprehensive network that will 
protect girls from exploitation.  SEKAM has a strong 
institutional track record, having worked with street 
children since its inception in 1997 on community-based 
reintegration projects.  SEKAM has previously received 
USG-funding as a partner for Save the Children. 
 
¶3.  (U)  The full proposal applications have been sent by 
e-mail to EAP/RSP Ruth Kurzbauer and Gabriel Alvarado as 
requested ref A.  Post POC is Political Officer Aryani 
Manring. 
 
HUME