VZCZCXRO6273
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0092 2820527
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090527Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0469
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0458
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0175
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0208
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0481

UNCLAS SURABAYA 000092 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/PD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI ECON PGOV ID
SUBJECT: NTT:  CNN HERO'S ORPHANAGE FACES FUNDING PROBLEMS 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY: CNN hero Soehardi Budi operates and funds the 
Roslin Orphanage in Kupang, the capital of Nusa Tenggara Timor 
(NTT).  This orphanage provides refuge for 46 children, operates 
a farm and provides mobile library services to surrounding 
villages.  Mr. Budi was recently fired from his employment 
putting the future of the orphanage at risk until new funding is 
identified. END SUMMARY 
 
Roslin Orphanage Operations 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) CNN named Soehardi Budi one of its "Heroes" in 2009 for 
his sponsorship of the Roslin Orphanage.  The orphanage is 
located just outside the city of Kupang, the largest city in 
West Timor and capital of the Nusa Tenggara Timor province, one 
of the poorest in Indonesia.  This orphanage houses 47 children 
ranging in age from 1 to 19 years old, from both local villages 
and refugees from Timor Leste.  Budi, a native of Jogjakarta, 
and his wife Peggy, originally from Ambon, established the 
orphanage in 2002 and fund its operations entirely from Budi's 
salary as a pilot for Singapore Airlines. 
 
¶3.  (U) During an October 1 visit, Budi outlined the orphanage's 
operation to Surabaya Pol/Econ Officer.  The orphanage occupies 
a 1.5 acre lot and includes several buildings.  The main 
building has play rooms and an eating area.  The library is well 
stocked with both Indonesian and English language books and 
several computers with internet access.  The dormitory has a bed 
and dresser for each child.  Other buildings include a garage, 
storage areas, and a small chapel. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Roslin Orphanage also runs its own farm.  Located 40 
km away from the orphanage itself, the farm produces rice, corn, 
and peanuts.  The older children help on the farm.  Budi says 
that this helps them learn valuable lessons about agriculture 
while helping the orphanage feed itself.  Indeed, the orphanage 
produces enough rice to meet its needs and even has a surplus 
most years.   They donate their surplus rice to the poor 
residents of nearby villages.  The Orphanage also owns two 
mobile libraries -- vans stocked with books  -- that provide 
library service to surrounding villages.  In most cases, these 
libraries provide the only reading material available to 
children in the villages they visit.  Surabaya donated eight 
copies of the Indonesian translation of "The Lorax" to the 
orphanage's library. 
 
Funding Challenges 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The Roslin Orphanage accomplishes all this with minimal 
outside assistance.  They receive no funding from any level of 
government, and while outside charitable organizations have 
donated specific items such as the vans for the mobile 
libraries, Budi funds the regular operation of the orphanage 
himself.  However, Singapore Airlines recently informed Budi 
that he would be laid off effective the end of October 2009. 
This represents a significant challenge to the future viability 
of the orphanage.  In light of this dismissal, he is seeking 
alternate sources of funding. 
 
¶6.  (U) One possible funding source is outside donations.  Since 
he was named a CNN hero earlier this year, Budi has received 
several donations from individuals in the United States.  These 
donations have been made via the online money transfer system 
Paypal.  Budi told Surabaya's Pol/Econ Officer that 
unfortunately Paypal will not release donations to an Indonesian 
entity, citing concerns about fraud. Budi is currently 
investigating the possibility of establishing a Non-Profit 
Organization in the United States that could accept these 
donations, allowing the orphanage to utilize them. 
 
¶7.  (U) Budi also hopes to earn sufficient money from selling 
his property in Jakarta and renting his family's property in 
Jogjakarta to pay for a few months' worth of operating costs at 
the orphanage.  In the end though, Budi does not anticipate that 
these donations or the potential rental income will be 
sufficient to cover operating costs for long.  When asked what 
would happen if he were unable to find another job soon, Budi 
replied that "the children will suffer." 
 
MCCLELLAND