JAKARTA, Indonesia and NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM), a charitable foundation located in Indonesia, will undertake a half-million dollar project in the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan in answer to the Clinton Global Initiative's Commitment to Action. YUM's Vocational and Technical Training Center (VTTC) will address the high unemployment issues in a seven-village area outside the provincial capital city of Palangkaraya. With a population of more than ten-thousand people, most below the poverty line, this area is one of several in Indonesia where YUM focuses its social work to alleviate poverty through programs in health, education, and community development.
"With a history of almost no local industry, residents in this area have had to scrape by with whatever they could do on a small scale to support themselves. Half the population in the area live on less than $1 per day," explains Olvia Reksodipoetro, chairlady of Yayasan Usaha Mulia.
The commitment aims to reduce poverty through job creation in YUM's working area of Central Kalimantan through technical training, partnership with local companies, and micro-business loan opportunities. Over the next four years, YUM will conduct a survey of the human resource needs of large companies established in Central Kalimantan, map local production and consumption, establish a Vocational and Technical Training Center (VTTC), and distribute 300 micro loans for those who cannot be absorbed into the workforce and would like to start and grow their own small business. The training center will educate 600 individuals for in-demand trades such as plumbing, motor cycle mechanics, repair of mobile phones, and small electronics.
Local industry has finally started to increase in this remote location in the Indonesian archipelago. Employers are finding it necessary to hire skilled people from Java and other provinces to run their operations, as skilled local residents are not available. Some of the increase in attention to this particular region in Indonesia is due to an orangutan project which was "put on the map" by actress Julia Roberts in the late 1990's, followed by Prince Henrik of Denmark, in 2010.
"YUM will be seeking funding partners to help bring this much-needed VTTC into reality," adds Ms. Reksodipoetro, who welcomes the large forum of CGI to present the project.
The Governor of Central Kalimantan confirms in his "Vision, Mission and Development Programs" presentation that, most people in this region are unable to escape from poverty and would benefit from opportunities to develop specialized skills.
About Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM)
Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM), Foundation for Noble Work, has been working in Indonesia since 1975 to improve the quality of life for the country's poor, through its integrated, holistic programs in Health, Education, and Community Development. YUM is a registered charity in Indonesia and a member of the Susila Dharma International Association, which has consultative status with the UN Economic Council and the UN Children's Fund. YUM is a pre-qualified NGO of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and YUM's annual reports are lodged at the US Library of Congress.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together nearly 150 current and former heads of state, 18 Nobel Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made nearly 2,000 commitments, which have already improved the lives of 300 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued in excess of $63 billion. The 2011 Annual Meeting will take place Sept. 20-22 in New York City.
This year, CGI also convened CGI America, a meeting focused on developing ideas for driving economic growth in the United States. The CGI community also includes CGI U, which hosts an annual meeting for undergraduate and graduate students, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young CGI members for leadership development and collective commitment-making. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
For a video on YUM's work in Central Kalimantan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHBz2YKqiFo
For further information, please contact:
Olvia Reksodipoetro
Telephone: +62811939916
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
YUM Head Office:
Wisma Subud #20, Jl Fatmawati No. 52, Jakarta 12430, Indonesia
Website: http://yumindonesia.org
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +62 21 769 8505
Fax: +62 21 769 8504
SOURCE Yayasan Usaha Mulia
Share this article