Hello everyone,We are happy to bring you another Susila Dharma Network eNews filled with information about our activities. In this issue we give a big thank you to donors, mention current project needs and what needs have been filled, welcome a new associate member, feature an international Human Rights article written by a member, and touch on UN activities and Office news. Warm wishes and our gratitude to you all. The SDIA Office Team
1. Caribbean Hurricane Relief
We are receiving news from Subud members in the Caribbean who are working through their national SD teams, about members who have suffered extreme damage to their houses and the loss of their possessions due to flooding. As a result, we have appealed for donations to the Caribbean Relief Fund through the SD Network. You can make a donation designated to this purpose through the Donate Now pages of the SDIA website. (specify for victims of Hurricane Ike). Excess donations will be kept in the Emergency Fund for future disaster relief. A total of $5075 was raised for hurricane relief among Subud members and their communities. On behalf of the SD Network, we have received $3,125 and through an appeal sent out by Rochanah Weissinger, a further $1950. SD Canada is responsible for the transfer of all funds for this relief effort that have been gathered from the SD Network. As soon as we have reports on how the funds were used, we will share them with you. 2. Thank You From SDIA!Following the sale of P.T.S. Widjojo, 56 Subud members have generously directed some of their proceeds into the funds of Susila Dharma International. SDIA thanks all those donors whose generosity will enable us to do more to support the social and humanitarian efforts of Subud members around the world. $45,791 has been received from Australia, Colombia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Netherlands, Spain, Singapore, UK and USA. Thank you all!
Thanks to financial support from the Van Leer Foundation, Puppeteers without Borders presented their work at the 17th International Aids Conference in Mexico 2008. Erica Sapir writes:
You can read more about Puppeteers without Borders here. See Puppeteers without Borders on YouTube.
Usuha Mulia Abadi (UMA) project in Mexico has joined as an Associate Member of SDIA. This project was established in 1999 and is currently chaired by Mariamah Flores who works with a team of ten people. Their main social and educational activities are:
Congratulations on your achievements to date! 5. Project Needs — Our Zakat AppealAs this is the end of Ramadhan, consider supporting one of our worthy SD projects that needs your support. We invite you review their full proposals on the SDIA website. SD Netherlands is coordinating an appeal for $25,000 to purchase an 18 seat bus for Fundacion Amanecer to bring the children from the surrounding area to their two education programs. El Refugio, Colombia — a training project in silversmithing for street youth in Bogota needs $4000. Mithra Foundation, India - is looking for $20,000 to empower girl children through education and $3,150 for a Summer Camp for children at high risk. Center for Culture and Development (CCD) , India - is seeking $3,600 for a range of education activities to assist women, children and families. Sradha, India is still looking for approximately $27,000 for programs for women, children, health and hygiene, youth and farmers. Kimvumu Medical Centre, D.R. Congo - needs $13,000 to build a permanent building for its rural health services that have existed for over 30 years.
The Kimpemba Medical School and Elegance Clinic, 80 kms from Inkisi in D.R. Congo needs $7,000 (USD) to build a practice clinic attached to the nursing school. This region is extremely underserviced in terms of medical services for the population and developing medical expertise in the population and operating a clinic are much needed. Sun for Life, Madagascar - has received $12,000 through SDIA towards their work to prevent desertification and malnutrition but still needs more. Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM), Indonesia has a proposal for extensive funding for all three program areas - education, health and economic development.
At the same time, congratulations are in order. Through the SD network we have been successful in obtaining the funding needed for the following: Albadi School and Orphanage in Inkisi, D.R. Congo has received the $7,750 from SD Norway and SDIA (Blond Trust). Last year Albert and Rose and the students started construction of their new classrooms, including making their own bricks, and this grant will permit them to finish it The School Without Violence project of SD Serbia has received funds from SD Norway and SDIA to make up what was missing from the UNICEF support they have received. This project works to lessen violence in schools. To see the requests for these project proposals, go to our website.
Solen Less Gratiet, SD France, has an article published in The New Internationalist magazine called: "Jail Babies — Children are hidden victims of prison systems across the world." As mentioned in the article, the Tierraviva Project in Argentina has a human rights arts program for incarcerated women and children, which has been endorsed by the Minister of Justice. Rasjid Cesar has been invited to particpate in a conference with UNICEF this month. The New Internationalist has many interesting development related articles. Solen's article can be read on-line here 8. United Nations NewsRaphael Bate, chair of SD France, attended Department of Public Information (DPI) meeting at UNESCO in Paris September 3-5, 2008 of behalf of SDIA. The theme of this non-governmental organizations meeting was Reaffirming Human Rights for All This was an event to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that was signed in Paris at the UNESCO building sixty years ago. There were 1399 representatives from 74 countries with 74 NGOs attending. The purpose of the conference was for civil society organizations to share knowledge about how to promote and contribute to the development of vigilance, advocacy and action for Human Rights. Read Raphael's full report here Amalia Rasheed (Spain) sent us this link of a report of the Secretary General on the UN High Level Meeting on Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue on Oct. 4-5, 2007, New York, USA - Interreligious and Intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace. (click here) Patrice Brodeur, PhD, Canada Research Chair on Islam, Pluralism, and Globalization at the University of Montreal, attended the same meeting and reports:
Read Patrice's his impressions and analysis here.
SDIA Office Team expands! Solen Lees Gratiet, SD France, as been appointed as the coordinator for United Nations participation, translations and volunteering. Thank you, Solen, for taking on such a big job for us! Susila Dharma in Eastern Europe Sharifin Gardiner, SDIA chairman, represented the SD network at the Zone 4 in the Ukraine in September. This gathering was held in Cherkassy and attended by approximately 180 people. Sharifin reports:
The minutes of the SDIA Annual General Meeting held July 30 in Colombia which was attended by eight voting members, six associate members and many observers is now available on the website here. Read the AGM Minutes here.
"For me this sacred walking everyday is like a pressure cooker that tenderises my heart." — Raphael Bate on the Camino Santiago de Compoestela, Spain, September 25, 2008. The SDIA Network eNews is published once a month from information sent in to the office. We welcome news items. Deadline for submissions is the middle of each month. Contact us at info@susiladharma.org |
