Alive To Give: July 2011

Dear Friends & Family,

On 20th July 2011, "UN declares famine in two regions of southern Somalia" made the news headlines. It means that, according to the UN, the rate of acute malnutrition among children exceed 30%, which means than more than 2 people every 10,000 die each day, and food supplies are still inaccessible. It means that out there in Somalia, volunteers and humanitarians who tried so hard to help save lives can't help but to see lives are lost each day, everywhere.

On the top of this disturbing but real breaking announcement, UN predicted that 11,6 million lives (this is about the same population size of Jakarta City, 50% of Australia's population, or the whole Paris city and around), people with children, fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, are in risk of death by malnutrition. Tens of thousands have died, and more are dying everyday. This famine, is the product of a deadly drought (climate change), rising food prices, and conflicted government.

DROUGHT + RISING FOOD PRICES + POLITICAL CONFLICT = DEATH TOLL

It can happen to any country in the world. It could be, a matter of time for some other countries. It can happen to Indonesia in a matter of decades.

This morning I was reading the news again, and I was a bit blocked with this picture I discovered.

This picture intrigued me, it disturbed me to my gut. In my mind: 'so here I am, at the comfort of my air conditioned room on my big padded armchair, eating my well-balanced breakfast, and right now, people are dying with sufferings like this... children, too...'.

We heard about it, we heard about the Horn of Africa drought. Many big NGOs have tried so hard to scream to us for help. We read it on the news, we talk about it, we said it's so sad. I was telling myself "Just what the hell am I doing? Stop thinking, stop talking, and do something...". So yes, my mind was a bit frozen with these thoughts for about an hour this morning during breakfast and morning shower.

My first reaction was to ask for some spare change from my brother, a dollar or two, so I can sum up with mine. "Yes sure, I'll give you 10 bucks", he said. Then I knew I shouldn't stop, so I started to ask as many people around me (not so many) for some spare change to donate for this famine. Then again, I knew I shouldn't stop there, so I decided to give myself two weeks to ask as many people as I can around me for their spare change before donating my part to UNICEF for their Food Programme. This would be my fortnight project: "The Somalia Project". This, for now, is the only action I can do for now but at least I'm trying my best to do something about it, right?

Big philanthropist would donate big sums for these things, but we're not, are we? It's not a matter of how much we can give in digit terms, is it? It's a matter of putting our intention into action.

In my inbox, I received emails with big organizations inviting to donate, asking for petitions, asking me to 'act'. I hear you! I'm trying my best to act now, by writing this email to as many contact as I possibly can. I've always been so glad for big organizations like Unicef, World Vision, Oxfam, Plan, Amnesty, ONE, and friends, because it gives chance to busy people like myself to be able to do something at the ease of my keyboard, computer screen and internet connection.

This morning I asked myself, too, why am I so late to react to this humanity disaster? What stopped me from putting my thoughts and intention into action? I was overwhelmed, as usual, by the magnitude of the problem here. 12 million people to save? How can I do that? Of course, I can't, one person just won't have the capacity to fight this alone. It's not too late, let's do something now. Let's give the only 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes spare we have to take a little action.

Here then, is my plan. I'll ask for some spare change from anyone, including my Dad. It doesn't matter if its 10 cents, 1 dollar, 10 dollar or 1000. We can't save everyone, but we can try our best to save some lives... right?

I'll be straight and simple, and I do apologize if it may seem to be too straight forward to ask, but... Do you have some spare change to donate to Somalia? I am gathering small donations and donate the lump sum to UNICEF, and I have about two weeks to do it from today.

------

Here's the update for this by 10th August 2011 (CLOSED):

Donation collected:

IDR 6.264.000

SGD 160
AUD 20
EUR 100

List of donors:
1. ENK
2. Enzo (change of donor name from SSE)
3. Marc Wayne
4. Alex Tan
5. TYH
6. DNA
7. Marina P
8. Heryanto K.
9. Edo K.
10. Michelle Lim
11. TCT
12. Charity Warehouse (from sales)
13. Fitriani
14. Bryan Sutedy
15. Dr. Adhi
16. Menghui
17. Mariana
18. Effendy K
19. Hadianto
20. Yu Miao
21. Ma Yi Chen
22. Zhang Qin
23. Suman Lee
24. Sutan S
25. Jayus
26. Heryanto
27. Windy Anggriani
28. Mister T
29. Mr Pineapple
30. Oscar & Sasa
31. Friends in France

Due to the emergency of the situation, to make a fast impact in saving lives The Somalia Project is closed on 10th of August. All donations will be contributed in full amount to UNICEF a few days after closing, and final report will be posted to close this project.

Thank you so much for all donors!

------

The United Nations predicted a need of U$100 million in 6 months to contain the famine situation.

If you're keen to donate, here are some options of action you can take (but not limited to the following):

1. Click the Donate button at the end of this letter below, and start donating with Paypal
2. Transfer money to my Indonesian Bank Account
Bank Central Asia
Account number: 2872228161
Account name: Tay Ciaying

3. Give the money to me in person when we meet, or pass it to me through any of my brothers if you're their friends

4. Go around asking people around you for some donation and donate the whole sum to one of the following option (not limited to the list below):

- UNICEF Australia East Africa Emergency – Drought, Famine and Conflict (https://secure.unicef.org.au/payments/paynow.php?CID=2270&PS=308&PID=11HOAEM-WEB&amtTotalIncTax=0&action=combinedcheckoutinitial&sys_skiperr=1&TPL=Y29tYmluZWRjaGVja291dDo4NTczO3plcm9hbW91bnQ6ODU3NjtwYXltZW50c3VtbWFyeTo4NTc5O3BheWFwcHJvdmU6ODU4MjtwYXlkZWNsaW5lOjg1ODU7cGF5ZXJyb3I6ODU4ODtDQVNfZGV0YWlsc3Byb21wdDo4NTk0O0NBU19kZXRhaWxzY29uZmlybTo4NTkxOw==)

- UNICEF Ireland East Africa Appeal (https://www.unicef.ie/Content.aspx?pid=75&emId=29)

- WORLD VISION Horn of Africa Food Crisis Donation (http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?funnel=dn&item=1754360&go=item&section=10366&)

- OXFAM America Food Crisis in America Donation (https://secure.oxfamamerica.org/site/Donation2?df_id=5680&5680.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=yntbu8g334.app217b)

- OXFAM International (http://www.oxfam.org)

5. Go to your nearest UNICEF office and drop your donation to them

To my dear friends and family, this famine is a historical catastrophe. Innocent people, people with children, fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters are fighting against nature, they're fighting against men, and they're fighting against the economy of the world.

DROUGHT + RISING FOOD PRICES + POLITICAL CONFLICT = DEATH TOLL

It only takes 5 minutes of your time to make that money transfer or to click on one of the links above and make your donation. They are running out of time fighting for their lives. People are dying while we wait to take our little action.

Can a life be that cheap?

Thank you for saving lives.

Warmest Regards,

Dina Ciaying Tay

PS. I accept as low as Rp 1.000, $0.10 in IDR, AUD, USD, or EUR.

***

References:

UNICEF INDONESIA Address

Wisma Metropolitan II
10-11th Floors
Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav.31
Jakarta 12920, Indonesia

Khitan

In Islam belief or tradition, Khitan is a form of ritual involving circumcision that is performed for boys between the age of 7 - 12 years old. For some believers, including most of the Muslims believe that Khitan is an obligation though it is not an obligation or a condition for converting to Islam.

In general, Khitan symbolises the inclusion of followers within the emerging Islamic community. For some Islamic communities, post Khitan ritual often represents a conversion from childhood to adulthood for boys where the ritual often include a celebratory event involving special foods, music performances, and mass prayers. Due to this celebratory event which requires some funds, many families in poor community in Indonesia are incapable to perform this ritual for their boys.

I asked a question to a follower, what if the person who is due for Khitan ritual is lack of funds to perform it? Some believe that it is the duty of the parents' responsibility to provide their boys for the event, but in case of poor economic conditions, it is then becomes the responsibility of other family members who are more capable financially.

Estimated to be 98% of the population in Riau Province, Sumatra, are Muslims. Most of the inhabitant in Inhil Regency, Riau, Indonesia earn their living from farming. Farming will provide them sufficiently for foods, and shelter. Water is free as it sourced from the freshwater rivers that stretch between islands where villages reside. In general, due to lack of birth control, many households consist of a family of 6 - 8. Many children do not have the luxury to complete schools as their parents are unfortunate. How many can afford their boys to pass through Khitan rituals? Not for everybody.

Bahtera Dwipa Abadi Foundation (YBDA)

Bahtera Dwipa Abadi Foundation was established in early 1990s, as the corporate foundation of Sambu Group, focusing mainly on its employees welfare. Today, YBDA is serving approximately 18,000 employees and their families in providing health facilities, schools, religious premises, as well as yearly donation of 25,000 tincans of 1,3kg biscuits for the poor (fakir miskin) during Ramadhan period.

For the past two consecutive years, YBDA has started the initiative to provide free Khitan ritual in mass, open to the local public, for those children from unfortunate families. In 2010, we managed to gather around 250 boys registered and performed the ritual. This year, the number increased to 300 boys.

Our doctors and nurses were committed to the cause, while the committee of the foundation were committed to the events on 26th July 2011. Local Malay dance and choir were performed by our school children, and the ladies were prepared with boxed snacks and meals for participants and guests. People were thankful.

------

Pictures of Mass Khitan 2011