July 21 2006
Important Day for the children of Indonesia's Yogyakarta
21/07/2006 - On the occasion of the National Day of the Child, SOS Children's Villages Indonesia organised a large celebration together with the National Commission for Child Protection in the earthquake-struck region of Yogyakarta. In the meantime, a small relief programme is in operation on the southwest coast of Java in the area affected by a Tsunami.
Since the heavy earthquake which struck at the end of May, SOS Children's Villages Indonesia has been running child care centres in five locations around the city of Yogyakarta, on the Indonesian island of Java, together with the National Commission for Child Protection and other small local NGOs.
SOS Children's Villages, the National Commission and a local youth association have now jointly organised a huge cultural festival on the occasion of the National Day of the Child in Taman Pintar*, in the centre of Yogyakarta. Queen Hemas (wife of the Sultan and Governor of Yogyakarta) and the municipal authorities provided support.
Some 420 kindergarten and school children from 14 city districts, who were affected by the earthquake, were invited. Eventually about 1,000 children were present, as they all wanted to take part in the various activities. They sang, danced, played, painted... Paintings from Musa and Michael, children from SOS Children's Village Semarang who are now art students in Yogyakarta, were auctioned. The money raised will go to children in the earthquake hit region, who still need support and accompaniment.
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On 19 July, a relief team of between ten and 15 people from SOS Children's Villages Indonesia reached the coastal area in western Java which was affected by the Tsunami at the beginning of this week, as hundreds died there and much was destroyed. The team set up a relief camp in Purbahayu, near Pananjung, which focuses on helping traumatised children. They started by opening a food stand at which an average of 100 children can be fed.
*Taman Pintar is a park in Yogyakarta where children can play and learn about music, history, nautical science, communications, etc. In this park there is also a lot of space for various leisure time activities, as well as miniature lighthouses and telecommunications equipment.