Youth Off The Streets - Overseas Relief Fund

After the generosity of Australians to our tsunami appeal early 2005, we are pleased to advise that construction work is now well underway for the Children's Care Centre project, in the village of Sibreh, Aceh province, Indonesia. Youth Off The Streets Overseas Relief Fund committed to building t he Centre using these donated funds, and then operating the Centre for a five year period, in partnership with Muhammadiyah.  Muhammadiyah is a large, modernist social welfare organisation in Indonesia, and we are proud of the historic Memorandum of Understanding between our two organisations.

All the foundations for the ten cottages are finished, with work accelerating after rain delays. Walls to many buildings are also complete. Each cottage will house 8 young people (in 4 bedrooms) with a central lounge area. Each bedroom will have wardrobes, beds, desks and chairs, as well as storage shelves and a beside table. A big dining table in the central shared area of the cottage means that homwork, reading and craft activities can be done together, under the careful supervision of a team leader for each house.

The existing wooden huts will be left in the same location, and will be used to expand after school activities such as computer classes, and to expand the little library that the children run themselves.

One large fenced area of the land will be used for farming activities, such as crops, cattle and fresh fish cultivation. Food harvested from these activities will not only be used to feed the residents and staff at the Children's Care Centre, but will be sold at the local markets. The income received will be used towards the running costs of the Centre, such as food, water, wages, school fees and books, clothing and shoes, and electricity.

We anticipate the project will be complete by October this year, with a grand opening scheduled for November. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been invited to officially open the Centre.

Heinz Australia has helped overcome food shortages in Timor Leste by again donating two containers of seafood products (including cans of tuna) to YOTS Overseas Relief Fund. Patrick Defence Logisitics have given wonderful assistance with the clearance and transport of the containers, as part of their community assistance program in Timor Leste. We thank them sincerely once again!

The containers have been unpacked and the distribution will commence very soon. Many boxes will be sent to the Baguia orphanage while many more will be distributed to local village communities in the region. "The children are excited to see the trucks arrive carrying the food - and the villagers as well" said Father Jo Jo, who is in charge of distribution. "Thankyou again to Heinz for their kindness" he added.

In Kilolo region in Tanzania, there is only one high school providing an education for young people from 83 villages.Through a local well established charity, Orphans and Social Development Organisation (OSDO) Youth Off The Streets Overseas Relief Fund is supporting the building of another high school, to be called St James Kilolo High School. Initial enrolments will start at 100 students, and when completed, the high school will cater for a maximum of 900 boys and girls.The first stage of construction, out of a total of five stages, will be land clearing, foundations, four classrooms and a toilet block, at a total cost of approx.$45,000-. The next stage is the building of a library, hostel accomodation (one for girls and one for boys) and administration block, at a cost of about $89,000-. The first students will be orphans cared for by OSDO, then fee paying students will attend.

Land clearing has already started, and local labour is working hard to collect rocks and make bricks for the foundations.

We are proud to be associated with this outstanding project, which will give many more young people the opportunity for a high school education; increasing their opportunities for a brighter future.