February Grants

February Granting meeting: top left; Michael Barber, Oswald Norton, Rifka Several (business manager), Jane Katz, Mary Salisbury, bottom left; Kailani Brugger Ward, Halimah Brugger, Fauziyah Ishak (board chair), Loretta Covert (national helper liaison)

Greetings Everyone! As the weather in North America turns to spring, with all its beauty and the hope of new beginnings, we wanted to bring you up to date on SD’s work from February 2024.

The Board met in Boise, Idaho for its annual grant giving session. Over $70,000 was distributed to the following projects:

  • Anisha
  • Atalanta
  • Beautiful Portland
  • Bina Cita Utama (BCU)
  • Borneo Football
  • Casa Cuna
  • Cows for Kids
  • Fuegos
  • Fundacuion Amanecer: Teremuka
  • International Child Development Program (ICDP)
  • Inner City Schools
  • Quest
  • Tijuana Family Outreach
  • Usaha Mulia Abadi
  • Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS)
  • Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM)

These projects represent work both in the US and in other countries.

Boise Mountains as we arrived in Idaho for our February Granting meeting

New SD USA Board member Oswald Norton described his experience in the granting process this way:


“Joining SD-USA as a board member brought about a new chapter in my Subud life: contributing to the work of our giving wing.

Susila Dharma-USA provides funding for 19 Subud-member projects located around the world. I was given the opportunity to connect with 3 of these projects when I became a board member.

As a part of our annual granting meeting, my projects had to report on the use of their funds, granted for the previous year. And, complete a new application for funding for this year. At our granting meetings I was to represent these projects through the brief relationship I had been able to develop with them and the documents that they’d provided. It was an obligation I didn’t take lightly. We didn’t have enough money to be able to provide the full funding requested.

Through our meeting, testing and decision processes over 2 zoom meetings and 2 days of in person meetings we were finally able to complete the process of determining how much we could provide each project, including mine.

Now that we’ve completed our granting for this year, I am grateful to the other board members and our national helpers for their help and guidance through this my first season. I look forward to the opportunity to get to learn more about the work of my projects and the communities they serve.“

Melinda Wallis Grant

Illene Pevec

In early February Illene Pevec requested funds to help feed 120 Venezuelans who had recently immigrated to Illene’s community of 7000 people. The Board provided this need by granting a one-time $500 grant from the Melinda Wallis fund.

In the coming months, the SD USA newsletter will share more information and stories and pictures from high-lighted projects. In the meantime, please take a moment to appreciate the beautiful blooms and gentle colors of the earth. The miraculous and timely renewal of life is all around us.

Zakat

We pray that everyone observing the Ramadan fast receives God’s grace and blessings.

For those wishing to give Zakat* through SD USA, donations this year will be split between Anisha in India and YTS (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta) in Indonesia.

Please indicate “zakat” with your donation (online: use the drop-down menu under “choose a project”). If you are earmarking your donation for a different project, indicate that also.

Anisha Home Garden

Anisha
For almost two decades, Anisha has been a beacon of hope in drought-prone southern India. The project works with small-scale farmers and landless farm workers to increase their household food security by promoting organic farming practices, encouraging the establishment of home gardens, and providing native seeds from their seed bank. Anisha also provides support for at-risk children to stay in high school. In times of dire need (such as the Covid lockdowns) they distributed food to local families.

Ibu Mery Susanti, coordinator of the YTS working group for agriculture, harvesting cucumbers

YTS (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta)
Established over 25 years ago, YTS is a rural development initiative that helps small Dayak (native Bornean) communities to improve their livelihoods. They provide trainings and technical support for activities such as animal husbandry, fish farming, and marketing practices. They also have an education support program.

Both Anisha and YTS have helped thousands of the very poorest in their communities. Your zakat donation will help their vital support go even further.


* Zakat is a charitable donation traditionally given at the end of Ramadan. Unlike regular donations to SD USA during the rest of the year (disbursed annually as grants to projects), zakat donations are passed on immediately. Please indicate “zakat” with your donation.