SDUSA’s Annual Fall Fundraiser is in progress. Most of you will receive a flyer asking for donations and containing statements from those who have benefitted in the past from grants from SDUSA. This is the only fundraiser SDUSA does each year. Donations can be made either by returning the enclosed envelope from the mailing or by going online to
SusilaDharmaUSA.org/donate.

SDUSA funds projects from all over the world and here in the US. The projects provide solutions to local situations and also give a voice to people who otherwise might not have the ability to communicate with others outside of their communities. These projects literally change people’s lives for the better, and they also give hope when there was little to none.

Your donations will help to continue the work of SDUSA. The amount of grants SDUSA is able to give to projects each year is dependent on how much is raised during the Fall Fundraiser. Please consider donating, even if you have never before contributed. No amount is too small.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

A tree grows in Carbondale

Dr. Pevec started a Child’s Garden of Peace. This program is an example of what can happen when someone develops an idea and receives funding from SDUSA to bring it to fruition.

My experience visiting the YUM project

By Michael Barber

The most impactful and memorable part of the recent world congress was, for me, our visits to the humanitarian projects. So, I was glad to be asked to write about my visit to Yayasan Usaha Mulia. As the SDUSA liaison to YUM, I follow the progress and challenges of the Child Stunting program, communicating with Vanessa (YUM’s Director). Still, meeting Vanessa – and the many others who serve YUM – in person and being on-site was… what can I say? …revelatory.

Most memorable: The booklet they developed for the “Kaders” (female volunteers to find, visit and educate mothers locally) with pictures on one side (facing the mothers) and words on the other (reminding the Kaders what to say). The small chef station they set up so that we could sample some of the recipes they developed so that families would accept the more nutritious but unfamiliar foods they were recommending. The personal stories they shared of triumphs and difficulties the project faced.

And that’s just the Stunting program. Staying in the M.Bahalap hotel in Palanka Raya we saw first-hand the need for trained, English speaking hospitality staff. So, visiting the YUM classrooms where they teach English, computers, and hospitality to young adults, I understood the difference this would make in the student’s lives and the community. I could see YUM’s heart.

Then Daniella Bustillo walked us through the Agroforestry project. She showed us the many soil enhancing materials that they had developed to increase productivity and resiliency and described the challenges they still face in finding a practical system that they can roll out to local farmers. She also asked whether any of us were mechanical engineers because they are looking for a way to efficiently process Rambutan (remove the big seed and keep the fruit) for canning – to create a market that local farmers can sell to.

I was left with and even greater admiration and gratitude for the amazingly substantial and compassionate people who create and operate the humanitarian projects in Kalimantan. If you ever have a chance to visit, I advise you to take it.

New National Helper liaisons

SDUSA welcomes two new National Helper Liaisons. Reynold Orchard is a new National Helper from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Halimah Brugger is a new National Helper from Boise, Idaho. The National Helpers provide an invaluable perspective to the SDUSA Board’s decision-making process for funding projects.

Finally

Finally, the SDUSA Board would like to extend its sympathy and compassion to all those on the East Coast whose lives have been impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. One huge storm leaves an indelible mark on people. Two huge storms so close together may seem as if the world may never again feel safe or livable. Nature has a miraculous way of healing. It is the same with people’s lives. As people find a way to renew, we wish you all that you need to rebuild your lives.

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.

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

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
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.

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.

Check out the video we presented at the SD AGM during the recent SUSA National Congress!

Click here to watch the video.

What about the Portland Match?

And, of course, thanks to the members of the Portland group for their unwavering support!

We invite all those who are attending the National Congress (September 7th – 11th) to join our SD annual meeting Sunday morning, right after latihan.

The meeting will include:

    o  A video presentation of the projects we support
    o  Meeting and voting for new board members
    o  Approving our updated bylaws.

Also, we have room for more board members so please pre-test if you are interested in becoming a board member.

If you are unable to attend the congress the video, bylaws and new board members will be posted on our website, susiladharmausa.org.

TERKEMUKA: Niños En Accion

Terkemuka is a project at Amancer, Colombia that brings together children ages 7 to 12 years in an afters-chool program for social, cultural and creative growth. The program was founded in 2018 but had to stop during the Covid crisis. With help from your donations, the project began again this July. Below is a brief report from Francisca Bonilla – Director and R.

“We made the decision to start working with the children after the Zone 8 meeting, (July 21 to 23) that was held at the Amanecer International Center.

There are already 20 children registered and their families are very satisfied. We believe that this project can be combined with activities with much emphasis on environmental awareness. For now, we are and we are going to enjoy working with the children.

We plan to finish the project in November, to match the Christmas holidays and hold several meetings with the community and children.”

Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM)

Here is a report from the directors and staff of YUM:

“Dear Sisters and Brothers,

In 2022, we slowly came out of the pandemic, and this meant that YUM was once again able to fully open all of our learning facilities and work within bigger groups in the communities. Our work in stunting prevention remains successful in reducing the stunting prevalence, one health post at a time. Throughout the year, we were blessed with generous donations that were vital in the running of various projects that supported more than 22,000 people. Many of you also immediately responded to our earthquake relief efforts in Cipanas, and we are immensely grateful for your support to those affected.

Please read our annual report:”