SD USA has supported Anisha since 1999 when it was just an idea that teaching children how to grow organic and healthy foods in kitchen gardens would improve the lives of struggling and landless families.
With the help of Subud USA members and the Guru Krupa Foundation this dream has become a reality. Details below in a letter from founder and director Valli.
“Finally, we successfully met the district education officer Deputy Director of Public Instruction today and handed over our Kitchen Garden (KG) manual.
The Education Department called Anisha for implementing KG in the schools of our district and also requested our KG manual to distribute to all schools each school one manual, so 750 manuals given to the education department. And requested us to conduct KG training for science teachers in June 2022 for our district teachers, which we accepted and yet to finalize the date.
We were waiting for this call and it happened today. We are very happy to inform you of this the good news.
Regards, Valli For Anisha”
Valli (center) handing over Anisha’s Kitchen Garden manual to the Deputy Director of Public Instruction
Did you know that a view of trees outside a school window has been shown to increase academic achievement and improve child health outcomes of low income children? Illene Pevec, founder and director of A Child’s Garden of Peace, knew this and decided to do something about it. In February 2022 SD USA granted $800.00 to help plant trees around area schools where trees are needed. Below is a report from Illene.
“We planted 9 trees on Arbor Day at Crystal River Elementary. The SD funding and donations from senior citizens funded 5 trees and Aspen Tree Company funded 4 and planted all of them. They are big trees that took a backhoe to unload them and put them in the place.”
SD USA donations and ICDP (International Child Development Program)
Ukrainian trainers your donations supported
ICDP in Ukraine:
Thanks to your donations to the Ukrainian Relief fund SD USA was able to send $2,000 to support ICDP trainers in Ukraine who continue their work under very difficult situations. Some of the facilitators had to escape the destruction of their hometowns and found refuge in other cities. Some conduct classes with children in a bomb shelter (the bomb shelter is in the subway).
The emotional help this program provides will have lasting effects as they recover from the trauma this war has caused.
To learn more about ICDP please open the attached annual report.
Zakat Report
Donations of $7,190 have been distributed to 8 SD projects. Thank you for your donations have arisen from the sincerity of your fast.
“Indeed, generosity and charity go hand-in-hand with the worship of God. Why is that? It is because the fruit that comes from human beings worshiping God is generosity.” Bapak Muhammad Subuh (63 WAS 2)
We pray that everyone observing the Ramadan fast receives God’s grace and blessings. For those wishing to give Zakat* donations this year will be split between Anisah Center in Malaysia and Beautiful Portland in the USA.
Anisah Center
Anisah Center provides free education for the Rohingya refugees in Northern Malaysia who are not permitted to attend public school. The school was founded by Subud member Nadya Holland who was touched by the plight of these children who arrive traumatized after fleeing genocide.
Besides providing an education, the school offers a safe place where students learn and heal from the events they have witnessed. The school supports 25 students, but more are waiting to attend. Your donations will allow more children to receive the education that is so important for their lives.
With the end of Ramadan the school provides extra food to the families it serves. To learn more about this project, please visit www.subudwinstonsalem.org/anisah.
Beautiful Portland
Beautiful Portland was founded by Jennifer Skyler in 2018. Currently the project distributes approximately 1,000 pounds of food a week to families experiencing food insecurity, the elderly, the disabled and houseless individuals.
Around 400 people are impacted by this outreach. Your donations will be used to sustain the work they are doing and also help support an urban neighborhood model of “Gleaming Growing & Giving,” a prototype to begin to empower urban neighborhoods to become more food self-sufficient.
*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 to the projects. As always, if you wish to earmark your zakat donation for a different project indicate your preference with your payment.
Editor’s note: Our last newsletter incorrectly spelled the last name of Melinda Wallis. The correct spelling is Wallis.
Last week, the Susila Dharma Board members met via Zoom to finalize grants for 2022. We began the day with latihan and a few test questions to guide us in our work.
By the end of the day we had approved $76,465 to be distributed to 21 humanitarian projects!
We thank you for your generous support and are thrilled to pass along your gifts to the projects.
We thank you for your generous support and are thrilled to pass along your gifts to the projects.
Introducing Cows for Kids
Cows for Kids is located in Zimbabwe, Africa and is part of the Sahwira Fund, which is dedicated to improvement in health, education and quality of life for orphaned and at risk children. This fund supports the Maulana School for Orphans. Cows For Kids is a new sustainable funding project, which your donations will support.
The goal is to purchase at least 50 free-range cows on a ranch owned by one of the Sahwira Fund board members. The annual birthing of offspring will eventually allow for the sale of cows, providing revenue for the orphanage and students.
“Cows For Kids” will also be an internship program at the cattle ranch for select students from the Maulana School for Orphans. This will provide the students an opportunity to learn the profession of farming and ranching, which is a crucial and thriving business in Zimbabwe with many avenues for further employment.
Cows for Kids
Subud CA member Rohana LoSchiavo initiated the project and serves on the Sahwira Fund’s Board of Directors.
Anisah Center provides free education for Rohingya refugees in Northern Malaysia who are not permitted to attend public school. These are children who have fled from genocide and have lost everything.
Our Subud sister, Nadya Holland, began this project with limited funds but great faith that she could make a difference. The Subud Winston-Salem group heard of this plight and decided to help. At this time Nadya and her assistant teach 25 students in leased space that Nadya has remodeled with the help of the children’s parents.
Already there are more children wishing to attend. Our hope is that with increased funding the school will grow and provide a future for these children.
Would you like to breathe the fresh mountain air, help our environment, and enjoy fellowship with friends and family? Human Force and Atalanta Association invite you to attend Camp Colorado this summer, July 9th -15th. Visit www.humanforceprogram.com for more information.
For most of us December is a busy month filled with family, gifts, lights and worship. But for those of us on Susila Dharma Board, December brings an extra special gift. This is the month we receive yearly reports from the projects your donations support.
It’s inspiring to read these reports and witness the effects these projects have on the communities they serve. Besides the usual financial information documenting how the funds were spent, projects also share photos and stories of how their work made a difference in the lives of those who have been helped by this funding.
Our holiday gift to you is to share a few of these stories.
From YUM (Yayasan Usaha Mulia) Stunting Prevention Program:
Ibu Yuliati, 33 years old, pregnant mother from the village of Sei Gohong
I am a housewife whose daily activities consist of taking care of the family and selling clothes online. I have 3 children and am now pregnant with my 4th child.
I was told about the Stunting program in August (at that time I was 4 months pregnant) by the kader (volunteer health worker) in my village. I immediately signed up for the program. When I listened to the information that the kader conveyed, I was happy and interested because I believe this program is very good and very helpful for pregnant women. Moreover, every month there is assistance with nutritional packages such as milk, fruits, eggs, green beans and others. Most importantly, I received knowledge about stunting, which I only found out after participating in the program from YUM.
In the past, when I was pregnant with my previous children, I rarely went to the health facilities to check my baby’s condition but now I know how important it is to do a routine check every month. Also, after knowing how important our hemoglobin level is during pregnancy, now I regularly take iron deficiency tablets because I had difficulty giving birth before. I want to make sure that nothing will happen to my baby.
I hope that this program will continue because it is very helpful, especially for people who cannot afford nutritious food.
Ibu Hosiana, 33 years old, volunteer health worker from Transmigration site in Sei Gohong village
I have been a kader (volunteer health worker) for a long time but this is the first time I have been directly involved with such an activity. Usually when there is a special training or activity, the kader who participate are selected in advance, but with YUM, anyone who is interested and willing can be involved.
The activities of YUM are also different from those carried out by private and public agencies that collaborate with kader because usually after the materials are provided, it stops there. However, with YUM, based on all the activities I have participated in, there has always been continued support – if there is something that is not understood, we can easily ask the YUM staff.
During this stunting activity, I was very happy because I could share my knowledge and experience with other people. I have also gotten to know many people so now I have many friends.
Apart from being a kader, I am also a participant in the Stunting program. I am very happy with the nutrition packages I receive every month. It’s very helpful because I feel that my nutritional needs during pregnancy are fulfilled. I feel that I can do many activities during my pregnancy and this is evident from my monthly examinations: my condition and the baby’s are always healthy. On October 4, 2021, I gave birth to a normal healthy boy with a weight of 2.8 kg and a length of 51 cm.
I do hope this Stunting program continues and is offered not only in Bukit Batu but also in other areas because this program is very helpful especially for those who don’t know anything about stunting.
From YTS (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta):
Binti (Pak Jumar’s daughter) harvests cucumbers in Pak Jumar’s garden.
‘Never Give Up’ is the motto of the women from KUB (community-based business group) Kartini. They are always very enthusiastic and committed to their program activities.
Just like this year, even with a lot of challenges – the pandemic, the unexpected long rainy season – the women worked hard and were hopeful to try practicing the new farming method of polyculture they just learned in March.
They failed three times: snails and ants attacked their eggplants, chillies, and long beans. They were disappointed but they did not give up trying the fourth time and succeeded!
Catfish harvest – Suripto KUB Banama Jaya Mulya
Catfish from our own home
Suripto and Sahiber are two members of KUB (community-based business group) Banama Mulya Jaya and they produce fingerlings and fish feed from their home.
The biggest cost for fish famers is the fish feed, and a few years ago YTS started an intensive fishery program in this area to help them tackle this issue. After a series of trainings, practicing, and direct assistance from a local fishery expert, now some members can do fish breeding without assistance from YTS or an expert.
Fish breeding is very challenging, it requires a lot of technical skills and preparations, and for Suripto and Sahiber to be able to do it this year is a big win for this community. They now can buy fingerlings near their home, and they can produce fish feed in their backyard.
The members of KUB Gawi Hatantiring are not only growing vegetables, managing their fish pond, and also the animals in their garden but also actively involved with the village program. They also sell their fish product at the recreation area nearby. They sold fish crackers, fish cake, and cassava chips. They also cater food for government events in Bukit Batu subdistrict where the fish products become one of specialty foods served.
From Human Force camp at Atalanta Cooperative:
We held a 3 day, 2 night mini-event for people of all ages in October 2021 (the longer summer camp program was postponed due to travel restrictions). Our group for this project was truly inter-generational, with our youngest participant only 9 months old, and our oldest nearly 82!
It was an inspiring experience to see all generations working together, with teens helping with childcare and engaging the young ones, and older participants working side by side with children. Several of the elder participants commented on the special feeling of connection and family they felt during the experience, and how beautiful it was to see everyone coming together and learning from one another.
Comments from those lucky enough to attend;
“Inspiring experience to see all generations working together!”
“A place where the opportunity to explore your talents can be done!”
“It was a wonderful gathering, with people of all ages coming together to work on the land”
“The feeling of working together, though on several different activities, was very harmonious and community building”
“It was awesome, even though I got tired more quickly than I had hoped or expected. Well, nearly 82 years old is nearly 82, I guess.”
There’s still time left to support our Fall Fundraiser
Contribute and lower your taxable income:
For those over 70 who must withdraw funds from their IRA, please consider QCD, Qualified Charitable Distributions. A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity. Read about QCDs here.
Planned Giving:
Read about planned giving to the Susila Dharma USA Endowment Fund here.
The goal is to purchase at least 50 free-range cows on a ranch owned by one of the Sahwira Fund board members. The annual birthing of offspring will eventually allow for the sale of cows, providing revenue for the orphanage and students.
