 BREAKING THE POVERTY CHAIN
Social Development has become an obsession of all policy decision-makers at all levels of governance. The goal of most social development programs is to narrow the gap between the more affluent in the society and the lesser privileged. This, can be in the format of enhancing more opportunities for all, and thereby rapidly eradicating poverty in a comprehensive approach and sustained manner.
Today's empirical reality indicate that in many developing communities the appropriate approach to people's, community's, and family's welfare, is still want. Indonesia had marked success in the POSYANDU approach. Yet, even that approach is no longer fulfilling the needs at the grass roots. The DAMANDIRI Foundation is now embarking on a new concept known as the POSDAYA model. In essence the POSDAYA model is the empowerment of the family, and all members of the family, so that they can help each member, and all segments of the population in local communities. The versatility of the model is that it can be applied to all community and family activities, i.e. in their economic ventures, their faith and religious activities, and even to their cultural rituals.
This is the model which is offered to all concerned to be closely examined and hopefully adapted to meet the needs of grass roots. In this context DAMANDIRI Foundation is planning to host an international and a simultaneous national forum to share its experiences and best practices in family empowerment through village or local institutions based on the many facets of community life, i.e. the faith-related institutions, economic-based organizations, or even the youth and the elderly based organizations.
WHAT INDONESIA SHARES:
THE POSDAYA PARADIGM
POSDAYA is a forum held at all villages and sub-villages throughout most parts of the country. It is an advanced form from its predecessor, the POSYANDU. Whereas the POSYANDU is focused on enhancing health and welfare of mothers and children, i.e. family planning, which include public education on health practice and nutrition. POSDAYA carries that further to empower all family members and segments of the population and families towards welfare enhancement.
Important to note is that the eight goals of the MDGs include:
Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger;
Achieving universal basic education;
Promoting gender equality and empowering women;
Reducing child mortality;
Improving maternal health;
Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;
Ensuring environmental sustainability;
Fostering international [and national] networks and partnership.
Imperative to underscore is that the POSDAYA is actually the implementation of the eight goals of the MDGs at the grass roots, and even at the family level at all locations throughout the country. In essence via the POSDAYA model the manifestation of efforts to attain MDGs are characterized by the following principles, that
It is Local Community based;
It is Democratic and popular community decision making;
It is Empowering all segments of the community and members of the families;
It is Participatory for and by all in the community;
It is Inclusive in embracing the goals of family welfare;
It is Outreaching in terms of coverage;
It is Incremental in terms of attaining sustained achievements;
It is Care-giving to all who are in need;
It is Sensitive and heeding to the needs of all.
On that score, the overriding objective of the OST is to apply the concept of empowering all segments of the age spectrum in the family and the community through the POSDAYA model, i.e. faith-based and individual-based models in economic and social development.
Derived from the above, the specific objectives are as follows:
To share the POSDAYA model and others to all international and national participants
To share Indonesias experience in empowering the community in social development through POSDAYA and other models
To invite participants to adapt the POSDAYA and other models as appropriate to their respective settings
To share with international and national participants the inception of local community and other forum as data base for incumbent social and economic development and future programs.
HOW DOES INDONESIA SHARE?
National and international participants are invited to attend a three-days regular observation-study tours which comprise of 30 percent in-class orientation and discussions, followed by 60 percent of field observation and discussion with local counterparts and resource persons. The remaining 10 percent of their time will be spent to formulate their respective action plans for eventual implementation upon their return.
Class-room briefings, orientation and briefings will be held in Jakarta with visits to BKKBN and DAMANDIRI Foundation offices. Field observations and discussions will be in West Java and/or Yogyakarta. An optional OST and additional field experience is offered to the Bali province. The final stage of Reflection-Discussion-Synthesis session will be done at either of those sites.
The in-class orientation will be moderated and facilitated by Indonesian and other invited resource persons who are experts in related fields. During the field observations, site visits will be made to relevant on-going activities in social development, more specifically the POSDAYA sessions. During these observation, local authorities will be facilitating and moderating over the ensuing discussions.
WHO BENEFITS FROM THE SHARING?
The participants to this Observation-Study Tour will be public officials and NGO staff at national and sub-national levels, who are currently engaged in social development activities. The scope of social development covers a wide spectrum, and can be directed for all segments of the population, but will be in any case directed towards enhancing welfare of individual families and their immediate local communities.
WHAT ONE LEARNS FROM THE GRASS-ROOTS
After the initial briefings and orientation in Jakarta, participants will travel to Yogyakarta where they will observe actual field operations of the Posdaya at Bantul and Sleman Districts. Open dialogue will be held with local stakeholders and public at those sites.
Following the visit to Yogyakarta, participants who opt for the optional program will further travel to Bali, or to other places, where comparative study visits will take place.
The summing-up and closing session will be held in Yogyakarta for the regular OST and in Bali or other places, for the Optional OST, and from those points participants will depart for their respective home stations.
THE DATES AND VENUES
The Observation-Study Tour will be organized in the fourth week of January 2008. The tentative dates are 27-30 january 2008 for the regular OST, and january 27- February 1, 2008 wich cover the optional expanded as briefly elaborated below.
The tentative work program appears as the following.
Day -1 (pm): Arrival of participants
Day 1 (am): Opening and Introductory Briefings
(pm): Travel to Yogyakarta
Day 2 (am and pm): Field Observation and Orientation Study in Yogyakarta
(pm): Summing-up and Closing of the Regular OST
Day 3 (am): Departure to home stations for the Regular OST participants
(am): Travel to Bali (Optional OST Program)
(pm): Observation in Bali (Optional OST)
Day 4 (am): Observation in Bali (Optional OST)
(pm): Summing Up and Closing Session for the Optional OST
Day 5 (am, pm): Departure to home stations
THE HOST
The organizer and host organization of the OST is the DAMANDIRI Foundation, a national Non-Governmental Organization founded by the former President Suharto in 1996. The overriding aim of the foundation is breaking the poverty chain and to enhance quality families. Pursuant to that aim, the foundation collaborates with various organizations and institutions, both in the government as well as the non-government and civil societies. The foundation also links itself closely with the banking system to enhance small and medium enterprises at the grass roots levels, and to enhance the services of professionals, such ands village midwives. Links are also forged with the universities to enhance their community services to help the poor and the under-privileged.
Having had significant experience and lessons learnt, the foundation began embarking on sharing those to national and international circles. This is done through seminars and workshops and by inviting national and international participants to Observation Study Tours, such as the present invitation. In implementing this OST the foundation collaborates closely with related institutions, such as the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) at various levels, the Coordinating Ministry for Peoples Welfare, the Ministry of Interior, and professional associations.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND FELLOWSHIP
Participants are recommended to secure funding assistance from their own country organizations or from international donor agencies. The total tuition to attend this Observation Study Tour is USD 400 per person for the regular three days OST . This will include full-board accommodation, domestic airfare, field observation, insurance and administrative/secretarial work, including documentations and reports, communications and correspondence, records and certificates.
Additional costs may be levied for the optional extended OST programs to the amount of USD 500 to cover accommodation and OST costs.
The tuition does not include international travel. DAMANDIRI Foundation will contribute partial support to offset local costs to the participants.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
DAMANDIRI Foundation
Granadi Building 11th Floor
Jl. Rasuna Said, Blok X 1, Kav 8 - 9
Kuningan, South Jakarta,
Indonesia
Phone (62-21) 252 4981, 252 4954, 252 4985, 527 9606
Fax (62-21) 252 4980
Web Site: www.damandiri.or.id
e-mail : haryono_syn@yahoo.com, pudjor@yahoo.com
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