Schools get Rp 420m donation from Americans

Muhammad Nafik and Syofiardi Bachyul Jb. , The Jakarta Post, Padang | Fri, 01/22/2010 10:11 AM

A display of destruction: Padang Prayoga Foundation chairman Phillips Rusihan Sakti (right) shows photos of destroyed or damaged buildings from the Sept. 30, 2009 quake, to businessman Edward I. Wanandi at the foundation’s office in Padang, West Sumatra, on Thursday. JP/Syofiardi Bachyul Jb.

More than three months after a powerful earthquake devastated much of West Sumatra, foreign donations continue to pour in.

Two Islamic and Catholic schools in Padang, which were among those destroyed by the quake, received Rp 420 million in aid from Americans as part of efforts to help the victims.

The Wanandi family handed over Rp 210 million of the aid Thursday to the Islamic Adabiah education foundation and the same amount to the Catholic Padang Prayoga Foundation in two separate ceremonies in Padang.

“Almost all of the money are donations from American people, and the rest is from Indonesians living in Chicago,” said businessman Edward I. Wanandi, who represented the Wanandi family along with his brother, priest Markus S. Wanandi, in extending the aid fund.

Edward said the aid was raised during a dinner function he organized on Nov. 22, 2009, in cooperation with Loyola University of Chicago, the Indonesian Consulate General in Chicago and the Indonesians Living Abroad in Reach.

“At the event we collected up to US$45,000 from those in attendance,” said Edward, who is a graduate of Prayoga’s KR elementary school.

He said the two education foundations were awarded the donations were because both had “good reputations” in education development in Padang as well as “clear programs” to rebuild their destroyed schools.

“It’s the most aid the school has so far received [from individuals] after the quake,” said Prof. Muchlis Muchtar, Adabiah education foundation chairman.

He added that recently his institution had also received Rp 100 million from donors.

Muchlis said the quake had destroyed or damaged several of Adabiah’s school and office buildings as well as its mosque, costing the foundation Rp 4.5 billion.

“We have so far received a total of Rp 520 million from the government, alumni and others.”

Both Muchlis and Veridiana Somanto, who head the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Committee for Padang Diocese’s Buildings at the Padang Prayoga Foundation, expressed gratitude for the donations.

Veridiana said her institution still expected more donations as the quake caused almost Rp 100 billion in damages to its school buildings and cathedral.