Foster Parents Indonesia
 
This week Chelsea Hellyer-Blasius addressed the Club on the work of local group Foster Parents Indonesia. The group was established in 1980 by the local husband and wife team of Bill and Roelie de Riter. Chelsea is the current President.

Chelsea commenced her presentation by telling how she became interested in working with the organisation when having just completed secondary college as an 18 year old she travelled to Bali on a 16 day holiday. She had with her a bag of second hand clothing to give away and found a driver to take her to an orphanage about an hours drive away. She immediately fell in love with the children and admired the work of those operating the orphanage and spent much of every day of her holiday going out to the orphanage to be with and help the children. On her return home she continued her involvement which, nearly two decades later, has resulted in her role as President and many more trips to Indonesia.
 
Foster Parents Indonesia Inc. (FPI) are an Australian not for profit organisation working to raise funds for the education and well-being of Indonesian children living in poverty. Totally volunteer run, FPI assists orphanages housing more than 600 children and they regularly donate to special projects involving Indonesian children and their communities. The aims of FPI are to provide education and a safe and healthy environment for children in Indonesian orphanages and to also provide funds for special projects. All funds are raised via sponsorships, membership fees an Annual Cultural Day Luncheon, Bequests, Donations and all the usual fund raising activities of garage sales, produce stalls and pretty much anything else that can assist their work.
 
       
 
The funds raised are used to sponsor children in orphanages with education, health and clothing. Funds are sent directly to the people running the orphanages who are a catholic Order of Nuns so they are absolutely confident that every dollar raised is spent on the children that it is intended to help.

The orphanages support all children they can reach who are in need, they are non-denominational or cultural a key factor in the decision to support them.

FPI also support financially self-help projects to improve the communities in which these orphanages exist. Projects such as tiling and sanitation improvements are some as orphanages receive very minimal Government support and are generally in a very poor state of repair. FPI have also provided help for special projects to assist with recovery after disaster such as earthquakes, and other disasters.

However possibly the biggest and most recent was the construction of a kindergarten on the site of a current rubbish tip where many families actually live retrieving recyclable cardboard and plastics to sell.
 
Margaret & Chelsea at the official opening in 2017
 
Sponsorships of a child cost $20.00 per month a figure that has been fixed since the organisation began. It can be paid half yearly and sponsors are encouraged to have contact the child they are supporting and are also encouraged to visit them which FPI can facilitate for sponsors who wish to do so. If you are interested in becoming involved by providing sponsorship, a donation or by joining the group, you can contact them at fosterparentsindonesia@hotmail.com click on the link to contact them.
 
In thanking Chelsea for her presentation both Chairman Terry and President David commented on just how incredibly productive a small local charity organisation such as Foster Parents Indonesia had so obviously been. This was a credit to the founder Bill and Roelie de Riter and also to the passionate group of people who are continuing their work.
 
Chairman Terry and President David welcome to Rotary
Margaret Upston, Secretary and Chelsea Hellyer-Blasius, President of FPI.