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Left behindSmall. Serious. Eyes withdrawn and staring. Jasmine’s light went out before she could walk. She is one of half a million children that have been left at orphanages in Indonesia. Despite her parents being alive.writer sophie arnö photographer elin berge

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I have to admit that I hesitate before step-ping into the infant section at the orp-hanage Asuhan Bayi Sehat in Bandung, more than 200 kilometres southeast of the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

We have come here to document the situation for some of the 500,000 placed children – probably more children in care than in any other country in the world. Save the Children has raised the alarm and works closely together with the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs to reform the sys-tem for support to exposed families.

And you soon understand why.No arms reach out to you as you enter

the section. No signs of interest, of expec-tancy. Instead we meet children who have withdrawn into themselves. Children with forlorn, sad eyes that I can never forget.

There is a little boy, just under a year old, in one of the ten cots standing in a row, rocking monotonously from one foot to

the other. I try to make contact. He doesn’t want to look at me. Instead he watches one of the carers as she moves through the room. But she doesn’t notice his silent long-ing for contact.

“These children get very little personal attention and response to their needs due to lack of quality in the institutional care,” says Florence Martin, my colleague at the local Save the Children.

Around us it is chaotic and noisy. Some children who have just learnt how to walk wander aimlessly around the floor. People come and go. Cries. Disorder. No structure. No close connection to an adult. Only the basics. Food. Bed. Nappy. The staff in the section do their rounds, throwing some biscuits into the cots as if the children were animals.

“The situation is very unfortunate, especially as it turns out that most of them

could be at home with their families, if they only had the right support.”

These last couple of years Florence Mar-tin has carried out a survey of the support available to exposed families in Indonesia. It shows that only four percent of all child-ren at the orphanages are orphans.

“Most children are here because their parents can’t afford their food, clothes and most of all their education: books, school uniforms and the unofficial fees required by the schools,” she says. School is free at the institutions.

“But children have a right to both edu-cation and parents. They shouldn’t have to choose!”

The number of orphanages in Indonesia has escalated during the last ten years, not least after the Tsunami in 2004. The disaster led to a unique response from the whole world and from within the countries affected. There is a wide spread misunderstanding that

60 children aged between 7 and 18 live at the orpha-nage anak nugrha. only four percent of all children in the country’s orphanages are orphans.

The orphanage bayi sehat also accepts infants. one boy is only a week old.

Most of them are left here because their parents can’t afford to support them.

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an extremely large number of children, espe-cially in the Aceh region, had been orphaned, so the government quadrupled the contribu-tion to institutional care.

institutionAl plAcement meAns, apart from separation from parents, that the children become more vulnerable to various forms of physical and mental abuse. And Save the Children’s survey of the quality of the care has shown that there is no monitoring of these activities.

“Anyone can start an orphanage,” says Florence Martin.

Of some 8,000 institutions in the coun-try, only 40 are run by the government. The rest are privately owned.

Many receive contributions from the government for each registered child, which sometimes results in unscrupulous entrepreneurs actively recruiting children to fill the empty places. Poor families are

tempted into handing over their children with promises of education and a better life.

“Many entrepreneurs are also driven by a desire to do good. They think they are well placed with Allah, if they do good deeds.”

Asuhan Bayi Sehat is one of the few orp-hanages that accept infants, mostly child-ren who in actual fact are abandoned or abused by their parents. Here there are doc-tors and a psychologist, special skills that are lacking in almost all orphanages. Most of the country’s institutions only accept children they regard as old enough to take care of themselves.

“Generally children are recruited when they are 9-10 years old, and the idea is that they should in principle be able to wash, clean and cook for themselves,” says Flo-rence Martin.

“We have many times noticed that it is

“Many receive contributions

from the govern-ment for each regis-tered child, which sometimes results in unscrupulous entre-preneurs actively recruiting children to fill the empty places

The atmosphere is jolly. but many children say they miss their parents.

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The girls eat in a room by themselves. Usually rice and chicken.

hard kicks with bare feet in the orphanage’s courtyard. Football is a great interest.

only 40 of the approximately 8,000 institutions in the country are run by the government. anyone can start an orphanage.

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Many find it hard with all the rules, for example you are not allowed out whenever you like.

at the institutions the children get very little personal attention and response to their needs. and there is no monitoring of the activities. “We take care of and comfort one another when we are sad,” says a boy.

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the children who run the institution – ins-tead of the institution taking care of them.”

the next dAy we visit one of these institutions. 60 children aged between 7 and 18 live here – most of them with their parents still alive.

The premises are remarkably poor. There are no toys – but the ceiling leaks. Bare bulbs giving out a harsh, cold light, walls peeling, tiled floors so sticky that the feet fasten on them. Many of the older boys don’t have beds and sleep directly on the floor. The younger ones have ragged foam mattresses - without any sheets.

But the atmosphere here is jolly. The children are outspoken and curious about us visitors. They giggle, joke and are happy to express their experiences in words. Many tell us that they miss their parents - but find support among their friends.

“We take care of and comfort one another when we are upset,” one boy tells us.

Apart from the longing, it is the tough rules – which can’t be influenced in any way – which are the most difficult, say the children. They complain that they can’t go out whenever they like.

“And we have to get up at four o’clock every morning.”

They all agree that they would never place their own children in an institution.

And even the principal of the orphanage has begun to reconsider the value of the work.

“I realise now that living at home is always best,” he says.

the principAl is a living example of the great change that Save the Children long has worked for. It’s a paradigm shift.

“They have begun to understand that institutional care is not the solution to all pro-blems, even though it is sometimes necessary.”

Together with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Save the Children promotes a more family based support system. Cooperation with local and faith-based organisations is an important part of the work. One essen-tial partner is Muhammadiya, the country’s second largest Muslim organisation and the individual organisation which runs the most orphanages.

“We are now trying to put more focus on supporting families in the local communi-ty,” says Mas Ihsan who is chairman for the special interest organisation for Muhamma-diyas’ institutions.

But there has been a lot of debate, fear and criticism from those working at the orphanages.

“Many are worried that they will lose control and no longer have the same influence over the children’s education,” he says. They also feel that they are losing their function if they are not allowed to recruit any children.

“ Our greatest challenge is to make them change their way of thinking. We try to make them see that it is in best interest of the child to live with the parents. That’s where true relationship and love is.”

But all good intentions also demand economical initiatives and political will. It is now important to make the very tradi-tional parliament realize why it is better to strengthen the parents than to just place children in institutions.

“We have to show them that is financi-ally more efficient,” says Makmur Sunusi, responsible for social services and rehabili-tation at the Department of Social Affairs. If we provide resources, knowledge and

“ They have begun to understand that institutional care is not the solution to all problems

Vidiya, 16, is getting ready for school.

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population: 239,900,000 (2009)Capital: JakartaConstitution: republic, unitary statearea: 1,904,569 square kilometresethniC groups: Javanese 45%, Sudanese14%, Madurese 7.5%, others 33.5%religions: Islam (mainly Sunni), minorities of Hindus, Hindu-Buddists, Christians, practioners of traditional, indigenous religions and so forthMain exports: oil, gas, industrial goods (mainly electronic goods), natural rubber, palm oil, coffee, shrimps, textiles, shoeslife expeCtanCy: 69.7 (2005)infant Mortality: 28 per 1,000 births (2005)gDp/inhabitant: 2,180 US dollars (2006)reaDing anD literaCy: 90.5 %aCCess to fresh water: 77 % (2004)nuMber of hiV-infeCteD (ages 15-49): 0.1 % (2005)aCCess to telephone (per 1,000 habitants): 213 (2005)

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health to parents, the number of productive citizens increases!

“Besides, a family does not need as much money as an institution. And children remaining at home are not isolated from their culture and their local community. We solve the problems where they origi-nally arose, in the families, and develop the knowledge there.”

Back at Asuhan Bayi Sehat orphanage in Bandung the principal Yanto Mulya Pibi-wanto agrees.

“We have started visiting the children’s families to investigate if they could return home. If the problem is financial we help them start a small business. It could be a snack bar, sewing or carrying out minor repairs so they can earn a living for them-selves and their child. We also continue to pay the school fees, via the institution.

In recent years 400 children have been able to return home from different institu-tions in the Bandung area alone.

“We have three who are just about to leave now.”

“It’s amazing when you see what good things can come of this. I cannot describe in words what I feel when I see a child disco-ver his/her own personal context.” ■

Washing, cleaning and cooking. “We have noticed many times that it is the children who run the institution – instead of the institution taking care of them.”

Common prayers are part of everyday life.

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tya is 15 years old and has lived at the orphanage for the past four years. she has two older siblings. the older sister has also lived at the orphanage. the pa-rents live in a little village and struggle financially.

There are no disad-vantages being in an

orphanage. I asked to come here myself because I wanted to be independent and not to be a burden at home. My parents could not afford to pay for my education

The only thing that can be a hassle is if you want to go out on a Saturday night. Then you are not allowed. It is difficult, if not impossible, to influence all the rules here.

In general I would say that it is better to live at home. You get more care, attention and closer, strong ties. I would never put my own children in an institution.

“

Kiki Firmansyah is 16 years old. her father is dead and her mother remarried a man with whom she has four children. the family is having a hard time.

When they started discussing putting me in an orphanage I got sad at first, but then

agreed to it so as not to be any bother to them. What was I supposed to do?

I’ve been here at the orphanage for three years now. The advantage is that I get to go to school. I gain experiences for the future, learning things, dealing with problems.

I go home every weekend if I can afford the transport. I would rather live at home. Then I could help out and be part of the family in a different way. My dream is to make my parents happy, to be good and work hard.

Many adults need help to get a good, steady job. My stepfather has only odd jobs and then it’s hard to get by.

“

KiKi

tyA

yudiguntara who is 15 years old has been at the orphanage for three years. his parents are very poor. he’s got three brothers, of whom two still live at home.

I was very sad when my parents decided to leave me here. I often miss them. They only visit me once a month. But my room-mates and I comfort and support one another.

The best thing about living here is the camaraderie, all the friends I have. The hardest part is all the rules that you can’t influence. It is tedious to have to get up so early. I’m always tired. If it’s something I would like to change it is the sleep times.

I believe that many parents would be able to keep their children at home if they got help with paying all school fees.

yudiGuntArA

“

survey What’s it like living in an orphanage?

Vidyia is 16 years old and the eldest of three sisters. her father is dead and her mother lives alone. Four years ago Vidiya was left at the orphanage against her will.

My mother and I fought a lot after my father died. She had many different men and I criticised her. One day she said

that we were going on picnic but in fact she brought me here to the orphanage and left me here. I was shocked and very sad.

Now we only meet on Saturdays. I have never asked her why she put me here but I think she was hoping that I would be less trou-blesome. Then I also understand that she wanted to give me a better life. My mother has no job so we had hardly anything to eat. Here, I get both education and food. And here we also share everything. If

there is only rice to eat we all eat rice. If one of us is happy we can all share the happiness.

The bad thing is all the rules, which means that you are not free to go out whenever you want to.

I wish my mother had a good job, so that at least my younger siblings could stay at home. Now they live with our grandparents.

“

VidyiA

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Ibu Tuti Dewi never wanted to leave her son. But with an income of € 35 per month she had no choice. Azikamal, 6, had to move to an orphanage. Not until now – nine years later – has he finally moved back home again.writer sophie arnö photographer elin berge

“i’m Very hAppy to be with my family again,” says Azikamal Mauludin, 15, smiling and looking shyly at his mother.

We meet outside their plain little house, or rather the bare concrete room in which all possessions are hung on hooks along the walls; some dented metal containers, a blouse, blankets for the night.

Only two weeks ago he moved back home after nine years at the orphanage in the same neighbourhood.

“I felt very strange during all those years, to see him there and not having him at home,” says Ibu Tuti Dewi, 42, who is a single mother of two children, apart from Azikamal also her son Sandi, 13.

“I want you to know that it wasn’t an easy decision to make. To put him there. He was only six years old. But what was I sup-posed to do? It was in his best interests.”

After the children’s father died, she was the only one to support both them and her aging parents. She points to the shopping cart, which she has with her since she has just come home after work. There is her life support. Yoghurt. She walks around the area every day from eight in the morning until eight at night and selling them in small portion packs.

“It gives me just over € 31 a month,” she explains.

An income that obviously is not enough

for school books, a school uniform and a number of other fees.

“And I wanted my son to get an educa-tion!”

To place Azikamal in an orphanage was the only possible way of getting support. The government doesn’t provide any direct support to families.

Now the policy has changed and all of a sudden it’s possible to get access to the service of the orphanages, such as food and school, even for children not living there.

“I didn’t hesitate for a second when the principal asked if I wanted Azikamal to return home,” says Ibu Tuti Dewi.

“The best thing about living at home again is to be with the family, and there is more freedom, not so many rules,” her son points out.

She has great plans for him.“I want him to go to college so that he

can have a better life than I have.”Azikamal nods.“I want to become a business man.” ■

azikamal has finally been allowed to move back home

azikmal, 15, on the far right, with his younger brother and mother in the alley outside the family’s plain home.

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Agus Sutardi, 39, grew up in an orphanage. Now he is back as headmaster of the same institution.“My own experiences makes me understand what the children need,” he says.writer sophie arnö photographer elin berge

As a seven year old Agus Sutardi came to the orphanage Asuhan Anak Nugraha in the city of Bandung.

“I would definitely rather have lived at home, but my

family was poor and could not afford for me to go to school,” he explains and leans back in the chair behind the desk in the tiny principal’s office.

After a short period as a teacher he is back where he spent most of his childhood, and where he also met his wife. They now live with their three children in one of the rooms at the institution and are responsible for running the activities.

“We are trying to create a family atmosphere. We have explained to our own children why they have to share us with

others. However, sometimes they complain about having to share our attention with the other children.”

With his experiences he wants to help more children gain the courage, strength and possibilities that they probably wouldn’t have got otherwise. Most of all it is about access to education.

“Most of the children coming here still have parents who are alive, but they come from very poor conditions. They see their time here as a chance to better themselves and compete in doing well.”

“We make outings; have lunch with the mayor and other activities which they would never have experienced at home.”

But the institutions also make demands. Every child must carry out various tasks, go to bed and get up at the same time, no mat-

ter what age. There are few ways in which this regime can be influenced.

“Since we are a Muslim institution, for example, we have to pray at certain times. We must wake everybody up at four in the morning so that they have time to get up and wash themselves before prayer. Those who complain are those who are not used to getting up and praying at home. We try to make it a habit for them.”

Agus Sutardi remembers his childhood as being very tough.

“Those who didn’t follow the rules were severely punished.”

He thinks it’s less harsh today.“For example the children may take part

in deciding what punishment should apply to those who haven’t behaved. It could be clea-ning the toilets, doing push-ups or sit-ups.”

And although the rules are the same for all, at the same time the staff tries to find ways to meet the individual child’s needs.

“For example we pay more attention to the youngest, but try to hide it so as not to cause envy.”

One evening a week all children and staff get together to talk and each and everyone

he never left the orphanage

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can ease their minds and get support.“They often raise questions concerning

their relations, both at home and at the institution,” says Agus Sutardi.

Generally speaking he thinks that the children in his institution seem ok. But he has also started to think differently since he started cooperating with Save the Children two years ago. 20 children with parents in the neighbourhood have moved back home – and yet they continue to participate in the school activities at the orphanage.

“Even if they are better off here materi-ally than at home, the separation from the parents is always a stress factor,” he says. Maintaining family relationships is always easier when living at home.

“But it is hard to solve for those living far away. Who will pay the cost for trans-portation to and from school?”

As long as Agus Sutardi can support his own children, who are twelve, nine and three years old, he will never send them to an institution, he says. But they will have to put up with sharing their dad.

“I’m going to work here as long as the children need my energy and my thoughts.” ■

he never left the orphanageeight million children around the world are estimated to be living in orphanages and other institutions. a new report from save the Children shows that four out of five children have a parent who is still alive. in indonesia it is as many as 90 percent.

it means that millions of children are perhaps unnecessarily exposed to the risks associated with living in an institution. not least, it can be traumatic having to leave one’s parents, who with relevant support might be able to take care of the children in their own home.

save the Children works to persuade authorities and those working with or donating money to orphanages, to instead put their resources into projects that will help families take care of their children at home or in the neighbour-hood. in many countries it is essential that family care at a national and local level is radically changed. There is also a need for stricter supervision and moni-toring of institutions, more information and advocacy about the importance of being in a family environment.

save the Children has had a close cooperation with the Ministry of social affairs in indonesia during the last five years. here are some examples of their activities:

● survey of activities for children in need of support

● survey of the quality of the country’s orphanages

● advocacy and training● establishing of a new database for

registration and follow up of children in institutions and for evaluation of activities at these places.

● support for the design of a new national standard for the institutions in the country

● participation in the development of a system for the licensing of social workers

save the Children also contributes to a new experimental activity, a family centre in bandung, where children and their families can be offered alternative ways of support.

The work in indonesia is supported by save the Children’s global initiative on children’s right to protection, Child protection initiative, Cpi.

Would you like to know more? please download save the Children sweden’s report “Keeping children out of harmful institutions’ at hYperlinK ”http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/54_9678.htm” http://www.savet-hechildren.org.uk/en/54_9678.htm

save the Children’s work for children in institutions

The orphanage anak nugraha.

Yanto Mulya pibiwanto is the principal of the orphanage bayi sehat. Together with Florence Martin, save the Children, he works to enable more of the children placed in institutions to move back home again.