"We need to raise more equity,

District 3400’s senior PDG Soedarpo Sastrosatomo’s opening remarks during Help Update’s interview started with the bottom line. "Since the Help program was launched last year we have received much from the Rotary Foundation through its COG, Districts from Holland, Japan, Malaysia and Australia. We are grateful. Many of us in Indonesia I know have suffered economic setbacks, but nevertheless we must strive to raise funds ourselves to match those sent by our brothers from overseas."

One of the first to realize the devastating consequence of the country’s economic crisis; the future of the children, "if they cannot afford to go to school, deficient in nutrition, imagine what they will be in 20 years time ?" he argues passionately, "a generation of dumb people !" Soedarpo convinced the then incoming DG Mustain just prior to his year of service to put emphasis and pay attention to the children, if possible, adopt a school, provide food supplement, and arrange for school fees for those whose parents cannot afford. "We have to do things in a big way, the way polio plus was carried out a few years ago" he continued, "it must have some ripple on a national scale" . Coincidentally, Indonesia’s State Minister for Poverty Alleviation also called on Rotary to see what it can do to help the children.

DG Mustain did just that. The Help the Children, Help the Schools, Help the Villages program was soon conceived and introduced. But not soon enough for Soedarpo. True, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been committed, and tens of thousands of children will be touched by this program. "But much more can be achieved", Soedarpo insists, his tycoon mind taking over "I believe in putting equity into this project, Rp. 100 million, and I want to see this effectively grow to at least one billion!". In fact within days the amount pledged has increased to Rp. 135 million. This amount will go to the Committee’s Help account; its use will be determined by a special committee. Mustain believes that through active promotion and matching grant opportunities, that target is achievable.

Heading a conglomerate of businesses, Soedarpo also fully realizes just what it takes to start and sustain such a campaign. Launched in August 1998, the project gathered steam and the first major funding began flowing early 1999. Since the affects of the economic crisis will still be felt for some time, "I fully agree that this be a 3-year program, and a proper committee must be established to react to the challenges and see it through the inevitable changes in district administration from year to year." Indeed, this is in line with the current theme of consistency, credibility, and continuity that we hear so much from RI President Carlos .