No child ever dreams of ending up in an orphanage. Unfortunately, however, that’s the reality for some children. Luckily, there are kind-hearted, compassionate people willing to give these children a hand and love them like family. (Joshua Irwandi & Valery Fardeli, Jakarta Globe)

My Jakarta spotlights these children not simply to evoke empathy, but to spur our readers to action. Sister Yulita Maria, a Roman Catholic nun at Kasih Mulia Sejati Orphanage, is looking for people willing to help.

Tell us about your orphanage.

This is an orphanage that was established by the Passionist nuns in 2000. The house we use was run by the Kasih Mulia Sejati Foundation, a family foundation that does social work for various causes. We bought the house and turned into an orphanage. Right now, the house is quite full. There are 38 children here, including seven babies and six toddlers. The rest are schoolchildren. We have two nuns and a few baby sitters helping us. We’re planning to expand the orphanage. We have the funding, but the West Jakarta government keeps postponing approval.

What do you do at the orphanage?

I am in charge. I receive guests and oversee the work of the staff here. I also interact with the children, especially the troubled ones, because it’s really important to give them a lot of attention. It’s tough handling these children. We also work with the Good Shepherd Sisters. During the holiday season, when everyone leaves, we do everything ourselves, from the cooking to the cleaning.

Where are the children from?

The children come from various parts of Indonesia. Their parents usually come to Jakarta and have various problems, like women who are pregnant out of wedlock or who are widowed or divorced. They’re usually single parents. There are also parents who are too poor to raise a child. They are unable to take care of their children and decide to give them to the orphanage, which can provide for their well-being. There are also the May ’98 riot victims, women who were raped in their youth and unprepared to raise a child. So they left their children here.

FULL INTERVIEW

My Jakarta: Sister Yulita Maria Cp, Passionist Nun in Kasih Mulia Sejati Orphanage (Jakarta Globe)