How we strive to help the poor in the Nias communities

The vision of the Ono Niha Foundation is delivered via five programs:

Local employment

Nias is a subsistence economy.  Unemployment is high and the average income is about $4/day. Ono Niha Oil (ONO) provides significant local employment and 20% of the profits are donated to ONF to support the community development programs. the ONO virgin coconut oil is marketed as Sococco Oil.

We are trying to increase local employment and incomes by:

  • Improving the efficiency of the ONO factory. Activities include using by-products (coconut husk and shell ) to provide the energy needs of the factory, and developing higher value markets for its by-products, such as desiccated coconut and shell products.
  • Producing alternative, high value/low bulk agricultural products because of the high freight costs from the island.  Options include essential oils such as Patchouli oil.
  • Training locals and help them establish micro-businesses.  E.g. we have provided equipment and for Iwan to run dental hygiene clinics, which are free for the poor, and a small fee charged for those who can afford it.

Education

Education is the pathway out of poverty. Poor families cannot pay the costs of books and uniforms required for students to attend public school, and the children often have to work to supplement the family income.  We help provide basic education for students from poor families by:

  • A scholarship program to pay the school costs and supplement family income so the student does not have to work.  It takes only $30/month to give a child an education to the end of senior school.  That's not much for us, but makes a big difference to them.
  • After school English and computer classes in the Foundation’s community centre for the scholarship students and others.

We focus on supporting single parent and orphaned students, and there are plenty of these!

Children with intellectual and physical challenges

There are lots of disabilities children (called Cacat children) in Nias. We are often told that the child developed disabilities after contracting a high fever as a baby.  This is so easy for us to prevent, and so sad when we see the consequences in these families.

Cacat children are often not given the attention and support they deserve because the parents/carers have to work, there is a community stigma around Cacat children, schools do not cater for them so they can not go to school, and the parents/carers are not trained in how to help their children.

We try to help the Cacat children to function to their maximum potential by:

  • Providing physical aids (e.g. crutches and wheelchairs) to help children with basic life activities in their family and community.
  • Providing weekly therapy and support sessions for children and their carers in our community centre.
  • Taking the children and carers on special outings, e.g. to a swimming pool for fun and therapy.
  • Training carers (parents and others) to best help the children develop and prosper.
  • Establishing special education classes, because the local schools do not cater for children with special needs.
  • Increasing community awareness and acceptance of the special role and skills of these children.

Community health and specialised clinics

Basic health is very “basic”, and there is a total absence of specialised health services; things we take for granted such as dental, optometry and physiotherapy. We aim to improve general health knowledge and practices, and provide specialised health services by:

  • Providing classes on health, hygiene, nutrition and first aid.
  • Running specialised clinics in dental, chiropractic, physiotherapy and others. These are provided by suitably qualified volunteers at no cost.
  • Training locals to provide these basic, and hopefully more specialised health services.

Holidays with Purpose (HwP)

We cannot help the local communities without on-site volunteers. Over the years we have had dental therapists, teachers, chiropractors, optometrists, builders and nurses directly help by spending time at the Foundation base. Providing relief from ailments makes a big difference to the poor, and just by being there the volunteers show that the poor are important and of value.

We encourage volunteers to contribute to the above programs by:

  • Publicising the work of the Foundation and the HwP program and encouraging volunteers to help with the programs.
  • Helping organise the volunteers travel to the Base.
  • Providing accommodation in the two bungalows on the Base, and building another bungalow.
  • Giving them a meaningful experience and at the same time helping them enjoy the beauty of the local environment and culture.