Let Us Count Our Blessings....

On the 2nd of Feb 08, Happy Angels had once again brought smiles to the less privileged in Jakarta. It was a day after the terrible flood in Jakarta. Our donation came in time for the affected families. A total of 270 needy families from Railway Mangga Dua and Tanah Abang received a package of daily necessities each during this project. Each family received a bag full of rice, oil, sugar, ketchup, tea, a can of sardines and instant noodles. All the children received a goodie bag which consist of milk and cookies. Besides Happy Angels’ donation of $1228, there were some generous donors who had donated money towards the cause. Children from KDM had voluntarily and whole-heartedly helped out in this project.

Before the distribution, a volunteer from KDM had conducted checks on all the families. A visit and interview by Christine and myself was also conducted week before the project to survey the area, Railway Mangga Dua. Small houses were illegally built along the railway lines, built extremely close to the trains. We interviewed 3 families and visited various homes. The biggest house that we saw was about the size of our typical HBD bedroom. Each house is inhabited by an average of 2 to 6 members, some as many as 8 in the small and confined space. Cooking is done on the street, as these small houses do not have the luxury of space for cooking within. None of these houses has an individual toilet facility. Each visit to the toilet or shower will cost Rp500 . It seems quite probable that showering is a luxurious activity to them!

Despite the small area to stay, each household had to pay a rental fee ranging from Rp100,000 to Rp250,000 ($16-$40) per month. Most of the residents are on odd jobs or lowly paid jobs. Some could not even bring home any income for months! Most of them were only able to earn enough to pay off the rental fee. Daily expenses depend on donations from others.

One family that we visited left us with great pangs of heart wrenching sadness!

A small room, which is smaller than our HBD storeroom, housed a generation of four. The sixty one year old grand mother is the sole breadwinner of the family. Her daughter, the thirty-year-old mother not only had to take care of her 13-year-old teenage daughter (who has mentally disorder) and her two years old son but also her one-year-old granddaughter. The old granny works in a recycling company that earns her Rp100,000 ($16) per month, which barely covers their rental fee. Food and daily expenses depends on donation.

After we left, we learnt the tragic story of this family from the volunteers. The only "man" of this family had ran away from home! While his wife was pregnant with his son, he raped his teenage daughter and impregnated her! This inhuman act had caused his teenager daughter (who was only twelve years old then) to go insane after given birth. Now, she could not recall anything and became very reserved and scared of strangers. Many believe the thirty-year-old mother was mentally unsound too, after the incident. That explains why the old granny is the sole bread winner of this family.

This is just one of the many cases that we have encountered. Behind every household, there is an untold story. Some may be happy and contented, but most are sad and unbearable. Life still goes on for these people. When a bag of goodies was given to them, we could see the appreciation and the smile on their faces as their way of saying, "Thank You!”

If there are moments in your life that you have felt miserable or that life is unfair to you, think about the poor family and the tragic experiences that they had to go through and you will begin to appreciate what life has to offer.

Happy Angels would like to thank the following donors for their kind contributions.

Mr. and Mrs. Edison Husin – Rp. 1,000,000
Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Hartono – Rp. 1,000,000
Mr. Albert Kow - S$200
Mr. Chew Ann Hao – S$100
Mr. and Mrs. Oi Joo May – S$100


Text by Irene Oi

Touched By Our Little Angels

During our second Happy Angels Jarkata project in 2006, Happy Angels had sent over 175 English books for the children in KDM. Since then, no new batch of books was sent over and the children were hunger for new English story books. With this in mind, our 5 little angels, namely Peisi, (11 years old), Jerell and Lovie (8 years old) and Qin Yong and Javier (7 years old), took over the assignment and collected over 300 English books over their December 2007 school holidays. These books were collected from neighbours, friends and relatives of the 'Oi' family. With the help of our Vice Chairman Boon Pin, these books are subsequently transported over on his various working trips to Jakarta. For those who had contributed in this project, Happy Angels thank you for the books that you had donated. All collected English books had reached the homes of KDM, Jakarta.

Below is a story that one of our little angles, Tan Peisi, would like to share with everyone...

In the distance, the sky grew brighter as the sun crept above the horizon lazily. The running of the buses and cars broke the silence of the quiet morning. I stifled a yawn and rubbed my bleary eyes. It's morning? I asked myself in a thought. Oh yeah! Today is supposed to be a day of Charity work. My aunt told me and my cousins to give out flyers to our neighboring blocks, telling them to donate old English storybooks. It is for a orphanage in Jakarta, KDM. I made a trip there, together with my cousins. It was really, really fun!

Anyway, I waited till 3 pm for my aunt and cousins to come to my house for this meaningful activity. There are 5 of us. I am the oldest. The two younger boys get to stay home and played while the 3 of us get to work with our aunt. We went to the nearby market to photocopy our flyers and then we are ready to give them out. The 2 boys insisted to tag along and we let them do so only if they help us. The excitement of working together rolled over me in waves. it was easier as there are more people to help us.

The sun sank below the horizon with a sigh, making me and some of us sigh too. "How many more ... units to .... go ....?" Javier and Qin Yong asked, panting after a few words, "About ...um...six storeys more?" I muttered, uncertain about the numeral. "C'mon, pizza's waiting," I teased "see ya later!" I called, already running to do more flyers-giving....

One week later, on 8 dec 2007, my uncle from Jakarta came to help me with the collection of books. And together we went back to all the households who we had given out the flyers. For those who helped us by donating their old books, a hand made thank you card was given to them.

By evening, we walked back slowly, catching some cool air after several rounds of running. I felt so glad that I did this with a willing heart as it was for people who had no money to buy good books. Therefore, a good deed deserves another. I can hardly wait to see how the students' response after receiving the story books we donated to them!

About Happy Angels

A group of volunteers got together in August 2002 with an intention to reach out to the less fortunate people in our community. In order to foster an identity and made our presence felt, “Happy Angels” and the motto” We Care We Share” was formed. The size of membership has grown over the years to the current 40 volunteers comprising of flight attendants, pilots, aircraft engineers and people from all walks of life.

Happy Angels focuses on providing nutritional education and care to the community, especially those from the lower income areas. Our main objective is to influence the community and to have a direct and positive effect on the well being of the people that we connect with.
Happy Angels’ activities are mainly held in Singapore and at the following places:

SINGAPORE PROJECT

RENCI Hospital
Volunteers are involved in the care and counseling of the chronically-ill patients through spending time with them.

AWWA Old Folks Home
Old folks at this Home receive regular therapy and foot reflexology from the volunteers.

OVERSEAS PROJECT

In January 2005, 22 volunteers from Happy Angels and 18 volunteers from Sheraton Bandara Hotel, Jakarta spent 5 days in a small village at the outskirts of Jakarta helping out in the re-construction of a primary school; setting up a library; giving oral care, first aid and computer lessons to the students; distributing groceries, school bags, shoes & clothes to the poor villagers and children. It was Happy Angels’ first joint overseas project with Sheraton Jakarta. We felt privileged and happy that we could make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate beyond the Singapore shore.

In April 2006, Happy Angels sent 23 volunteers to Kampus Diakoneia Modern (KDM) Cileungsi, Indonesia in a 4-day educational program to help a group of former street children.
The objectives of the project were to teach the children basic English, first aid, personal etiquette and to motivate and encourage the children, teaching them trust & teamwork through outward-bound programs. The aim of the project is to boost the confidence level and raise the self-esteem of the children. Through this program the children also learn the different culture from people of other countries.

In November 2006, the feedback we got from the children, KDM staff and volunteers at the end of our April project is that “Happy Angels have become the children’s source of motivation and emotional support”. This is also evident from the fact that the kids still write to many Happy Angels Volunteers and constantly updating us about their progress in their life and learning. Hence, Happy Angels is returning to KDM for a follow-up project shortly 7 months after the last visit. During this project, Happy Angels look forward to sustain our objectives from our April 2006 visit. On top of that, Happy Angels has included these new objectives in our coming trip:

• To reward well-deserving children who have been sustaining their positive spirit of learning
• To reinforce and rekindle the learning spirit of the children
• To foster esprit de corp. among the kids through various outdoor activities

In February 2007, there was a very devastating flood that caused widespread destruction and misery to the people of Jakarta. Happy Angels flew over and together with the representatives from Jakarta, we identified one area, Pejompongan and 50 families with a total of 200 flood victims consisting of adults, children and vulnerable infants. Cash donations were used to buy essential items such as medicine, diapers, milk bottles , milk powder, fresh milk and clothing for the affected families.

In March 2007, SMART (Self Management And Reconstructive Thinking) Program was introduced to the children in KDM. It provides the children with critical skills for continuous learning and innovation in the knowledge age. This program comes with 4 modules and every module takes 3 to 4 days of training:

1. Self Development Course I
2. Self Development Course II
3. Creativity Thinking & Problem Solving
4. Team Building & Group Effectiveness

Fish Farm Visit

On the 26th of October 2007, we brought the elderly folks from AWWA for a day trip to Aquarium Iwarna Pte Ltd which is located at Pasir Ris. The owners of Aquarium Iwarna had generously provided a pond for the old folks to do some prawn "fishing" and they had a wonderful time bbqing their catch during dinner time! One of the old folks was so happy and excited that she told us that she wants to come here the following day! How is that for enthusiasm?:)

Our sponsors and donors donated things from packet drinks and lunches to snacks like prawn crackers. One of Aquarium Iwarna's suppliers happened to be there on an impromtu visit and upon learning that it is a volunteer project for the old folks, promptly donated a generous amount of packet drinks and snacks for them to enjoy! Angels really can come from anywhere, isn't it?:) A big thanks to our sponsors and donors for without them, this trip would not be possible nor memorable!

Magic Show by Aloysius Yeo

During the month of May 2007, Irene and her husband Erwin treated the AWWA residents to a catered dinner at the Home. After the sumptuous dinner, one of the volunteers, Aloysius performed for the old folks a mesmerizing array of magic tricks. Aloysius won many fans that evening, not to mentioned a playful challenge from one of the AWWA residents who happened to be one of the Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons of magic! The sporting uncle wowed us with his brand of card magic that left many of us wide-eyed and open-mouthed throughout the performance! Way to go uncle!!

Photos by Max
Text by Richard

There will be more photos on this website
http://maxcollection.multiply.com/photos/album/91/AWWA_03.08.2007_Magic_Show#

Introduction Of SMART

SMART (Self Management And Reconstructive Thinking) Training Program is specially designed for teenagers who have problems in their childhood or facing some difficulties in life, school or work. This program provides them with critical skills for continuous learning and innovation in the knowledge age.

1. Self Development Course I:
Personality development through Positive Thinking and knowing yourself.

2. Self Development Course II:
Take responsibility for self-development, personal performance and goals.

3. Creative Thinking and Problem Solving:
Go beyond conventional approaches, see creative solutions and make the leap to innovation.

4. Team Building and Group Effectiveness:
Use the team’s skills and talents to achieve common goals. Build trust, relationships and work as a
team.

To enhance the students’ ability to learn, think and apply new knowledge and skills, the SMART program employs these keys strategies:

* Learning through experiential activities which promote discovery through hands-on application. These new found learnings will aid them in meeting the challenges in the School of Life.

* Reflective teaching, which requires the students to analyze, synthesize and evaluate situations, issues and alternatives. This challenges them to think creatively, examine alternatives in the workplace or personal life and use these new knowledge and skills to innovate.
* Emphasis on ensuring that course content is relevant to the students. This ensures that there will be immediate integration of what they have learnt and how they would apply them.

On successfully completing this SMART program, the student will receive a Certificate in Self Management And Reconstructive Thinking from Happy Angels.


~ Don’t Give Up, Life Is Wonderful ~

Jakarta Flood

On February 2007, Jakarta was hit with the worst flood ever. Three days of torrential rain has caused rivers to burst their banks, sending muddy water up to 3 meters deep into homes and shops. Hapless flood victims can be seen standing on their rooftops, waiting desperately to be rescued.

Amongst the thousands of flood victims, many of them live in slums with no basic amenities. They build their shacks along the riverbanks or in very crowded and impoverished areas. The flood swept away and destroyed their already minimal possessions. Some of them even lost their houses as the raging floodwaters swept them away.

The children and the elderly were the more vulnerable ones, as they are unable to fend for themselves. They were being rescued and placed in temporary shelters across Jakarta. Mosques and schools were used as temporary shelters during the flood. Water, medicine and food were scarce. Scores of children, mostly below five years old, succumbed to diarrhea, dehydration, fever and other flood-related illnesses.

When we heard news about the flood in Jakarta, Christine called Mr Benny from KDM to ask how we could help. Armed with donations from big-hearted sponsors in Singapore, we headed to Jakarta.

Happy Angels have been working very closely with friends in Jakarta for the past 2 years since it’s first out-reach project in Tengarang, Jakarta and subsequently with KDM in Cileungsi, Jakarta.

We worked with Mr Benny and identified one area, Pejompongan in Jakarta, which we were able to extend our help. These victims live near the railway tracks, with houses made of wooden planks and roofs made of zinc. We identified 50 families with a total of 200 flood victims consisting of adults, children and vulnerable infants.
Cash donations were used to buy essential items such as medicine, diapers, milk bottles, milk powder, fresh milk, exercise books, stationery sets, sarongs and oranges which were given to all families. A portion of the donated money was also allocated to buy school uniforms for the children.
We also brought over clothing and clean towels for the victims.
Happy Angels would like to thank all volunteers and sponsors who have contributed selflessly to help these displaced families.


It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
~Mother Theresa~

Overseas Project in November 2006

After the success of the first KDM & Happy Angels joint Education project in April, Happy Angels re-visited KDM again on 24 – 28 November 2006. A total of 13 volunteers from Happy Angels went on this 5 days adventurous trip to KDM Cileungsi, Jakarta. We were delighted to have local volunteers from SIA Jakarta office joining us.

On this project, Happy Angels hopes to sustain our objectives from the April 2006 visit and has included new objects for this project:

* To reward self-deserving kids who has been sustaining their positive spirit of learning.
* To reinforce and rekindle the learning spirit in the kids.
* To foster esprit de corps through various outdoor activities.

We hope to achieve the objectives through:

1. English Proficiency Level
Identify their English proficiency through English Tests for different literacy levels. English test was conducted to identify the top learners in English and it also serves as a benchmark for us to identify which level they are at in order for us to help them to learn English at a comfortable pace.

2. Future Leaders
To encourage children to be leaders. Some of the children were identified to plan and organize activities for the volunteers during our visit. Each child was given roles and duties to perform.

3. Team Building
Children were separated into different teams with a team leader amongst them. Games and activities were planned to encourage communication and decision-making within the team.

4. Caring and Sharing
We went for a trekking trip to the waterfalls. Children have to take care of the volunteers and their friends throughout the trip. They need to ensure that everyone has enough food to eat and everything is taken care of.

On this project, children were given opportunities to prepare the programs and take care of the necessary needs for the Camping trip to the waterfall. It was a 2 days trekking to the mountains. They planned games, camping equipments, transport arrangements etc.

During our 5 days visit, English test, activities and talent time were planned for the children. An appraisal system was also designed to grade the children’s behavior during the entire trip. We will identify the top 10 winners from the compilation of scores from the English Test, Talent Time and Appraisal.

The prize for the top 3 winners is an educational visit to Singapore and the next 7 winners will get to visit to Bali, Indonesia.


To SIA Jakarta Ground Staff,

Thank you very much for the wonderful time. Happy Angels is indeed very honour to work together with you. Hope to work with you guys again in near future.