New Field Partner: YSBS brings education loans to Central Java

Based in the Cilacap district of Central Java, Indonesia, the non-governmental organization Yayasan Sosial Bina Sejahtera (YSBS) has worked on poverty reduction, food security, gender issues, education, public health, and climate change since 1976.

Run by Irish-born priest Father Charlie Burrows, and with a staff of over 600 members, YSBS has been able to to improve the welfare of the Indonesian people in the region for the past 40 years.

50% of the 1.7 million residents in Cilacap live below the poverty line and YSBS' dedication to alleviating poverty has led to Burrows recent honor of the Maarif Insitute prize.

YSBS' five agencies focus on education, socio-economic development, charity and health, child welfare and nutrition, and women’s entrepreneurship. Here are some of their areas of focus:

Education -- Running 25 schools and five vocational schools, educating about 5,500 students.

Socio-economic development -- Executing infrastructure projects like roads and bridges.

Charity and health -- Providing surgeries for prosthetic limbs, cysts and cleft lips, as well as wheelchairs for the disabled and transgender counseling.

Minomartani -- A child sponsorship and nutrition program run in partnership with Child Fund. Founded in 1980, this project regularly serves more than 1,700 children.

Women’s self-help groups -- A microfinance program for women called Kelompok Swadaya Wanita (KSW) that serves over 2,130 women.

The partnership between Kiva and YSBS will be instrumental in expanding the organization's programs. Kiva lenders can fund tuition loans for students attending YSBS’ maritime academy and senior vocational high school to help them launch their careers, and enterprise loans for rural groups of women participating in the organization’s microfinance program.

Have questions about YSBS? Want to learn more about Kiva’s work in Indonesia? We’re happy to help at blog@kiva.org.