Our Story
In 1999, we met a young girl named Ani. At the time, the founders of Children of Sumatra were living next door to her. Ani was born with a cleft lip, and as we got to know her, we quickly realised that several other children in the village were suffering from the same condition. There were no charities in the area specialising in cleft lip and palate care, and families had nowhere to turn for help.
We felt compelled to do something. With no resources other than determination, we began raising money by selling souvenirs and collecting personal donations from friends. Soon after, we were introduced to an extraordinary surgeon in Medan, Professor Bucari. His compassion for children and his belief in our mission made him eager to help us.
Over the next few years, Prof. Bucari performed 48 life-changing cleft surgeries for our children. His kindness, skill, and generosity kept our costs low and allowed us to help far more children than we ever imagined. When he passed away from cancer at the end of 2005, we were devastated. We remain deeply grateful for everything he gave to our mission and the children of Sumatra.
In 2002, we officially registered as a charity, marking the moment when our work became more structured and our reach began to grow. Changing a child’s life had become not only possible—but profoundly simple—and we were determined to continue. We developed friendships with several Rotary Clubs, and the Rotary Club of Billingshurst (UK) became one of our strongest and most faithful supporters. Their belief in us gave us the financial foundation to continue expanding our work.
Our Partnership with Harapan Jaya
For the past 20 years, we have worked hand-in-hand with Harapan Jaya, one of Indonesia’s leading rehabilitation centres. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of their extraordinary community. Their work for children is nothing short of inspiring.
Harapan Jaya specialises in supporting children with cerebral palsy, many of whom live full-time at the centre. Their dedicated team teaches children to walk, to gain independence, and to do things that once seemed impossible. Their facilities, expertise, and profound compassion have become the heart of our charity’s cleft work.
Most importantly for our mission, Harapan Jaya has speech therapists, which are essential after palate surgery. Their after-care services ensure that every child we help receives not only a successful operation, but also the support they need to heal, speak, and thrive.
Each year, Harapan Jaya arranges for Dutch surgeons to travel to Sumatra to work alongside Indonesian surgeons, performing as many cleft operations as possible. Thanks to this partnership, countless children have received life-changing surgery and the chance for a brighter future.
We are honoured to stand with Harapan Jaya. Their compassion completes our mission—and together, we are giving children the opportunity to smile, speak, and live with confidence.