US Ambassador Gives Awards to NU-Muhammadiyah
Friday, 09 June, 2006 | 20:29 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The United States Ambassador to Indonesia, B. Lynn Pascoe, gave an award of Extraordinary Partnership to four organizations as pioneers of family planning at the US ambassador’s residence in Jakarta, last night (8/6).

The award was given to the Head of the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN) Sumarjati Arjoso; General Chairman of Muhammadiyah’s Central Executive Committee, Syamsuddin; General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Board of Directors Hasyim Muzadi; and General Chairman of the Indonesian Midwives Association (IBI) Harni Koesno.

”I’m proud of them for being successful in implementing family planning programs,” said Ambassador Pascoe during his opening speech. According to Pascoe, the participation of two of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, is helpful in promoting family planning programs through the religious approach.

According to Sumarjati, the US government via the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated aid to BKKBN amounting to US$200 million for the family planning program which was started a few years ago. The aid includes contraceptive devices and services such as counseling. “The underprivileged have free contraceptives ,” he said.

Sumarjati said he hoped the people involved can stay active in helping the family planning program implementation. “We hope they can still be active although official cooperation has come to an end.”

Aguslia Hidayah