About Us

Founders statement

I first came to work in Indonesia in 1994. During that time, I met my future wife and began to understand more deeply the challenges faced by many families and children in the community. I saw how under privilege and limited access to education can shape a child’s future from their earliest years.

That experience remains at the heart of why we founded this Foundation. We believe that every child deserves safety, care, opportunity, and the chance to learn. Education is one of the most powerful ways to improve a child’s life: it builds confidence, opens doors, and enables young people to shape their own future.

We are still at the beginning of this journey, but our purpose is clear. Today, the Foundation provides a home and family environment for 12 children, while also supporting a further 10 children who continue to live outside the Foundation. Our support includes daily care, health assistance, learning support within the Foundation, funding for local schooling, and opportunities to take part in sport and recreational activities.

We want each child in our care to feel valued, encouraged, and equipped to thrive-not only academically, but emotionally, socially, and physically.

Our long-term vision is ambitious: a fully integrated facility serving up to 200 children. We hope to provide homes, a school, health care, mental wellbeing services, and sports facilities in one supportive community. This vision will take time, commitment, and partnership.

We invite you to help us build it. By supporting the Foundation, sharing our story, or walking alongside us, you can become part of a journey that gives children greater security, opportunity, and hope for the future.

People

Founding members

These are our founding members. Our team, with your help, have come together to make the construction and running of our 'Yayasan' possible. Listed are the profiles and background information about our members, key qualifications and motivations.

Founder - Michael

Michael is an international managing director with more than 30 years of operational leadership experience across Asia and beyond. Now retired, he lives in Surabaya with his wife, Sudjiati, where they are building the Foundation together.

Throughout his career, Michael has led regional businesses and established, developed, and managed five factories in diverse international settings, including Venezuela, Indonesia, and Thailand. These facilities ranged from 6,000m² to 10,000m², requiring practical leadership, long-term planning, and the ability to bring people together across different cultures and environments.

Having first worked in Indonesia in 1994, Michael has developed a deep connection to the country and its people. Over many years, he has seen both the resilience of local communities and the significant challenges faced by children growing up in poverty or without consistent access to education, health care, and opportunity.

Together with Sudjiati, Michael is committed to helping children reach their full potential. Their belief is simple: with care, education, encouragement, and the right support, children can build brighter, more independent futures.

Through the Foundation, Michael hopes to bring his experience, commitment, and international perspective to a lasting community project-one that gives vulnerable children a safe home, meaningful opportunities, and the confidence to shape the next generation.

Founder - Sudjiati

Sudjiati was born and raised in a farming village in Central Java, where she experienced firsthand the challenges that under privilege can bring to families and children. Education was often unaffordable, daily life could be difficult, and opportunities were limited. These experiences gave her a deep understanding of the barriers that many vulnerable children continue to face today.

Despite these challenges, Sudjiati’s strong faith, compassion, and determination have shaped her commitment to helping others. She believes that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safely, receive an education, and develop the confidence and skills needed for a better future.

Together with her husband, Michael, Sudjiati founded the organisation with the hope of creating a caring and supportive environment for children who need it most. Her vision extends beyond providing a home: she wants to build a community where children can access education, health support, emotional wellbeing, recreation, and encouragement to reach their full potential.

Sudjiati is driven by a desire to contribute to the wellbeing of her fellow people and to create practical, lasting change. Through the Foundation, she hopes to help transform lives-one child, one family, and one opportunity at a time.