non-Executive Chairman, Foundation for maternal and child health in Indonesia
travel Lou Simpson extends marketing and communications for theaters in London, studying and working for NGOs in Cairo, and now a passion to help mothers and children in Indonesia. She shares her story with us and pass on some of the experienced expat wisdom.
Lou, you worked for theaters in London, NGOs in Egypt, and has a Master in global development. Phew! How did all this lead you to a nonprofit in Indonesia?
My background is marketing and communications, working for Sadlers Wells Theatre and the Barbican Centre, and non-profits in London. somewhere where the objective is non-work has always appealed. Somewhere between jobs I backpacked around Java, Bali and Lombok. After 9/11 I did not want to make long distance with my partner, so I moved to Cairo. Hating the "housewife" label, I decided to study a Masters and put to good use, possibly working in communications for non-profits there. We left during the Arab Spring - it was not scary; just surreal tell my mother on the phone that the bombs were just fireworks.
We chose Indonesia because of my travels - more my brother had lived in Sulawesi. Looking for a way to use my masters, I contacted the Foundation for Maternal and Child Health (FMCH) offering to redo their website. Things evolved from there :? More than three years later, I am here
What FMCH do, and what your role
Yayasan team
FMCH began in 2001 when the women expatriates in Jakarta reacted to the shocking figures of child malnutrition (one in three!) in Indonesia, the opening of a center for women and children. Today, we focus on health, nutrition, education and skills development through projects such as women supporting "The first 1000 days of conception to weaning. FMCH origin mainly in urban areas, but is now in peri-urban areas as Bojong Gede, Bogor. We are also in West Timor since 2007, where malnutrition in rural areas is problematic.
My role involves communications, fundraising, and strategy for the development of the organization. There is a team of thirty specialists and education. In our team skills there are women that we helped in our programs.
There are many causes worthy of time, attention and donations in Indonesia today. How would you advise expatriates to choose where to put their resources?
Think about the questions you are most concerned about - as a mother, it was the plight of women and children in Indonesia that piqued my interest FMCH. Find as much information as possible about the work of an organization does and how they do it. Forget whether you can attend their events. Finally, go with your instincts -. You have to trust your gift will be well used
What is a key initiative of the FMCH what you believe make a real difference?
Continuing our health education program, and start working with pregnant mothers - especially to raise awareness of breastfeeding, which, according to UNICEF, is exclusively by only one third of mothers in Indonesia in the first six months. We want to work with a number of factories to provide a place for mothers to breastfeed or after return to work.
Who are you donors? Is it difficult to get them, and how do you do?
Sixty percent of donors are corporations, thirty percent are people (mostly expatriates) and ten percent of our revenue comes from products at the hand by the women we serve in our programs. Individual donors here are similar to those I was used in the UK - except here they are easier to obtain through direct marketing, etc. We working on here. Otherwise, in collaboration with local businesses as part of their CSR programs is a success -. We are about to launch a major campaign this year with
In 2005, expatriate women involved in FMCH collected their knowledge and published a guide, now known as the name of Guide Jakarta ( www.familyguidetojakarta.com), with revenues going to FMCH. This is another way to raise money.
Tell us about a particularly inspiring experience that you had with FMCH?
I visited a community of garbage collectors in South Jakarta with our medical team make assessments. I had been to the one in Cairo before, but not here. I expected misery, dirt and sadness. We arrived in a large group of smiling children, and then we went into a house and iron pieces of corrugated timber. We expats living in the palace, but I was surprised to see how clean and organized everything was spot. The community was set up as a high street with shops and café areas. I expect people to have little or no education, but most spoke some English. There was equality without head honcho calling the shots, so that all workers have got the same, fair price for their products.
It would have been easy to think of these people as beyond hope, but they were normal people in a situation not necessarily their decision, making the best of it. And if FMCH can help a little with that? Good.
What do you do in your free time?
I think Indonesia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. We saw orangutans in Sumatra and Kalimantan, immersed in Raja Ampat, and met the people in Papua Dani. In Jakarta, it is to find interesting places - no shopping malls! I like Pasar Santa; it shows the creativity of Indonesians. I love Kinabalu but get sad thinking how much more could be done with it.
Lou with Yayasan children
What recommendations do you have for expatriates?
With Family Guide, we set up a new mini-guide for both the pre-move and the stages of settling down. Until then, I say get involved in a cultural association - the Society of Indonesian heritage is a good place to start. Fortunately, there are many choices if you like to sing or to volunteer or get involved in school - it does not matter what you choose, just do something to build a network and a routine. Finally, seeing it as an opportunity to reinvent itself - as I did
Thank you Lou. For more information please visit www.fmch-indonesia.org . To participate, subscribe to the newsletter via the website, email lou.simpson@fmchindonesia.org , or attend an event FMCH - donations are always welcome .
FMCH will hold a Pancake festival in March and April with Nanny Pavilion. There will be fun challenges such as eating, flipping and running with pancakes! For more information, visit our Events page.