In the heart of Indonesia, among villages and communities marked by poverty and inequality, Sumber Harapan, which in the local language means “source of hope,” has been welcoming, supporting children and families in need for 20 years. The social center is part of the Yayasan Persaudaraan Hearth Foundation and was established to meet basic needs: food, education, health, relationships. In a reality where so many families struggle to send their children to school or put together a hot meal, Sumber Harapan is a point of reference and a concrete possibility for redemption.
Among the many stories is that of Leriska Marbun. Having entered the program when she was in the fourth grade, today Leriska is a young woman with a degree in mechanical engineering who is completing her thesis.
“The community center has been a fundamental part of my life,” he says. “Here I have experienced moments of joy, happiness, gratitude. We come from different tribes and religions, but we came together as a family. This taught me the value of unity in diversity.”
Her journey is not only a story of individual success, but testifies to the collective strength of a project that aims to grow the whole person. Thanks to the support received material, educational, and human Leriska has been able to study, dream, and build a future.
Romalina Simbolon, a mother of six, is another of the many women who have found support at the center:
“My fifth child entered the program at age three. He is now 10. The center’s help has lightened our family’s economic burden a lot. We receive rice, cooking oil, soap, and a contribution in case of emergencies. All of this is precious. But even more precious is feeling that we are not alone.”
Adelina, 13, attends middle school and has been coming to the center for more than three years:
“Here I have met new people and made friends. I am happy to be able to count on this place, which has welcomed and accompanied me. I feel part of something important.”
And then there is the voice of a family who lost everything in a fire:
“On December 13, 2024, our house caught fire. The next day we called the center and they came immediately to see the situation. They activated other donors to help us. We did not expect such a prompt and generous gesture. Words are not enough to say thank you.”
Sumber Harapan is also a laboratory of coexistence. People of four different religions, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus , live together and collaborate within it, and together they build a community based on solidarity and mutual respect every day.
As one mom put it, “We were strangers, now we have become like brothers and sisters. The community center has lightened our daily burdens, but most importantly, it has given meaning and beauty to our being together.”
