Ever since she was little, Ocha has dreamed about becoming an actress. Ocha lives in North Jakarta and recently celebrated her 15th birthday. But only a mere four years ago, getting to 15 would have seemed like an impossible dream. At the age of 11, Ocha was struck down by a life-limiting illness and was suffering from […]
On 21st of April every year, Indonesia celebrates Kartini Day, commemorating the birth in 1879 of Raden Ajeng Kartini – a pioneer in women’s rights and a champion for the emancipation of women, opening the first school for women in Indonesia. This year, ConocoPhillips hosted a lunch to celebrate the courageous spirit of Kartini, and […]
Students of Sekolah Pelita Harapan (Pelita Harapan School or “SPH”) in Karawaci, Jakarta recently participated in 30 Hour Famine, an event where the students fasted for 30 hours to get a glimpse of what it was like to be without a basic necessity. The 30 Hour Famine is a World Vision program that seeks to unite […]
Sharif was 2 years old when he was first diagnosed with Retinoblastoma. The cancer was first discovered on his right eye, and later spread to the left. By the time Sharif was admitted to Rachel House for palliative care, he was 5 years old and had sadly lost his sight completely. Sharif’s oncologist referred him to Rachel House […]
What do we imagine we’ll be doing in our fifties or sixties? When our knees may ache when we walk and our back struggle to straighten when getting up. Will we still be buzzing around the city with the same verve we do now in our youth? Or will we have slowed our pace, perhaps […]
Posted on March 30, 2015 Community-based volunteers play an essential role in reaching out to Jakarta’s marginalised population who are sick at home without access to basic healthcare. In the month of March, coinciding with the International Women’s Day, Rachel House provided basic community-based palliative care training to 52 volunteers from the Kalibaru neighbourhood in North […]
A home visit with Rachel House’s newest nurse – Dadan Approaching a group of houses in the late morning, there is evidence that a hard days’ work has already begun. On the ground, mung beans lay drying on a tarpaulin and the smell of fresh laundry hangs in the damp but hot air. As Dadan […]
Rama’s situation was first revealed to us by Maulana, one of the participants at the CNPC training, and a member of the youth volunteer group (Karang Taruna). Rama is a 12-year-old boy who was completely immobilized from neck down. The exact cause of his condition was never found and a diagnosis was never made. According […]
One and a half years ago, a boy started to lose his ability to move. One and a half years ago, the boy was diagnosed with HIV. One and a half years ago, Rachel House was introduced to the boy. His name is Ardi. He is seven years old. The HIV virus had compromised his […]
Death – The Last Frontier I have asked myself the question, “How do I want to die?” countless times in my life. Depending on how I feel at the time and at what stage of my life I am at, the answer often varies – from passing away peacefully in old age to dying heroically […]