Perhaps the biggest victim of the Asian financial crises in the late 1990s has been Indonesia, which suffered from extensive collapse of economic activities. One of OISCA's responses to help improve the situation has been the promotion of sericulture, with the aim of establishing self-reliant farm communities in the country by improving the self-concept and material conditions of rural population.

    In North Sumatera Province, OISCA-International Headquarters has assisted the recent inception of a sericulture project run by the members of OISCA Alumni Association of Indonesia. The main local supporter for this project has been Drs. H. Yopie S. Batubara, who is the Board of Directors Meeting member of OISCA-International and the President of OISCA North Sumatera, as well as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, North Sumatera. Recognizing the remarkable discipline and spirit of dedication among OISCA training alumni, Mr. Yopie Batubara has provided a large amount of personal financial assistance.

    With the encouragement of Mr. Yopie Batubara, an impressive group of delegates from the Province visited Japan from October 15-21, 2000. The team of twenty-two was led by Mr. T. Rizal Nurdin, Governor of North Sumatera Province, who also considers OISCA a remarkable movement. Other visitors included Mr. Hasrul Aswar (Deputy Chairman, Regional Assembly of North Sumatera), Mr. H. Abudul Hafiz (Head of Deli Serdang Regency), Dr. Tumanggor (Head of Dairi Regency), their wives, and other distinguished personalities from the area. The male members of the group paid courtesy calls to a number of Japanese authorities including: Hon. Yoich Tani, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (and an adamant admirer and supporter of OISCA); Hon. Ichiro Kamoshita and Hon. Sanzo Hosaka, Members of the Diet; the leaders of Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan External Trade Organization, and Japan Bank for International Cooperation; and the Federation of Tokyo Council Members Supporting OISCA; etc. While the dignitaries from North Sumatera met Japan's officials, their wives visited social welfare institutions and enjoyed friendly exchanges with elderly and handicapped people.

This article is taken from OISCA-International's BULLETIN BOARD No. 114. All rights reserved.