Peduli kasih anak Sumba
(love and care for the children of Sumba)

In the west of Sumba island, around eight miles east of the capital Waikabubak there is a little village, Praimarada. Praimarada is almost completely isolated from the outside world. The road to Praimarada is a sandpath, hidden between the rice fields.
The village consists of seven houses, including three traditional houses. The houses are built in a circle around the courtyard, watching over the enormous graves of the ancestors.

In Praimarada there are eighteen families and around 60 children in the age of 0 until 12. There is little hope for a good future for these children. The village has a lack of food and water and has few medical facilities. Most children cannot attend school, because there is not enough money to buy everything they need for school.
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Probably the most well known cultural event in Indonesia, the Pasola is still performed today in West Sumba by hundreds of spear throwing combatants charging at their opponents through an open field, a truly unbelievable spectacle. According to tradition, the Pasola must be proceeded by the catching of the Nyale(sea worms) which occurs in February in Kodi & Lamboya and March in Wanukaka. The exact time is 6 days before the full moon. Take the time and make the effort to get to one of these action packed events, it will be the highlight of your trip.

As a cultural tourist you will start with an observation on how Sumbanese live at a glance. You will see them living in ethnic villages surrounded by stone walls neatly arranged in hills. This structure is the legacy of ancient communities with their tribal wars.

A typical Sumbanese village with traditional houses and sacred tombs

When entering an ethnic village, you will immediately see huge megalithic stone tombs. As with the traditional Merapu belief, people of Sumba believe that houses and stone tombs are symbol of life and death. You can find such ethnic villages in every subregencies in Sumba.

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Thousands of former East Timorese refugees occupied the Belu Legislative Council building in Atambua on Tuesday, demanding the central government explain why assistance has failed to reach them.

This is the second such action staged by the group, who have chosen to become Indonesian citizens rather than return to their home country. The first incident took place last week when they occupied the council building for three days, bringing activity at the building to a halt.

The former refugees have demanded that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono respond to their complaint, which was sent to the State Palace in Jakarta by facsimile.

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The Karitas Hospital Weetebula is one of the health service programs owned by the Congregation of Nuns Amalkasih Darah Mulia run by the charity Karitas Weetebula. This health service program is run by the nuns of the ADM convent in Weetabula which saw the need for health services within the community. Sister Regina began to nurse the sick in a large covered veranda next to the convent on November 19 1958, at which time everything was very, very basic.

On 6th February 1959 Father Deken met the political head of the area, Lede Kalmbang, to discuss building a polyclinic and a school to teach basic domestic skills, and also to request permission for Sr. Regina to give injections. Since 16th February 1959 Sr. Regina was fully permitted to work as a nurse in the polyclinic at the convent in Weetebula On 17th February 1959 discussions were begun with Mr. Yosep Nudu regarding forming a charity to be named Karitas Katolik Sumba.

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