Helping the people to help themselves

The Sumba Foundation is deeply committed to lessening the consequences of poverty on the island of Sumba.  Our aim is to provide humanitarian aid by fostering village-based projects that impact health (including services and malaria control), education, water and income-generation, while preserving and respecting the fragile culture and traditions of the Sumbanese people.

Since 2001, when The Sumba Foundation was established by Claude Graves and Sean Downs, water, health, education and economic projects now cover a 110 square kilometer area in West Sumba.  Some key highlights of our work to date include:

• Five health clinics built and staffed by the Foundation
• Malaria infection rates reduced by 85%
• More than 40 water wells and 94 water stations developed
• Eight primary schools supplied with water, toilets, tables, chairs, library books and supplies
• Nearly 200 patients have received life-changing surgery

There is still much to be done, - but the solutions to the needs of the people of Sumba are elementary. Helping the people help themselves is the cornerstone for the success of our projects.   In so doing, we are confident that we are building the foundation for a better way of life, while carefully preserving the traditions and unspoiled essence that makes Sumba so remarkable.

2010 Community Development Projects

In 2009, more than 90% of all donations went directly to benefit the impoverished people of Sumba.  In 2010, our major project initiatives continue to be WATER, HEALTH and EDUCATION. 

But we need your help to continue our work.  To do this, we have put together the following catalog of projects that allows you - the donor - to decide how your money is spent.

By contributing towards a specific project or category you will know exactly where your donation is going and who your donation will help.

You can either download the catalog or click through to more information on the website.

Please do not hesitate to Contact Us if you have any questions about the projects or how to donate.

The Sumba Foundation 2010 Community Development Projects