Orangutan Caring Scholarships Presented in Medan, Sumatra
16 March 2012, Medan, Sumatra. In a well attended ceremony at the Jangga House in Medan, Sumatra on March 16th, twelve scholarships were presented to students from North Sumatra and Aceh, Sumatra. The Orangutan Caring Scholarships (OCS) have been expanding in number and location over the past several years. All scholarships are competitive and provide for tuition for 4 years and research funds to complete the degree in Biology and Forestry. Additionally, veterinarian students from Syiah Kuala University in Aceh now have funding for a 5th year for an internship enabling them to become practicing veterinarians. This is because of the generous contributions from the Animal Health Foundation (AHF).
The Tripa peatswamp in Aceh is ablaze – despite the moratorium
28 March 2012, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia (by Chris Lang, REDD-monitor.org. Dozens of fires are blazing in a peatswamp in Aceh, in the north of Sumatra, Indonesia. Some of the hotspots are in a concession area belonging to a company called PT Kallista Alam. According to WALHI, the concession is in breach of Indonesia’s two-year moratorium. The concession is subject to an on-going court case.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono being petitioned from around the world to uphold Indonesian Laws
30 March 2012- Jakarta, Indonesia. In response to the much publicized devastating fires and orangutan tragedy currently unfolding in the Tripa Peat Swamps, The Coalition Team to Save the Tripa Swamps (TKPRT), their partners, and supporters around the world have launched a global online petition asking that Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyo, support legal action against those accountable for the illegal destruction of the UNEP/UNESCO recognized and legally protected Tripa peat swamp forests of Aceh, Indonesia.
OURF Joins Other NGOs on RSPO
22 December 2011 - Santa Monica, CA. In November 2011, OURF became an ordinary member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Started in 2004 by members from the nonprofit sector and the palm oil industry, the RSPO has the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders. As an ordinary member OURF is able to participate with policy development, vote on resolutions in the General Assembly, and join other environmental NGOs in being the advocates for orangutans, wildlife and the rainforest.
Orangutan Caring Scholarship Program Expands to West Kalimantan
November 12, 2011 - Santa Monica, CA. In 2005, OURF began working with Sumatran Orangutan Society's Orangutan Information Center (OIC) to provide a 4-year competitive scholarship for a college student in Medan, Sumatra. Called the Orangutan Caring Scholarship (OCS), the collaborative program was intended to provide needed assistance for students wanting to attain a degree with an emphasis on orangutan conservation and education. Since awarding the first scholarship to forestry student Lia Andriati, the program has grown to include students in the schools of biology and veterinary medicine. The OCS has granted 20 students multiyear scholarships over the last two years; a total of 33 have been awarded since the program's inception.
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