The Titian Foundation was established by Lily Kasoem in 2006. As project manager for Soroptimist International, Lily was the driving force to rebuild Lamreh, a village in Aceh that was devastated by the 2004 tsunami. Although she initially went to Aceh to see how she could lend a helping hand after the tsunami, she discovered how much she enjoyed working in the field. She also experienced first-hand the advantages of being with a smaller organization because it allowed for quick decision making and minimized bureaucracy during project where time was of the essence.
When the earthquake hit Central Java in 2006, Lily realized that she had another opportunity to help. She started the Titian Foundation with the objective of helping people to strengthen their livelihoods in a sustainable way – especially in times of crisis.
Working in Aceh helped Lily understand that people in such circumstances needed sustained long-term help to rebuild their lives and their communities. This principle was to be an integral part of Titian’s community work in Java, Sumatra and, more recently in Lombok.
The subsequent years have seen Titian develop from its humble beginnings and blossom into a multi-faceted organisation centred around a core belief in the importance of education, for young people through access to proper schooling and for communities through community empowerment.
Indonesia is a country of untold potential. What Titian's work has discovered is that its youngsters and the communities from which they come are the most precious representatives of that potential.