50 Years, Countless Lives Touched: The Story of Yayasan Usaha Mulia

This year, Yayasan Usaha Mulia — YUM to everyone who knows and loves it — is celebrating 50 years of quietly, persistently doing good. Here's a quick look back at how it all unfolded.

1976–1980s: The early days. YUM was founded in 1976 under the guidance of Bapak Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo. Within a few years, it had opened a 36-bed clinic in Pamulang, run mobile clinics across Jakarta, and become the official Indonesian representative of Terre des Hommes. By the mid-'80s, YUM was supporting nearly 1,000 children through its Financial Adoption Program, training school dropouts in trades like welding and sewing, and launching community programs for 550 families in Central Java.

2005–2019: Showing up in a crisis. After the 2004 Aceh tsunami, YUM ran a five-year recovery mission before handing it to local leaders. In Central Kalimantan, its Malaria Control Project slashed cases from 976 to just 7 in four years and created the region's first open-defecation-free village. When forest fires, earthquakes, and other disasters hit — Central Kalimantan in 2015, Sulawesi in 2018, Central Kalimantan again in 2019 — YUM was consistently on the ground with food, medical care, and trauma support.

Recognition along the way. YUM joined GlobalGiving in 2011, spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, and was honoured in Tokyo by the Japan National Council for Social Welfare. Its Cipanas library and preschool both earned "best in West Java" titles, and in 2016, YUM celebrated its 40th anniversary in Jakarta.

2020–2022: Pandemic pivot. YUM delivered food, masks, and hygiene kits to 3,000 families during COVID-19, supported nearly 600 pregnant mothers to combat childhood stunting, and ran learning interventions for over 1,000 students affected by school closures — all while still responding to a 2022 earthquake in West Java.

2023–2026: Building for the future. YUM launched Noble Work Ventures, a social enterprise arm managing its organic farm and educational camps. Its Integrated Education Program now reaches over 5,000 students, and a new agroforestry initiative is training 200 farmers in sustainable forest management.

A celebration in Jakarta. On June 14th, YUM marked this milestone with a special celebration in Jakarta. The day began with an intimate gathering bringing together staff from Jakarta and Cipanas, board members, and close friends of the organisation, before opening up into a photo exhibition tracing YUM's history and impact over the past 50 years. More than 200 people turned out, including donors, partners, and former YUM staff and board members. Outside, an area was dedicated to YUM's social enterprises, including the much-loved organic farm — visitors could pick up fresh organic vegetables, and even plant their own seedlings to take home.

Fifty years on, the throughline hasn't changed: meeting people where they are, and helping them build something lasting. Here's to the next 50, YUM.