Helping the people to help themselves

The Sumba Foundation was established by Claude Graves and Sean Downs to improve the quality of life for the indigenous people of this remote Indonesian island.

The Sumba Foundation is deeply committed to lessening the consequences of poverty on the island of Sumba by providing 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 its people.

While there is much to be done, 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.