Imam Shamsi Ali is currently the Imam of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, which is the city’s largest mosque located in 96th street and 3rd AV Manhattan. He is Chairman of the Al-Hikmah Mosque in Astoria and the Director of Jamaica Muslim Center in Queens.
Imam Ali serves as an Advisory Board member to numerous interfaith organizations, including the Tanenbaum Center and Federation for Middle East Peace. He is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Asean Muslim Federation of North America. Imam Ali also is a Board member for the Partnership of Faith in NY, and co-founder of the UNCC (Universal Clergy Coalition-International). Furthermore, he is also Assistant Director and a Board member of the Muslim Foundation of America, Inc., and Chairman of the annual Muslim Day Parade in NYC. He also serves as the Vice President of the Asian-American Coalition USA (AAC-USA) and its UN Representative.
Within the Indonesian Muslim community in North America, Imam Ali is a well known figure. He serves as an Advisory Board to major national Muslim organizations such as IMSA (Indonesian Muslim Society in America) and ICMI (Indonesian Muslim Intellectual Society in America).
Al-Hikmah Mosque - New York
Well known in the interfaith community, Imam Ali is a visible face of Islam. He has lectured in churches, synagogues and other institutions both nationally and worldwide. He was among a few religious leaders who had been invited to accompany the then President George W. Bush to visit Ground Zero days after September 11th, and represented his community during the Yankee Stadium Prayer for America event along side religious and government high ranking officials, including Former President Bill Clinton and then Senator Hillary Clinton.
Imam Ali had an opportunity to meet with variety of leaders, such as Former President G.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Pataki, Michel Bloomberg, as well President Bambang Yudhoyono of RI and former Presidents Prof. B.J Habibie and K.H. Abdurrahman.
Imam Ali participated in the International Conference of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville Spain 2006 and the first National Summit of Imams and Rabbis of North America 2007. He represented the Muslim community at an interfaith discussion on Religions and Sustainable Development at the White House in 2007, and participated in the 2008 Transatlantic Interfaith Dialogue in Frankfurt, Germany.
Imam Ali was appointed "Ambassador for Peace" by the International Religious Federation in 2002, and a recipient of the 2008 ICLI Interfaith Award. In 2006, he was named one of seven most influential religious leaders in New York City by New York Magazine.
Last year, Imam Ali was awarded one of 100 recipients of the 2009 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award. This prestigious non military gold medal is the highest recognition given to immigrants with tremendous contributions to the American society and the world and for him, it was due to his endless dedication in building bridges between religious communities. Furthermore, in 2009, Imam Ali was chosen as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Jordan and Georgetown University.
A revered Qur'an scholar, who speaks fluent, beside his native Indonesian language, English Arabic and Urdu, Imam Ali obtained his BA in tafseer from the International Islamic University Islamabad-Pakistan in 1991; an MA in comparative Studies of Religions from the same university in 1994. He is a frequent speaker at the United Nations forums and a media guest contributor for ABC, PBS, BBC World, CNN, Fox News, National Geographic, al-Jazeera, the Hallmark Channel.
Imam Shamsi Ali is a native Indonesian, born and raised in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, an area well known for its traditional wooden schooner called pinisi. He is 43 years old and currently resides in Jamaica, Queens, with wife Mutiah and five children.
He was born on 6 February 1748 in Ingolstadt in the Electorate of Bavaria. Weishaupt's father Johann Georg Weishaupt (1717–1753) died when Adam was five years old. After his father's death he came under the tutelage of his godfather Johann Adam Freiherr von Ickstatt who, like his father, was a professor of law at the University of Ingolstadt. Ickstatt was a proponent of the philosophy of Christian Wolff and of the Enlightenment, and he influenced the young Weishaupt with his rationalism. Weishaupt began his formal education at age seven at a Jesuit school. He later enrolled at the University of Ingolstadt and graduated in 1768 at age 20 with a doctorate of law. In 1772 he became a professor of law. The following year he married Afra Sausenhofer of Eichstätt.
After Pope Clement XIV’s suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1773, Weishaupt became a professor of canon law, a position that was held exclusively by the Jesuits until that time. In 1775 Weishaupt was introduced to the empirical philosophy of Johann Georg Heinrich Feder of the University of Göttingen. Both Feder and Weishaupt would later become opponents of Kantian idealism.
Adam Weishaupt is a philosopher and founder of the Order of Illuminati, a secret society with origins in Bavaria. Although raised in a Jesuit, in the end he deviated from the teachings of the order and on May 1, 1776, Adolph Freiherr Knigge with help, he founded a new order "Order of Perfectibilists" hereinafter known as the Illuminati. The Order has a mission to eliminate all the reigning monarch and religion. Adam Weishaupt is the most recognizable human figures among the Zionists and the Freemasons. There are not any revolution in this century unless associated with a name and his ideals. French Revolution, the Russian Bolshevik Revolution; always end up in the chain of thought and brilliant strategy of thinking.
History
At first, he was a Catholic priest who then raped a pioneer of the most persistent in opposing Christianity and other religions. Illuminati secret movement evolved into a network that "menggurita" due to the support of the Rothschild family. Meyer Amschel Rothschild (1743-1812) was a very dominant character of banking in Germany and is called a dynasty, as his descendants held the kingdoms of the world banking network in Europe with ambitions to dominate the world economy. One of Rothschild's famous sayings is:
"give me control over a nations economic, and I do not care WHO writes its laws."
Rothchild's motto is to give strength and encouragement to all members of the Illuminati do not miss any aspect of ushered them to the economic dictator is able to master and control the government in the corners of the world. In fact, James Abram Garfield is one of America's 20th president, who are also members of the Illuminati said:
"That whomever controls the money or economies of nation, They would control the nation too."
Adam Weishaupt was also a Jesuit, professor of law and taught at the University Ingoldstadt, Bavaria, Germany, until 1770. Disappointment himself against the dogmas of Catholicism led him out of his position as pastor and began to devote himself to the Zionist movement to establish a one world government which is believed to uphold human dignity by abolition of all religion, except Satanism.
Jesuit priest and his position as abandoned because it was contrary to the thinking that is cosmopolitan and universality. This is the beginning of the formation order of Illumination.
"Weishaupt Whose views were cosmopolitan and Condemned the new WHO bigotry and supertision of the priest, established Opposing party in the university. This is the beginning of the order of the Illuminati or the enlightened." Said by Albert G. Mackey:
Founder of the Illuminati
Once out of the Catholic church, the church claimed he set up a new conspiracy network called Luciferian Conspiracy and The Synagogue of Satan. Added he, Satan is not a contemptible creature, but a force that symbolizes honesty, courage, and freedom. Satan as a creature has received God's forgiveness and redemption as evidence of evil to save mankind. These teachings were implanted to members of Illumination that Satanism is about the evolution of humanity and the promotion of freedom on individual and global scales. Many consider this is just propaganda to the illumination of the church
For five years he compiled a book entitled "The Novus Ordo Seclorum" which contains the concepts, doctrine, and the theory of global governance. The book was completed on May 1, 1776. As a tribute to him, May 1, used as a day of Communist celebrations around the world. According to Myron Pagan, strategic steps to realize his ambition Weishaupt wrote, among other things, as follows.
Monetary and sex bribery was to used to Obtain the control of men already in high places in the Various Levels of all Governments and other fields of Endeavor.
The Illuminati WHO were on the faculty of colleges and universities were to cultivate students processing exceptional mental ability and WHO Well-Bred belong to families with international leanings and recommend them for special training in Internationalism.
All WHO Influential people were trapped to come under the control of the Illuminati, plus the students WHO had been specially educated and Trained, were to be used as agents and placed behind the scenes of all Governments as experts and specialists.
They were to Obtain absolute control of the press so That all news and information Could be slanted to convince the Masses That a one word government is the only solution to our many and varied problems. They were also to own and control all the national radio and TV channels.
motto: DREAM, believe, and make it happen!
Birth name: Agnes Monica Muljoto
Born: 1 July 1986
Origin: Jakarta, Indonesia
Genres: Pop, R&B
Occupations: Singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, record producer, presenter, fashion designer Instruments Vocals, piano
Years active: 1992–present
Labels: Aquarius Musikindo
Website: http://www.agnesmonicaofficial.com
for fans: http://fansagnesmonica.blogspot.com
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Agnes Monica (born Agnes Monica Muljoto; 1 July 1986) is an Indonesian recording artist and actress. Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, she started her career in the entertainment industry at the age of six as a child singer. She has recorded three children's albums which established her as one of Indonesia's most popular child singers in the 1990s. She also became a presenter of several children's television programs. As a teenager, Agnes expanded her career to include acting. Her role in the soap opera Pernikahan Dini rocketed her name into the industry. Following her rising popularity after starring in few series of soap operas, she became the highest-paid teenage artist in Indonesia.
In 2003, she released her fourth studio album And the Story Goes, which marked her transition from a child singer to a female artist. On her fifth studio album, Whaddup A.. '?! (2005), she collaborated with American R&B singer Keith Martin. She also appeared in two Taiwanese drama series, The Hospital and Romance In the White House. She participated in the 2008 and 2009 Asia Song Festival in Seoul, South Korea, and received "Best Asian Artist Award" at each event. Agnes took creative control of her sixth studio album, Sacredly Agnezious (2009), for which she served as the producer and songwriter. In 2010, she was appointed as one of the judges on the talent show Indonesian Idol and was also one of the international hosts of the red carpet at the American Music Awards of 2010 in Los Angeles.
In addition to her commercial success, Agnes is the most-awarded Indonesian singer. She has received numerous awards, including ten Anugerah Musik Indonesia awards, seven Panasonic Awards, and four MTV Indonesia Awards. She was also honored with a Nugraha Bhakti Musik Indonesia (NBMI) from the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Singers, Songwriters, and Music Record Producers Association of Indonesia (PAPPRI) for her contribution and support for the Indonesian music industry. She was also appointed as an anti-drug ambassador of Asia, and as the ambassador of MTV EXIT to combat human trafficking.
Throughout her career, she has often been controversial in Indonesia. When she was a teenager, her frequent comments about her goal to break into the international market was viewed by some as a pompous proclamation. In 2010, however, she signed with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and began work on a debut English studio album. Consequently, her slogan "Dream, Believe, and Make it Happen" was used in a 2011 cultural conference to inspire young people organized by the US Embassy in Jakarta.
Photoes of Agnes
Life and career
1986 - 2002: Childhood and early career
Agnes Monica was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 1 July 1986 to a family of Chinese ancestry.She is the youngest child of Jenny Siswono, a former table tennis player, and Ricky Muljoto, a former badminton player. Her older brother, Steve Muljoto, is her managerShe attended Tarakanita elementary school and Pelita Harapan junior high school. Her talent for the performing arts was evident in her childhood, especially in singing; she sang in church and attended vocal courses.
Agnes entered the entertainment industry in 1992, when she was six years old, and released her first children's album, Si Meong. In 1995, she released her second children's album, Yess!, which includes a duet with fellow Indonesian child singer Eza Yayang The album significantly boosted her popularity and was named "Best Children's Album" in 1999. Her last children's album, Bala-Bala, was released the following year.Agnes also became the host for several children's programs, including Video Anak Anteve (VAN) on Anteve, Tralala-Trilili on RCTI, and Diva Romeo on Trans TV. She was awarded "Most Favorite Presenter of Children's Program" at the Panasonic Awards in 1999 and 2000 for Tralala-Trilili.
Agnes began acting as a teenager. Her first two roles were on the soap operas Lupus Millennia and Mr Hologram in 1999.The next year, she starred in the TV series Pernikahan Dini, which served as a turning point in her career by transforming her image from that of a child artist to one of a teenage artist. The production was well received by audiences, and she received the "Favorite Actress" award at the 2001 and 2002 Panasonic Awards, as well as the "Popular Actress" award at the 2002 SCTV Awards. In 2002, Agnes starred in three soap operas, Ciuman Pertama, Kejar Daku Kau Ku Tangkap, and Amanda. Due to her popularity, she became the highest-paid teenage artist in Indonesia.
Agnes also recorded songs in her early teens, including "Pernikahan Dini" and "Seputih Hati" for the soundtrack of Pernikahan Dini, both of which are featured on the 2001 compilation album Love Theme.The following year, she collaborated with the Indonesian senior singer Yana Julio in the song "Awan dan Ombak" for his studio album Jumpa Lagi.
2003 - 2004: And The Story Goes
On 8 October 2003, Agnes released her first adult album, And the Story Goes. In this album, she worked with several famed Indonesian producers and songwriters, including Ahmad Dhani, Melly Goeslaw, and Titi DJ. The album production took a year and a half, including the audition process for the dancers.According to her record label, Aquarius Musikindo, the album sold 35,000 copies before its official release. It was later certified double platinum after selling more than 300,000 copies.The album won three awards after receiving ten nominations at the 2004 Anugerah Musik Indonesia Awards—the highest music awards in Indonesia. They were "Best Female Solo Pop Artist" for the song "Jera", "Best Dance/Techno Production" for the song "Bilang Saja", and "Best Duo/Group" for her duet with Ahmad Dhani in "Cinta Mati". She also won "Best Female Newcomer" at the 2004 Anugerah Planet Muzik awards in Singapore. Because of her success at a young age, she was dubbed a "Young Diva" by members of the media.At this point, she started broaching the idea of an international career.
In addition to promoting her debut album, Agnes also starred in several TV series during this time, playing the lead role in three: Cewekku Jutek, Bunga Perawan, and Cantik. She won "Favorite Actress" at the 2003 Panasonic Awards and "Famous Actress" at 2004 SCTV Awards
In 2004, after graduating from Pelita Harapan senior high school, Agnes enrolled at Pelita Harapan University, where she majored in Business Law.
2005 - 2007: Whaddup A.. '?!
Agnes launched her second studio album, Whaddup A.. '?!, on 10 December 2005. It featured five singles: "Bukan Milikmu Lagi", "Tanpa Kekasihku", "Tak Ada Logika", "Cinta Di Ujung Jalan", and "Tak Mungkin". In addition to working with Indonesian musicians such as Melly Goeslaw, Andi Rianto, and Erwin Gutawa, she also collaborated with American singer-songwriter Keith Martin. Martin wrote two English songs for the album, including the duet "I'll Light a Candle".To promote the album, Agnes held a concert tour known as Clasnezenzation in four Indonesian cities: Bandar Lampung, Surabaya, Bandung, and Makassar. The album was commercially successful and she won two 2006 Anugerah Musik Indonesia awards for "Best Female Pop Artist" and "Best R&B Production". She also won the "Most Favorite Female" award at the 2006 MTV Indonesia Awards.She was nominated for "Favorite Indonesian Artist" award at the MTV Asia Awards 2005 (beaten by Peterpan) but, she grabs the youngest artist of all nominees in Asian category. Selling more than 450,000 copies, the album was one of the top-selling albums of 2006 and was certified triple platinum.
In 2005, Agnes appeared in the Taiwanese drama The Hospital, co-starring with Jerry Yan, a member of the Taiwanese boyband F4. She also appeared with Peter Ho in several episodes of the Taiwanese drama Romance in the White House, and starred in two Indonesian soap operas, Ku Tlah Jatuh Cinta and Pink, both televised on Indosiar. In 2006, she starred in the RCTI soap opera Kawin Muda. She also decided to take a break from her education that year to focus on her entertainment career.
In early 2007, Agnes was appointed by the United States of America's Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) Far East Region as an Asian anti-drug ambassador. On 15 May 2007, she was an opening act for American R&B group Boyz II Men at a concert in Istora Senayan, Jakarta, and on 23 June of that year, she held her first concert at Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She also guest starred in the finale of Asian Idol on 16 December 2007, and performed the song "Get Up".2008 - 2009: Sacredly Agnezious
In 2008, Agnes began working on her third studio album. She released the first single, "Matahariku", earlier than she had planned. It became her best-selling single, with sales of three million ringback tone downloads within nine months.The song received the "Most Favorite Female" award at the 2008 MTV Indonesia Awards and the "Best Female Solo Pop Artist" award at the 2009 Anugerah Musik Indonesia awards. In September 2008, she released the second single, "Godai Aku Lagi", which she wrote herself. She also released a mini album containing the two singles. That same year she starred in the RCTI soap opera Jelita.
On 4 October 2008, Agnes was invited as the Indonesian representative at the Asia Song Festival. The event was organized by the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange in Seoul, South Korea. She performed with 24 artists from 12 Asian countries. The event was viewed by an audience of 35,000 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium and was broadcast in 30 countries. She performed two of her songs, "Godai Aku Lagi" and "Shake It Off". During the performance, she incorporated elements of Indonesian traditional dance from Bali. Her performance received positive responses from the Korean media and won the committee's "Best Asian Artist Award". The following year, she was invited again and performed three songs: "Shake It Off", "Temperature", and Michael Jackson's "Heal the World". This time, 14 artists from across Asia participated and it was viewed by an audience of 40,000. As was the case with her previous performance, Agnes received good reviews and earned the "Best Asian Artist Award".
Agnes launched her third studio album on 1 April 2009, Sacredly Agnezious. This time, she was involved more in the album production. She worked with the renowned musicians Erwin Gutawa, Dewiq, Pay, and DJ Sumantri. She also acted as producer and songwriter. In addition to the two previous singles, "Matahariku" and "Godai Aku Lagi", she produced two more singles: "Teruskanlah" and "Janji–Janji". At the 2010 Anugerah Musik Indonesia awards, she won three awards: "Best Pop Album", "Best Female Pop Solo Artist", and "Best of the Best Album". On 23 May 2009, she appeared as a guest star at the "Festival of Life" in Bali. The celebration commemorated the 50-year anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan.
Having already taken an extended break from the Pelita Harapan University, Agnes withdrew from the school. She then began taking distance education classes as a Political Science major at Oregon State University.
2010 - present: Upcoming international project
In 2010, Agnes served as a judge on Indonesian Idol season 6. Her selection for the panel caused controversy because of her age. That year, she was also appointed as an ambassador of the MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) organization, which combats human trafficking, for which she performed at benefit concerts in Surabaya and Jakarta.
In late 2010, Agnes experienced a breakthrough into the international market when she was chosen as an international red carpet host for the annual American Music Awards on 21 November 2010 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Several months later, she announced that she had signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing and was working on her debut English studio album in London and Los Angeles.In early 2011, she also recorded a duet version of "Said I Loved You...But I Lied" with the American singer Michael Bolton for his compilation album, Gems: The Duets Album. The duet was released in the album's international version in Asia.The next year, she was nominated in the Worldwide Acts Asia Pacific Nominees category for the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.Consequently, her slogan "Dream, Believe, and Make it Happen" was used in a 2011 cultural conference to inspire young people organized by the US Embassy in Jakarta.
Agnes released a greatest hits album Agnes Is My Name on 2 February 2011. The album compiled her top hit singles and two new songs, "Karena Ku Sanggup" and "Paralyzed". The album sold one million copies in three months, earning her the "Million Awards" award from Indonesian KFC, which had helped market the album. "Karena Ku Sanggup" won her the "Best Pop Female Singer" award at the 2011 AMI Awards.She also won the "Most Inbox Video Clip" award at the 2011 Inbox Awards. The award, presented by SCTV, was given for the song "Paralyzed", which was made in Indonesia and the United States.
Agnes was selected as a performer for the 26th SEA Games 2011 Opening Ceremony, with KC Concepcion from the Philippines and the Malaysian singer Jaclyn Victor. Their performance of "Together We Will Shine" was the highlight of the event.
In early 2012, Agnes returned as judge for Indonesian Idol season 7. She's pending her international album for the Idol deal.
In March 2012, she was nominated for the American Nickleodeon Kids Choice Awards 2012 of new category Favorite Asian Act.Artistry
Agnes has been noted as a powerful soprano with a range of four octaves. Her use of whistle register in her songs "Karena Ku Sanggup" and "Rindu" has also garnered attention.Her songs can be classified as pop, R&B, or hip-hop, and she has named Aretha Franklin, Jill Scott, Angie Stone, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Fantasia, and Beyoncé as her musical influences, though she is often compared to American singers such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. In addition to her singing talent, she is also known as a strong dancer and actress. She is the only Indonesian soloist with a personal dance group, known as Nezindahood. They auditioned during the development of her first album in 2003. She has also written some of her songs and produced her own music videos. She has been described as a perfectionist with a variety of talents by Indonesian commentators.
Honors and Awards
Agnes has become the most-awarded Indonesia singer. Notable awards she has won include ten Anugerah Musik Indonesia, seven Panasonic Awards, and four MTV Indonesia Awards. She has also received many international awards, including an Anugerah Planet Muzik award and two Best Asian Artist Awards. For her contribution and support to Indonesian music, she was given the 2011 Nugraha Bhakti Musik Indonesia (NBMI) award from The Minister of Culture and Tourism and Association of Indonesian Singers, Songwriters and Music Record Producers.
Relationships and personal life
Agnes is close about her personal relationships and she often said that having a boyfriend is not her priority in life. She also stated that personal relationships should remain private. However, in November 2007 it was revealed that she was involved in a relationship with Dirly, the runner-up of Indonesian Idol season 3, although the relationship didn't last long.
Fundraising
Agnes has conducted fundraising activities for victims of the 2004 Tsunami in Aceh and the 2006 earthquake in Java. In 2009, Agnes visited Situ Gintung, where a dam failure had caused flooding. She also donated a sum of money to relief efforts and performed several of her songs for the victims. Agnes also helped raise over Rp 400 million (approx. US$44,000 as of December 2011) for Persis, an association football team based in Surakarta, through a benefit concert held at the Diamond Convention Center in Surakarta. In 2011, she participated at The Save Teen Charity Concert in Jakarta, a benefit concert to raise money to help teenagers who have dropped out of school.
Discography
Throughout her career, Agnes has released 6 studio albums (the first three are children's albums), 1 mini album, and 1 greatest hits album.
Studio albums
* Si Meong (1992)
* Yess! (1995)
* Bala-Bala (1996)
* And the Story Goes (2003)
* Whaddup A.. '?! (2005)
* Sacredly Agnezious (2009)
* Nez (2008)
* Agnes Is My Name (2011)
Television series
* Lupus Milenia (1999)
* Mr Hologram (1999)
* Pernikahan Dini (2001)
* Amanda (2002)
* Ciuman Pertama (2002)
* Cinta Selembut Awan (2002)
* Cewekku Jutek (2003)
* Cantik (2004)
* Bunga Perawan (2004)
* Ku 'Tlah Jatuh Cinta (2005)
* Pink (2006)
* Romance In The White House (2006)
* The Hospital (2006)
* Kawin Muda (2006)
* Jelita (2008)
* Kawin Masal (2008)
* Pejantan Cantik (2010)
* Mimo Ketemu Poscha (2012)
Presenter
* VAN (Video Anak Anteve) – Anteve
* Tralala-Trilili – RCTI
* Diva Romeo – Trans TV
* MTV Ampuh Indonesia (guest host in 2005) - Global TV
* American Music Awards of 2010 – ABC Channel
A leader in the parade of Mickey Mouse Club veterans who stormed pop at the turn of the millennium, Christina Aguilera was the sexy, brassy diva of the bunch -- The Rolling Stones to Britney Spears’ The Beatles, as it were. Initially, it was difficult to see Christina outside of the prism of Britney Spears, whose 1999 success launched the new millennium's teen pop boom, but Christina’s big hits of 1999 -- “Genie in a Bottle,” “What a Girl Wants,” “Come on Over” -- more than held their own with “Baby One More Time,” while revealing a vocalist with considerably more power and range than her erstwhile rival.
Soon, Christina Aguilera distanced herself from the rest of the teen pop pack beginning with her carnal sophomore set, Stripped, a heavy R&B album from 2002 that found its greatest success with the ballad “Beautiful.” Christina may have overemphasized her sexual side with singles like “Dirrtty,” but by the time of 2006’s Back To Basics, it was clear that Christina Aguilera was the most musically ambitious, and reliable, pop diva of the boom.
Born on Staten Island on December 18, 1980, Christina Aguilera spent her early childhood in Pittsburgh, PA. By age six, she began performing regularly in local talent shows, working her way to an appearance on the nationally televised competition Star Search. This was the true beginning of Christina Aguilera’s professional career, leading her to joining Disney Channel’s reboot of The Mickey Mouse Club in 1992. Christina joined a cast that also featured future stars Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, and Keri Russell. The New Mickey Mouse Club lasted for two years and after its cancellation, Christina Aguilera began working behind the scenes of the pop machine, cutting a duet with Japanese pop singer Keizo Nakanishi called “All I Wanna Do,” then representing the U.S. three years later in the Golden Stag International Festival.
Her first big break arrived in 1998, when she recorded “Reflection” for the soundtrack of Disney’s Mulan, a performance that lead to a contract with RCA Records.
RCA released Stripped late in the summer of 1999, several months after Britney Spears’s “Baby One More Time” began the teen pop boom. Christina’s debut reached the top of the U.S. charts on the momentum of the number one single “Genie in a Bottle,” which was followed in short order by another chart-topper in “What a Girl Wants,” which happened to be the first number one of 2000.
Christina Aguilera racked up recognition in a number of ways, playing the Superbowl halftime show and winning the Grammy for Best New Artist, as “Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)” gave her a third number one single. Christina Aguilera kept new product flowing, too, releasing the Spanish-language Mi Reflejo -- she didn’t speak the language, so she learned lyrics phonetically -- and My Kind Of Christmas by the end of the year, while other labels attempted to cash in on her success via an unauthorized collection of old demos called Just Be Free. Stripped drifted down the charts in 2001 but she stayed in the spotlight via her participation of a remake of Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” for the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge.
When Christina Aguilera resurfaced with new material in 2002, she began using the appellation Christina Aguilera, which was not the only “X” on her sophomore effort, Stripped. A carnal collection of risqué R&B largely produced by Scott Storch, Stripped was a defiant break from her teenybopper past, and Christina Aguilera promoted it by flashing lots of skin on the covers of her album, Rolling Stone, and Maxim. Such striking sexuality earned mixed reviews and the lead single “Dirrty” failed to replicate her early success, but she straightened the ship with “Beautiful,” a ballad that turned into an anthem of sorts and peaked at number two on the Top 100.
Christina Aguilera took another left turn for her next album, 2006’s Back To Basics. The title suggested something simple but the album was anything but, spilling out over two discs and running the gamut from brassy swing to modern dance. Its lead single, “Ain’t No Other Man,” was another blockbuster and Grammy winner for Christina, and the tour was her most ambitious to date. In 2008, Christina Aguilera released her first hits collection, Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade Of Hits, which was available exclusively via Target in the U.S. After a four-year break, Christina Aguilera returned with her fourth album, Bionic, in the spring of 2010. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi.
One of Christina Aguilera Albums is Blessed - 1999
"I imagine a world in which all humans are born with an intact capacity to love, and I am willing to devote my life to making it happen.”
- Robin Lim -
Bali, Indonesia (CNN) -- At dawn, two women rise after sleeping on mats outside an Indonesian hospital. They've waited all night for a chance to see their newborn babies, whom the hospital is holding until the medical bills are paid in full.
"Holding babies until payment is common in Indonesia," said Robin Lim, a midwife who founded birthing clinics in Aceh and the island of Bali.
At this particular hospital in Bali, mothers who don't pay are allowed in twice a day to feed their baby and change their baby's diaper. Those fortunate enough to find the money may take their babies home. Others might relinquish their parental rights and place their babies up for adoption, Lim explained.
"You worry, 'Will I be able to deliver this baby safely into the world?' But you shouldn't have to worry, 'How will I pay for it?' " said Lim, 54.
"Mother Robin," or "Ibu Robin" as she is called by the locals, is working to change that with her Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Earth Foundation) health clinics. These birthing sanctuaries offer free prenatal care, birthing services and medical aid to anyone who needs it.
And the needs are vast in Indonesia. The average family earns the equivalent of $8 a day, according to the International Monetary Fund, but a normal hospital delivery without complications costs around $70. A Caesarian section can cost more than $700.
Lim believes Indonesia's high maternal and infant mortality rates are caused in part by these costs, which many women cannot meet. In turn, their lives and the lives of their babies are at risk.
Video: Cord-burning ceremony
According to the United Nations Population Fund, three out of five women giving birth in South Asia do so without a skilled birth attendant on hand.
"The situation is bad ... babies are unattended, deliveries have become commercialized, and mothers die from hemorrhage after childbirth because they can't afford proper care," Lim said.
Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2011 CNN Heroes
Working as a midwife in Indonesia was not something Lim, a U.S. citizen and author of many books related to infant and maternal health, planned for her life. But after several personal tragedies, her life shifted in a new direction.
"In the span of a year, I lost my best friend and one of the midwives who delivered my child," said Lim, who has eight children. "My sister also died as a complication of her third pregnancy, and so did her baby. I was crushed, just crushed.
"But I decided not to get angry. I decided to become part of the solution. If I could help even one family prevent the loss of a mother or a child, I would do that. I would dedicate my life to it."
Lim and her husband, Will, sold their home in Hawaii and moved the family to Bali to "reinvent their lives."
For Lim, there was no second-guessing the destination. Raised in the Philippines while her father was stationed in Indonesia with the U.S. military, she says she "always felt happiest in Asia."
Once in Bali, Lim volunteered to help local midwives deliver babies in various homes. And as the demand for her services grew, she decided to receive formal midwife certification.
In 2003, with help from the Balinese community and donations from friends across the globe, Lim and her husband opened the first Yayasan Bumi Sehat clinic. At the clinic, there are midwives, nurses, housekeepers, a doctor and a chef.
A short time later, after the massive tsunami in 2004, a smaller, sister location was built in Aceh to care for displaced survivors. Combined, the two clinics have facilitated the birth of more than 5,000 babies.
Some Indonesian celebrities and expatriates choose Bumi Sehat to birth their children, and they often give donations. But Lim says 80% of the families served by the clinics can barely pay anything.
"Rock star or prostitute, everyone gets treated (like a) VIP at Bumi Sehat ... with kindness and respect," she said. "It's something to see a family come year after year, every time their mango tree gives fruit, and give a few mangoes to the staff to say thank you.
"No one gets rich being a midwife. The riches that you experience are the deeper values."
Part of these riches, Lim said, is the knowledge that so many people rely on the clinics, two of the few 24-hour businesses in Aceh and Bali.
"Everyone knows us," she said. "For expecting couples who don't have a phone to call us for help or for a ride, it's common for them to hop on their motorcycles in the night to get to the clinic, where they know someone will be there waiting. And if they have a special request for me, I'll get a call, I'll get up and I'll go do the delivery."
The love and attention is appreciated by the new mothers, who don't have alternatives for safe, accessible care.
"I had my first born ... in a different clinic," said Gusti "Ayu" Ketut Gerti, a 31-year-old who came to Lim for the birth of her second child in February. "There's a big difference between that experience and (Bumi Sehat). Here, I feel comfortable. Robin is very kind, very motherly.
"I do not have money, and I tell my friends to also come here. I wish there were more people like her to lift up the suffering of the poor people."
Lim hopes that Gerti's experience can become the standard practice worldwide.
"Does the world have a responsibility to all pregnant women, to each new baby? Yes," Lim said. "Each baby, each adult deserves a clean, healthy, loving environment. ... Those things are basic. Those are a human right."
Want to get involved? Check out the Bumi Sehat Foundation website at www.bumisehatbali.org and see how to help.
CNN Hero: Robin Lim
Robin Lim was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year on Sunday night.
She has helped thousands of poor Indonesian women have a healthy pregnancy and birth
The annual show honors the Top 10 CNN Heroes and names one of them Hero of the Year
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Robin Lim, an American woman who has helped thousands of poor Indonesian women have a healthy pregnancy and birth, was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year on Sunday night.
Hero of the year
Through her Bumi Sehat health clinics, "Mother Robin," or "Ibu Robin" as she is called by the locals, offers free prenatal care, birthing services and medical aid in Indonesia, where many families cannot afford care.
"Every baby's first breath on Earth could be one of peace and love. Every mother should be healthy and strong. Every birth could be safe and loving. But our world is not there yet," Lim said during "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," which took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and recognized Lim and the other top 10 CNN Heroes of 2011.
Robin Lim with Husband
Many women in the developing world do not have access to contraception or maternal care. According to the United Nations Population Fund, three out of five women giving birth in South Asia do so without a skilled birth attendant on hand.
In Indonesia, the average family earns the equivalent of $8 a day, according to the International Monetary Fund. But a baby delivery costs about $70 at a hospital, and a Caesarian section can cost as much as $700. Lim believes Indonesia's high maternal and infant mortality rates are caused in part by these costs, which many women cannot meet. "The situation is bad ... babies are unattended, deliveries have become commercialized, and mothers die from hemorrhage after childbirth because they can't afford proper care," Lim told CNN earlier this year. The CNN Hero of the Year was chosen by the public after an 11-week vote on CNN.com. For being named Hero of the Year, Lim will receive $250,000 for her cause.
That's in addition to the $50,000 that she and the rest of the top 10 Heroes each received for making the top 10. This is the fifth year that CNN, with the help of entertainers and other celebrities, have honored everyday people changing the world.
Portrait of a Hero: Robin Lim
"My wish is that every mother all over the world has the same chance surviving childbirth I had. My friend Robin Lim shares that wish and she spends her days and nights making it so." Photos: See how Lim helps thousands of women Turlington Burns recently made the trip to Indonesia to meet Lim and see her work firsthand. Lim became a midwife after her sister -- and her sister's baby -- died from complications during pregnancy several years ago.
Lim helps thousands of women
She and her husband then sold their home in Hawaii and moved to Bali to "reinvent their lives," she said. "It was there she learned she could make a difference," Turlington Burns said. "She opened a clinic, Bumi Sehat, so poor mothers can give birth safely and be treated with dignity and respect.
She has delivered thousands of babies, and that is why they call her 'Ibu' -- Mother." After being announced as the CNN Hero of the Year, a tearful Lim accepted the award from host Anderson Cooper and made an impassioned plea for help. "Today on our Earth, 981 mothers in the prime of their life will die -- and tomorrow again and yesterday," she said. "And I'm asking you to help change that. We don't even know how many babies are lost, but all of us can help change that."
(Wang Fei) born August 8, 1969 is a highly successful and influential Chinese singer-songwriter and actress who is usually referred to as a diva (Chinese: 天后; literally "Heavenly Queen"). Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong (王靖雯). Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and rose to stardom in the early 1990s by singing ballads in Cantonese. Since 1995 she has recorded mostly in her native Mandarin, often combining alternative music with mainstream Chinese pop. In 2000 she was recognized by Guinness World Records as the Best Selling Canto-Pop Female.[2] Following her second marriage in 2005 she withdrew from the limelight, but returned to the stage in 2010 amidst immense interest in the Sinosphere.
Although her music is quite individualized, Faye Wong is famously reserved in public, and has become a cultural icon of "coolness". Hugely popular in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, she has also gained a large following in Japan and is to date the only C-pop artist to have performed 4 times in Tokyo's Budokan. In the West she is best known for starring in Wong Kar-wai's films Chungking Express (for which she won an award in Sweden) and 2046. While she has collaborated with international artists such as Cocteau Twins, Wong recorded only a few songs in English, the most famous being "Eyes on Me" – the theme song of the video game Final
Final Fantasy XIII
(Fainaru Fantajī Sātīn?) is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series. The game includes fast-paced combat, a new system for the series for determining which abilities are developed for the characters called "Crystarium", and a customizable "Paradigm" system to control which abilities are used by the characters. Final Fantasy XIII includes elements from the previous games in the series, such as summoned monsters, chocobos, and airships.
The game takes place in the fictional floating world of Cocoon, whose government, the Sanctum, is ordering a purge of civilians who have supposedly come into contact with Pulse, the much-feared world below. The former soldier Lightning begins her fight against the government in order to save her sister who has been branded as an unwilling servant to a god-like being from Pulse, making her an enemy of Cocoon. Lightning is soon joined by a band of allies, and together the group also become marked by the same Pulse creature. They rally against the Sanctum while trying to discover their assigned task and whether they can avoid being turned into monsters or crystals at the completion.
Development began in 2004 and the game was first announced at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2006. Final Fantasy XIII is the flagship title of the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection of Final Fantasy games and is the first game to use Square Enix's Crystal Tools engine. Final Fantasy XIII received mostly positive reviews from video game publications, which praised the game's graphics, presentation, and battle system. Reviewers were more mixed in their opinion about the game's story and linearity compared to previous games in the series. Selling 1.7 million copies in Japan in 2009, Final Fantasy XIII became the fastest-selling title in the history of the series. As of May 2010, the game had sold 6.2 million copies worldwide. On January 18, 2011, Square Enix announced a sequel titled Final Fantasy XIII-2, to be released later that year.
Eyes on me is Music Final Fantasy VIII
The music of the video game Final Fantasy VIII was composed by regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu. The Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack, a compilation of all music in the game, was released on four Compact Discs by DigiCube in Japan, and by Square EA in North America. A special orchestral arrangement of selected tracks from the game—arranged by Shirō Hamaguchi—was released under the title Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec Final Fantasy VIII, and a collection of piano arrangements—performed by Shinko Ogata—was released under the title Piano Collections Final Fantasy VIII.
The game's soundtrack is best known for two tracks: "Liberi Fatali", a Latin choral piece that is played during the introduction to the game, and "Eyes on Me", a pop song serving as the game's theme, performed by Chinese singer Faye Wong. Reviewers were generally pleased with the music, although several cited issues while comparing the score to previous games or looking at individual tracks.
Eyes On Me Lyric
whenever sang my songs
on the stage, on my own
whenever said my words
wishing they would be heard
i saw you smiling at me
was it real or just my fantasy
you'd always be there in the corner
of this tiny little bar
my last night here for you
same old songs, just once more
my last night here with you?
maybe yes, maybe no
i kind of liked it your way
how you shyly placed your eyes on me
oh, did you ever know?
that i had mine on you
*darling, so there you are
with that look on your face
as if you're never hurt
as if you're never down
shall i be the one for you
who pinches you softly but sure
if frown is shown then
i will know that you are no dreamer
so let me come to you
close as i wanted to be
close enough for me
to feel your heart beating fast
and stay there as i whisper
how i loved your peaceful eyes on me
did you ever know
that i had mine on you
darling, so share with me
your love if you have enough
you're tears if you're holding back
or pain if that's what it is
how can i let you know
i'm more than the dress and the voice
just reach me out then
you will know that you're not dreaming x2
Buya Safii, according to Prof. familiar greeting. DR. Ahmad Safii Maarif. Pluralist character that is not a little contribute ideas and Islamic thoughts in the shade of large umbrellas Indonesian national diversity is born in the Holy Sumpur, West Sumatra, May 31, 1935. Childhood Buya Syafii very close to the Islamic tradition has become a magnet that always took her initial struggle with Islamic knowledge and try to understand it as deep as possible. Stretching such a lifestyle, it can also say thanks to guidance from the deceased mother, Makrifah. Sharpness interest Buya Safii Islamic explore more and more sharply honed by education who lived then, and eventually her life in a condensed form in Islamic culture.
People's finish Elementary School in the village of his birth, Buya Safii set foot on the floor Mu'allimin Lintau Madrasah schools, West Sumatra. Until then feet away across the sea to continue their education to the Madrasah Mu'allimin Muhammadiyah in Yogyakarta, and graduated in 1956. Armed with religious knowledge in Mu'allimin it, Buya Safii was received with a roomy chest devotion to duty upon him to East Lombok for one year as a teacher at the school Muhammadiyah.
After a period of devotion that, Buya Safii continue their studies back to college, despite her efforts to take higher education is not easy. But the determination and enthusiasm has enabled him to gain knowledge passing all odds. Imagine, in a state of Buya Safii orphan is still able to stretch their business efforts with only bolstered his brother to be able to sit as a student at the Faculty of Law University of Cokroaminoto Surakarta. I was stranded on the beach because of the mercy of the waves, he recalls illustrate the journey of his life in a magazine interview with Bud.
Just one year of college, PRRI / Permesta erupt and severely curtailing the Sumatra-Java relationship path. Thus, tuition assistance from his brother is lost, so Buya Safii decided to not go to college. The period was quite bitter, which Buya Safii must scrape a living as a teacher Baturetno villages in the subdistrict, Wonogiri, Central Java.
Nothing wrong with a lot of people praise the scientific spirit, motivation to learn Buya Safii not stop just by the sap bitter hardships that cross in front of him. While working, the husband siti hi hi ... and father of three sons and daughters. Buya Safii back to continue studying at the Department of History, because it no longer possible to return to the Faculty of Law. Bachelor's degree from the University of Cokroaminoto successfully achieved in 1964, while graduate degrees obtained from IKIP Yogyakarta four years later. Expertise in the field of history of getting tested after obtaining a Master's degree from Ohio State University, USA.
Options that accidentally turned out to have led me to discover the wisdom of humanity, a mild remark in an interview with KOMPAS.
Obtained his doctoral degree in 1993 from the University of Chicago in a study program of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations with a dissertation: Islam as the Basis of State: A Study of the Islamic Political Ideas as Reflected in the Constituent Assembly Debates in Indonesia. The youngest among four brothers, engaged in intensive study of the Quran with the guidance of a prominent reformer of Islamic thought, Fazrul Rahman. There is also, Buya Safii often involved intensive discussions with Nurcholish Madjid and Amien Rais, who are undergoing doctoral education.
Buya Safii recognize that science and knowledge of history has thus attracted interest because history speaks of the nodes in the totality of humanity. No wonder if in a painted impression that the phrase: It's the last 25 years, attention to history, philosophy and religion beyond my attention to another branch of science. But I am fully aware, that the more I was getting into the third region there are no edges. Not infrequently I feel as a stranger in the region, the region that seemed without limit.
Of that process too, a sense of humanisnya grow and deepen its attention on the problems of humanity. Life relegius strong entrenched in his soul and then sprinkled on the interpretation and beautiful invitation in the development of Islamic membumikan Hablumminnas true: love each other and love our fellow human beings on earth. And calling for Islam not be held in confidence to the extent of ritual, but also must be able to develop practices and behavior of Muslim religious life by embracing Islam as a whole its essential appeal: rahmatan lil'alamin.
"It feltsmallness of this self-dealing with the breadth and depth of ocean cruising is about to be sailed." Earthy sentence was uttered in the Preamble of professorship speech of his in IKIP Yogyakarta. "Humility is a reflection of the faith," he continued.
So no excessive, if so many people are amazed and impressed in figure Buya Safii as a scientist who always puts the power of religion in every struggle with their knowledge. He was the historian and philosopher, but in society as the children of the nation presence better known as a religious teacher. Have you not given the knowledge, except for just a little, he said quoting a verse of the holy Al-Quran.
This is the advice to reduce the ambition and curiosity of human beings for not stepping out of bounds areas on their own abilities. In that sense, the stronger the belief that arise in any science there are signs of God's existence. We must believe in the reality that is beyond the reach of man, so he notes. The universe and all its cargo could not explain themselves, their silence regarding the origin of the incidence and persistence. Only the revelation that then helped the human brain and perception in order to understand all the phenomenon. Only through faith, man can answer questions about the purpose of human existence and about the meaning of death. Philosophy, especially history, are not able to do so.
Reading books is a daily activity by Buya Safii, in addition to its activities as chairman of Muhammadiyah, the Supreme Advisory Council members and staff at IKIP Yogyakarta. No wonder the Buya Safii also fluent citing a valuable expression of the scientific community, and is also rich with poetic expressions quite profound significance.
Even the involvement of Buya Safii as General Chairman of Muhammadiyah is a necessity of history itself. When the pressure is rolling reform in Indonesia, and Amien Rais as one who was a locomotive drove to leaded Muhammadiyah should involve themselves in political activities to oversee reforms in a practical movement of the wheels, then as a replacement skipper Buya Safii aware that at the same time is like the Ark of Muhammadiyah parent who must still be directed to the main course so as not to drag by the pull of the current political tussle practical and short-term interests.
"Let us not linger in the uncertainty of future climate, because it means we allow this nation wallowing in the decay process of history. It was embarrassing and exhausting! "
After re-elected as General Chairman of Muhammadiyah in the 44th Congress (2000) held in Jakarta, Buya Safii then driving for his role in mendinamisasi Muhammadiyah can optimally drive tajdid efforts and ideals of enlightenment that would afford him. Do not let the reform movement as a basic philosophical Muhammadiyah eroded and only become an empty slogan in the actualization movement. One effort is to push the rate of intellectual awakening among the Muhammadiyah Youth, as it was realized that science and Islam is the core spirit of all the Muhammadiyah movement. Where the ownership of knowledge and intellectual power is the gateway the ability to understand and practice Islam in kaffah, and AMM as perpetrators of the history of the Muhammadiyah movement future be bright and light caretaker Muhammadiyah faces in the world struggle.
In a short note, Buya Safii reinforce the sound of his life as the father of the nation: I sincerely love this nation and in all. For me, defending the nation is in order to defend Islam.
Business and Buya Safii struggle did not end when put leadership at the Muhyammadiyah generation underneath. Maarif Institute later founded as a vehicle to continue efforts in order to guard and reach the intellectual awakening among the next generation of Islamic. Now, under the screen Maarif Institute, Buya Safii stick his feet also becoming pluralist in his footsteps as a leader who consistently fight for the values progress in islamism frame, Indonesian and humanity.
Who's Robin Lim
Robin Lim, born 1956 Heritage; has a diverse genealogy, which mixes Native American, Indonesian, Chinese, Philippine, German and Irish elements. She lives in Bali with her husband Wil Hammerle, and has seven daughters and sons, as well as one niece.
Robin’s support and inspiration is her family, husband Wil, and seven children. Lim’s Filipino Grandmother, Vicenta Munar Lim, was a traditional birth attendant in the Baguio mountain region of Luzon, Philippine Islands. Before during and after WWII she served as a healer and baby catcher for her people. Just as Lim’s "Lola" passed her family tradition of hands-on healing down to her, Lim is already training her granddaughter, Zhouie, in the art and passion of midwifery and service to humanity
Robin Lim is a mother, grandmother, author, poet, midwife and educator who lives in Bali with her husband and children. Ibu (mother) Robin is a Certified Professional Midwife, with the North American Registry of Midwives and Ikatan Bidan Indonesia.
She is a founder and executive director for Yayasan Ibu Bumi Sehat Birth Center in Bali. Lim splits her time between the birth center and the Tsunami Relief Clinic in Samatiga Aceh, Sumatra. Along with receiving babies, Ibu Robin is an author. Many of her articles, stories and poems have been published in Midwifery Today magazine and The Birthkit newsletter.
Following the December 2004 Tsunami disaster, Robin moved to Banda Aceh (Sumatra), an area that was torn also by ethnic and religious conflicts. Robin has been supporting survivor women, not only by providing them with health care and birth services, but also by helping them in the emotional process, the reconstruction of the social network, and mutual help relationships among people.
Robin headed to Yogyakarta right after the area is shook by an earthquake few months ago. There, she established an emergency unit, which not only provides health assistance but also trains the community to be able to start living a healthy lifestyle.
Bumi Sehat Medical Care
Robin Lim, chosen because of his dedication to provide the service free of pregnancy and childbirth in women who are less able to Indonesia since 1994. As a form of dedication, he established a foundation named Bumi Sehat Bali as a manifestation of his dedication in 2003 and until now has helped thousands of women in Bali and Aceh.
Robin Lim Receives the 2006 International Alexander Langer Prize. The Scientific and Guarantee Committee of the Alexander Langer Foundation, Bolzano, Italy/Italia, has decided to award the International Alexander Langer Prize for 2006 to Ms. Robin Lim, founder and advisor for the non-profit organisation Yayasan Ibu Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Hearth Foundation), based in Bali, Indonesia.
Robin Lim is a Certified Professional Midwife, with the North American Registry of Midwives, and recently joined the Indonesian Midwifery Association. She is Executive Director of Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Hearth Foundation) and Health Director of the Tsunami Relief Clinic in Aceh. The Foundation started by Robin has recently built a small but well qualified and friendly clinic, maternal and child health centre and birth centre.
Robin Lim is called “barefoot midwife” for her efforts in promoting healthy pregnancy, gentle childbirth, serene welcoming of the newborn, and fighting poverty and malnutrition.
Following the best Western as well as Non-Western traditions and practices, Robin directs her gentle and friendly efforts to promoting traditional knowledge and herbal medicine and, most importantly, mobilising pregnant women, new mother’s human and spiritual resources in caring for themselves and their child, helping them to face the moments of weakness and spiritual vulnerability with emotional strength.
“We believe – Robin wrote – that a gentle and healthy birth is the foundation of a beautiful life. Peace in the world can be fostered starting today, one baby at a time”.
On September 29th, 2006, Robin Lim will receive an award in the frame of the annual meeting “Euromediterranea” dedicated to Alexander Langer, in Bolzano, Italy/Italia.
Robin also will be received by Mr. Bertinotti, the Italian Parliament’s President, on October 5th 2006 in Italy.
Robin Lim, who is now settled in Ubud, Bali with his family that also has written several bestselling books related to childbirth. Lim also has won many awards for his dedication to it.
The midwife member of the North American Registry of Midwives and the Association of Indonesia Perbidanan it with 9 other name will receive prize money of U.S. $ 50 thousand, and his story will be narrated by renowned celebrity. CNN Heroes one of the lucky ones will get cash grants of U.S. $ 255 thousand to help their contribution, and was named the CNN Hero of the Year.
Note
At dawn, two women rise after sleeping on mats outside an Indonesian hospital.
They've waited all night for a chance to see their newborn babies, whom the hospital is holding until the medical bills are paid in full.
"Holding babies until payment is common in Indonesia," said Robin Lim, a midwife who founded birthing clinics in Aceh and the island of Bali.
At this particular hospital in Bali, mothers who don't pay are allowed in twice a day to feed their baby and change their baby's diaper. Those fortunate enough to find the money may take their babies home. Others might relinquish their parental rights and place their babies up for adoption, Lim explained.
"You worry, 'Will I be able to deliver this baby safely into the world?' But you shouldn't have to worry, 'How will I pay for it?' " said Lim, 54.
"Mother Robin," or "Ibu Robin" as she is called by the locals, is working to change that with her Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Earth Foundation) health clinics. These birthing sanctuaries offer free prenatal care, birthing services and medical aid to anyone who needs it.
And the needs are vast in Indonesia. The average family earns the equivalent of $8 a day, according to the International Monetary Fund, but a normal hospital delivery without complications costs around $70. A Caesarian section can cost more than $700.
Lim believes Indonesia's high maternal and infant mortality rates are caused in part by these costs, which many women cannot meet. In turn, their lives and the lives of their babies are at risk.
According to the United Nations Population Fund, three out of five women giving birth in South Asia do so without a skilled birth attendant on hand.
"The situation is bad ... babies are unattended, deliveries have become commercialized, and mothers die from hemorrhage after childbirth because they can't afford proper care," Lim said.
Working as a midwife in Indonesia was not something Lim, a U.S. citizen and author of many books related to infant and maternal health, planned for her life. But after several personal tragedies, her life shifted in a new direction.
"In the span of a year, I lost my best friend and one of the midwives who delivered my child," said Lim, who has eight children. "My sister also died as a complication of her third pregnancy, and so did her baby. I was crushed, just crushed.
"But I decided not to get angry. I decided to become part of the solution. If I could help even one family prevent the loss of a mother or a child, I would do that. I would dedicate my life to it."
Lim and her husband, Will, sold their home in Hawaii and moved the family to Bali to "reinvent their lives."
For Lim, there was no second-guessing the destination. Raised in the Philippines while her father was stationed in Indonesia with the U.S. military, she says she "always felt happiest in Asia."
Once in Bali, Lim volunteered to help local midwives deliver babies in various homes. And as the demand for her services grew, she decided to receive formal midwife certification.
In 2003, with help from the Balinese community and donations from friends across the globe, Lim and her husband opened the first Yayasan Bumi Sehat clinic. At the clinic, there are midwives, nurses, housekeepers, a doctor and a chef.
A short time later, after the massive tsunami in 2004, a smaller, sister location was built in Aceh to care for displaced survivors. Combined, the two clinics have facilitated the birth of more than 5,000 babies.
Some Indonesian celebrities and expatriates choose Bumi Sehat to birth their children, and they often give donations. But Lim says 80% of the families served by the clinics can barely pay anything.
"Rock star or prostitute, everyone gets treated (like a) VIP at Bumi Sehat ... with kindness and respect," she said. "It's something to see a family come year after year, every time their mango tree gives fruit, and give a few mangoes to the staff to say thank you.
"No one gets rich being a midwife. The riches that you experience are the deeper values."
Part of these riches, Lim said, is the knowledge that so many people rely on the clinics, two of the few 24-hour businesses in Aceh and Bali.
"Everyone knows us," she said. "For expecting couples who don't have a phone to call us for help or for a ride, it's common for them to hop on their motorcycles in the night to get to the clinic, where they know someone will be there waiting. And if they have a special request for me, I'll get a call, I'll get up and I'll go do the delivery."
The love and attention is appreciated by the new mothers, who don't have alternatives for safe, accessible care.
"I had my first born ... in a different clinic," said Gusti "Ayu" Ketut Gerti, a 31-year-old who came to Lim for the birth of her second child in February. "There's a big difference between that experience and (Bumi Sehat). Here, I feel comfortable. Robin is very kind, very motherly.
"I do not have money, and I tell my friends to also come here. I wish there were more people like her to lift up the suffering of the poor people."
Lim hopes that Gerti's experience can become the standard practice worldwide.
"Does the world have a responsibility to all pregnant women, to each new baby? Yes," Lim said. "Each baby, each adult deserves a clean, healthy, loving environment. ... Those things are basic. Those are a human right."
Want to get involved? Check out the Bumi Sehat Foundation website at www.bumisehatbali.org and see how to help.
Imam Ali was appointed "Ambassador for Peace" by the International Religious Federation in 2002, and a recipient of the 2008 ICLI Interfaith Award. In 2006, he was named one of seven most influential religious leaders in New York City by New York Magazine.
