What are Ferry Salim, Pierce Brosnan, and Robbie Williams have in common? You can select one of these answers: (a) they are famous movie stars, or (b) they are gorgeous famous movie stars, or (c) they are gorgeous famous movie stars who care for children, or (d) all of the above are true.
You are right, the answer is d. Every Indonesian (especially women) knows Ferry Salim, who is a famous figure that has starred in more than 20 sinetrons (Indonesian version of telenovelas) and an adaptation movie from Remy Silado’s novel, Ca Bau Kan. Beyond his good looks, Ferry Salim is also known for his great concern for children. He’s also a proud father of two and a good husband for years.
All of those qualifies him as a ambassador for UNICEF (United Nation’s Children Fund), a title that he shares with many celebrity figures like Brosnan and Williams, and also Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker since October 2004. Indonesia now has two national UNICEF ambassador, Ferry Salim and Christine Hakim, a senior movie star.
“I’m very proud and interested when (UNICEF) offered to join them as an ambassador. I’ve always been wanting to do something for Indonesian mothers, and when I told them about this, they said that it matches their mission to help Indonesian mothers and children,” Said Ferry Salim when met in Jakarta Convention Centre for a charity occasion, Celebrities for Kids & National Mothers Day on Indonesian Mother’s Day, December 2004.
As a UNICEF ambassador, Ferry Salim had been actively using his network to connect UNICEF to more people. That night, he wished to raise some fund up to 1 trillion rupiahs that would be audited by Price-Waterhouse before distributed to UNICEF.
His other duty is to develop people’s awareness to the issues of mothers and children’s health, and also the increasing problem of HIV/AIDS. The death rate for mothers and childrens under five years old in Indonesia, especially in rural area and East Indonesia, is one of the worst in Asia. Not to mention that more people are being exposed to the possibility of HIV/AIDS infection. It is predicted that more than one million Indonesians will be notified HIV positive in short time to come. With his celebrity figure, Ferry Salim is hoped to deliver the right message to society, develop people’s awareness to these health issues.
Juggling between all his activities –a movie star, an MC, and a family head-, Ferry Salim admitted that he had to be wiser in organizing his daily agenda. “But as long as we have the good intention, a little time loss is not a big problem,” he said casually.
With that, Ferry Salim ended the conversation with a sympathetic nod because he had to walk down the red carpet, a glamorous way with a greater intention beyond, as a national UNICEF ambassador.
