Records of YMCA international work in Indonesia

Early YMCA work in Indonesia began around 1928 under the direction of John R. Mott, as well as Dutch and German members of the YMCA. During this time, the YMCA worked on a small number of specific projects primarily for Dutch citizens. An effort was made to establish an official YMCA movement in 1946 to provide services for Dutch residents, especially members of the Dutch military who were fighting a war against Indonesian nationalists for control of the archipelago. The largely Dutch YMCA (known as the AMVJ) operated several large, well-equipped centers throughout the country.

Following Indonesian independence in late 1949, the AMVJ administrators left a board of directors composed of four Dutchmen and five Indonesians to continue the movement. The AMVJ changed its name to become the YMCA of Indonesia, and a national committee with membership in the World Alliance was formed in 1951. Alexander Rotti, an Indonesian pastor and member of Parliament, was selected to serve as general secretary. At Rotti's request, fraternal secretary Karl H. Stange was sent to Jakarta (referred to at that time as Djakarta) in 1954.

Although the AMVJ had transferred control of its ten branches to the YMCA in 1949, the new Indonesian government was suspicious of lingering Dutch influence and seized the former AMVJ centers, arguing that they were military possessions of the former colonial power. However, the YMCA regained use of most of these facilities following litigation, and by 1956, the YMCA had made developments on all ten of its facilities. In 1953, a young Indian named C. A. Itty, who had been working for the Student Christian Movement in Indonesia, was appointed as a secretary. Itty was credited as instrumental for his ability to attract young people to the YMCA, which was quickly growing in popularity throughout the country.

The YMCA's early programs included traditional athletic activities, recreation groups, and physical and spiritual education. Karl H. Stange also worked to develop native leadership by hosting a leaders' training course, publishing literature, and offering workshops for volunteers. The YMCA also operated an orphanage and established a conference center to be used by the YMCA, churches, and schools in the city of Sukabumi in 1955. Notably, the YMCA began to operate a school in Djakarta in 1956, an idea that would be replicated by other YMCA

Despite its early growth, the YMCA of Indonesia experienced a period of decline during the 1960s. Issues of nationalism led to conflicts among the YMCA's leadership, and young leaders were forced to fill the void left by departing senior administrators like Alexander Rotti. Furthermore, the YMCA of Indonesia suffered from a lack of inter-movement support during this period partly due to increased communist influence in the country. By 1967, only five associations were actively operating in Indonesia, and the YMCA was forced to close a holiday center and numerous hostels, which had been a significant source of revenue.

Nevertheless, the YMCA continued to work throughout Indonesia. In addition to its programs of athletics, education and outdoor recreation, the YMCA also began to support family planning and medical programs, vocational training, reforestation work, and rural development work in Indonesian villages. The YMCA's schools continued to be a major focus of the movement; by 1980, YMCA schools served over 2,700 students ranging from kindergarteners to secondary school students.

The following is a list of individuals who served as YMCA secretaries in Indonesia, along with their dates of service, if known: