According to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP), the Sumatran orangutan is critically endangered with only 6,600 animals (as of 2008) throughout its entire range. Additionally, it is estimated that over 800 orangutans each year are being lost primarily as a consequence of rain forest and habitat destruction.  With that rate of decline, the species is projected to become extinct as a breeding population within 10 years! 

OUR Education Initiative's first 5-year plan made saving this population a priority by providing organizations with education grants for projects and programs that improve local people's attitudes and perceptions while eliminating or reducing ignorance, misconceptions, and fear of the orangutan in the areas of northern Sumatra. 

In addition, OUREI organized a conference, workshop and summit in November 2006, for creating education curricula to reduce the conflict between humans and orangutans in Sumatra. OUREI's Sumatran NGO partners (Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program, Sumatran Orangutan Society, Orangutan Caring Club of N. Sumatra, Fauna and Flora International, and Leuser International Foundation) formed the "Secretariat" for coordinating the event, and four of the NGOs comprised the "Consortium", for the purpose of implementing the delivery portion of the program during 2007 to target audiences in North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. In 2008, the Consortium expanded to a dozen organizations including academic institutions and broadcast media in order to implement Orangutan Caring Week in the Medan area.

Orang Utan Republik Foundation will continue to support education and conservation projects in Sumatra as it begins its second 5-year plan.