Here we will introduce our projects we do in Gaia-Oasis or in the district Tejakula. We are interested in environmental care, children projects, social help and others.
As you may know, we have exciting news to share with you - we have just become a non-profit foundation or “Yayasan” in Indonesia. Our mission will be to assist our community at large in Tejakula and surrounding villages by supporting various social, cultural and environmental projects.To start with, we are focusing on the nutritional and educational needs of the children, especially those who come from very poor families.
The Selombo Children Project is our very first project as a non-profit foundation, and we ask for your support.
Background
Our first project is working with a remote mountain school of 159 children. The school caters to the migrant communities at the borders of Tejakula, Madenan and Bondalem, many of whom came as refugees after Mount Agung exploded in the 1960s. Many of the children’s parents cannot afford to pay for education and do not see it as a priority. Before they even complete primary school, children may be sent as far away as Denpasar to work, as they need to earn money to support their family. While at school, many children make do with the bare minimum and few have any lunch money. Nearly all the children walk to school; many live far away, and some walk more than 90 minutes over mountains passes just to come to school as there are no roads. Not surprisingly, the drop-out rate is high.
What has been done so far :
The new headmaster, Pak Wayan Darma, who is himself an orphan, has worked very hard to improve the situation. Pak Wayan has built warm and close relationships amongst parents, teachers and students. Many children now trust the teachers and speak to them about their personal problems. In turn, the teachers regularly visit the parents and motivate them to keep their children at school. The school community has also pulled together to find funds for items such as extra teachers and a small library. Despite poverty and isolation, the school has won academic prizes in English and Mathematics and last year, the schoolchildren made the Top 5 in the regency for Earth Sciences.
What Gaia-Oasis is doing :
Gaia-Oasis has met with the parents of the children, as well as the school and local authorities, to agree a plan forward. We hope to slowly introduce a comprehensive program of education assistance, which will support both the school as well as individual students.
We started by providing basic education materials for the children. Gaia-Oasis has provided writing books, pens and pencils for children from Years 1 to 6, and we also supplement the honorariums of 3 assistant teachers (for English, Physical Education and Year 2 students) and a school guard. We have also provided Science and first aid equipment, and committed to funds for children to compete at inter-school and regency competitions, as this is an important source of pride for the children and the school.
Since the rainy season is now here, Gaia-Oasis has donated rainjackets and umbrellas, to provide some shelter for the children on their journey to and from school. Once at school, many children have no lunch money and Gaia-Oasis also sponsors a healthy & nutritious lunch once a week for the children, when they attend extra classes and or they cannot go home because of the wet conditions and the long distances. This is also an opportunity for us to teach the children about nutrition, and we hope to work in future with a local nurse to deliver health education.
At Abasan Hillside Retreat, the birthplace of our Yayasan, we are setting aside some land for a school vegetable garden, where children can plant and harvest their own organic vegetables. We are still planning the curriculum together with the Science teacher, but we see a lot of potential for learning, sharing and fun!
Finally, together with village and hamlet authorities, Gaia-Oasis has identified a list of students who come from the poorest families. We hope to start a small Education Scholarship program, where children from needy families are assisted with expenses such as school fees, school clothing and other school requirements. The donation will be managed by Gaia and the school, and is designed to be a help-up, not a hand-out. At all times, our priority is to protect the interests and privacy of the children and their families.
How Can You Help :
We greatly appreciate cash donations from individuals or groups to assist these children. Euro 150 will provide one month of nutritious weekly lunches for 159 schoolchildren; Euro 80 will provide school clothing and other requirements for one child for a year under the Education Scholarship program. Donors visiting Bali can make arrangements to visit the school and the children. We are also looking specifically for musical instruments (Balinese grantang / bamboo gamelan), sporting equipment and reference books
We also welcome anyone with appropriate skills (agriculture, nutrition, children’s health) who would like to contribute to our program. Please contact us if you wish to help as a field volunteer.
Please provide us with your name, address, phone, email and any special requests when making your donation. You can send your donation to one of our accounts below :
In Bali Transfer payment to (IRP) : Yayasan Gaia-Oasis, Bank Central Asia (BCA) Singaraja-Bali, Indonesia. Account number: 827 0344 110 SWIFT Code CENA IDJA
In Germany transfer payment to (€): Sabine Willard, POSTBANK HAMBURG,
Account number: 222 191 200, Banknumber (BLZ): 200 100 20
IBAN No. DE 61 2001 0020 0222 1912 00; SWIFT (BIC)Code PBNKDEFF
In Australia transfer payment to (AUS$): B.G Taylor
Bank: Shell Employees Credit Union Ltd. Rosehill, NSW. 2142, BSB 802-820, Acc, No.00004578
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
May we share in peace, in joy and with happy hearts
Caries prophylaxis and dental hygienic – a project with more than 500 pupils in Tejakula, April 2006 / April 2007
Our first project with children in Tejakula was first run in April 2006, with the dedicated support of the dental-hygienist Lina. Last year, Lina was able to collect donations of toothpaste and tooth-brushes for more than 500 children and bring these to Bali. Together with the government dentist in Tejakula and with the cooperation of the mayor and the schools inspector, Lina visited nine primary schools and was able to teach the children about proper tooth brushing, good dental hygiene and a more appropriate diet (fewer sweets and soft drinks, more fruit and vegetables). This was done in a fun format, utilizing “Bronco“, a large Horse puppet with huge teeth J. The children participated actively, brushing Bronco’s teeth, identifying ‘good’ foods, and generally having a great time. Together with the dentist, Lina checked the children’s teeth. They identified those with advanced caries and other dental problems, and we arranged with the schools to notify the parents of these children, and request them to take their children to the dental clinic for a check-up and free dental work.
This year, Lina ran a refresher for the nine schools. The children, in grade one and grade two, were largely able to remember what they learnt last year, and they were very happy to meet again with Lina and Bronco. We didn’t give out any more toothbrushes and toothpaste, but asked the children to get their parents to buy them toothpaste instead of sweets, as it is important they start doing this themselves. Sadly, some of the children who had been identified last year as needing dental care, still had not gone to the dentist and unfortunately we cannot force the parents to take them. Lina gave out pencils to the children as souvenirs, and we hope to continue with this project next year, involving children in more schools.
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Waste water garden at Abasan; recycled waste water at Pantai
This year, we have a flourishing Wastewater Garden at Abasan. Wastewater gardens were first trialled in 1991 by Dr. Mark Nelson at Biosphere 2, the first global ecology laboratorium in the world. These gardens are acknowledged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Green Globe Awards and the Indonesian Environmental Department (BAPEDALDA-BAPEDAL).
In a wastewater garden, instead of water from the septic tank seeping directly into the ground, wastewater from our toilets (called blackwater) goes through an isolated watertight septic and is piped into a plant-filled living water treatment system. The plants feed off the rich nutrients in the blackwater, and oxygen and microbes in the wastewater garden eliminate harmful bacteria. Wastewater from washing and cleaning (called graywater) is also piped through the wastewater garden. The garden therefore works to purify blackwater and graywater so that it can be safely returned to earth.
By breaking down and cleansing the wastewater from nutrients and other organic elements, we reduce the problem of eutrophication (excessive nutrients), which leads to environmental problems including coral degradation, reduction of oxygen and subsequent killing of marine life, and degraded lakes and rivers. Wastewater gardens can reduce the organic elements in blackwater by 85%.
Our wastewater garden is planted with heliconia, kanna, princess palms, papyrus, cattails, ginger, lemongrass, Water Bamboo, Calla Lily and arrowhead, adding beauty and colour to utility!
At our beach resort, “Pantai”, we have an environmentally friendly wastewater treatment plant. Using this method, the wastewater from our kitchen and from the western group of bungalows is recycled and used for watering the garden.
