During my last trip to Bali only a week ago, I had the chance to visit some of the local schools of Sudaji, Sekumpul and Lemukih village. 650 Kids age 4-12 go to 6 elementary schools in this district. There's also one secondary school.
Guided by Mr. I Gede Joni Setiawan, I saw a whole bunch of Balinese school kids running around the schools or sitting down nice and quiet in their class room. Outside the boys made funny faces when I took a photo, the girls a little more shy in the back. Boys will be boys and with hard rock being the latest thing in Bali, Indonesia, a lot of the boys kept making the sign of the horns, o my.
We sat down in the offices and talked about the schools, how the system works in Indonesia and how Gede once was a student of this school too. The schools look good, but not great, you know what I mean. Being in the Netherlands, our elementary schools seem to (over)flood with toys, maps on walls and other school materials. Here, in rural Bali, nothing is too much and only the basics are there. I don't think there will be much ADHD/ADD diagnoses here.
There's even a school right next to the rice fields. Wow, tropical nature all around the children, and being off at 14:00 (2 PM) or earlier, they have enough free time to run around in the village. I saw kids chop woods, climb trees, ride motor bikes (2x 8 = also 16) (in age, LOL) and be HAPPY. Even though to Western standards they don't seem to have much, they have it all. They are pure, happy and healthy. Eating 3 rice meals a day, I did not see much obesed people.
The red wood tea ZanZan's wife made was awsome. ZanZan is the founder of Omunity, the retreat where I was staying and taking photos for. The school kids are provided for too, and when I asked, I was told the children never get any school photos, at all. Being a mother of two myself, I buy these photos always, as I think it's so good to see your kids grow when you put these photos in a line from age 4 to 12... Melts my heart to see how they grew up. And I am very happy to have these photos.
But in Sudaji there's no school photography, never. The only photos I saw were an occasional photo of the teachers group and one of the Independance Day games... But no class photos, no portraits. The parents also aren't able to afford the prints, but still, there aren't even digital photos available!
Now I want to go back and teach the local photographer(s) how to do this, how to do class and portrait school photos and make sure the parents will get their copy too. The school would really love bigger copies to put on the wall, and really, what are the costs?!? It's all about making it possible. For a lousy € 2,30 per child we are able to set a school photogaphy system up. We only need € 1500,- in total, this way we can teach a local photographer how to shoot and print all the photos. Next year's costs will be much lower, as then it's only the prints that need to be covered.
Next to school photos the schools need (English) books, so if you are a publisher with books which can't be sold anymore and suitable for age 4-16, please let me know. The libraries are being built as we speak, as the government decided to invest in the schools, but there can never be enough books. For the books we'll need € 6000,- around € 10,- per child. We're especially looking for books about spiritual, social and cultural life.
We'll need € 1500,- to get school photography set up, and € 6000,- for spiritual, cultural and social books, please donate to Stichting PUUR Zien, IBAN NL21INGB0006544911 ING Bank N.V. Foreign Operations PO Box 1800 1000 BV Amsterdam The Netherlands or use Paypal: info@mery.nl, thank you! Our BIC: INGBNL2A (Swift code)
If you are a publisher who would like to donate books, please send 6 of each to:
OMunity
Banjar Dukuh, Desa Sudaji
Kecamatan Sawan
Singaraja Buleleng 81171
Bali, Indonesia
THANK YOU, Namaste ♥
