East Bali Poverty Project At Linda Garland’s estate, Ubud, on the occasion of the launch of: The art of learning by doing.
Press Release: 25 September, 2005
On the occasion of the Launch of "The Art of Learning by Doing"
at Linda Garland's Environmental Bamboo Foundation, Nyuh Kuning, Ubud
A NEW KIND
OF EDUCATION
Ekoturin Foundation’s
East
Bali
Poverty
Project, established in
July 1998 in response to
a plea for help by an
isolated
mountain
village of over two
thousand families, with
no water supply, roads
or
electricity,
has
focused upon education
as the force to alleviate
poverty. When the
foundation was first
conceived,
most
children in this isolated area of East Bali were malnourished and illiterate, and the nearest
government schools and health clinics were two to five hours mountainous walk away.
Interviews in late 1998 with over 1,000 families revealed a myriad of problems, yet when asked
their most urgent need, the villagers requested “education for our children so that they can lead
us to a better life and a self-sufficient future”.
The East Bali Poverty Project’s
mission is “to empower illiterate
and malnourished children, reduce
poverty and promote culturally and
ecologically sensitive sustainable
development in impoverished rural
communities”, and the promise of
“No handouts of money, rice or any
short-term solutions: any project
must empower you, be sustainable
and in accordance with the
community’s
aspirations
and
needs”, was the springboard for an
inspiring and productive collaboration
that began with communities in five
of the most isolated hamlets.
Education, supported by full community motivation and participation has been the cornerstone
of successful progress to date, helped of course by many generous donors who have assisted,
enabling integration of all aspects of nutrition, health, hygiene, sanitation, sustainable land
improvement and creative arts
into the education programmes.
This is an education with a
difference, an education that
takes into account the situation of
the families of the children, and
focuses upon their needs. By
only going to school for three
days a week, half a day each day,
enabling them to still help their
parents in the fields and feeding
the cows that are their main
source of income, these children
have managed to cover the entire
government curriculum and to
date, 97 children have passed the
government exams with good
grades, as well as to learn new practical skills in the all-important fields of health and sanitation,
nutrition and sustainable organic agriculture.
The children have become the catalyst for positive change in their previously subsistence
farming mountain society. They are now their parent’s teachers, especially in the rudiments of
organic vegetable farming, the key to ultimate food security, self-reliance, sustainable health
improvement and ultimate sustainable social and economic development. Many nutritious
vegetables and medicinal herbs are now growing on steep and previously barren slopes that had
never supported crops before, not even cassava.
At the time of publishing this book, in 2005, the children are becoming expert trainers in land
improvement and erosion control and many of their parents are learning in East Bali Poverty
Project’s farming cooperatives to stabilise terraces with Vetiver grass, fertilize with organic
worm castings and grow new varieties of vegetables, passing on their seeds to new groups at the
end of their first year.
New horizons and prospects for the future are
opening up every day, with the confidence the
children are gaining in the fields of Art,
Writing, Theatre and their experience in
Organic Gardening. Food security, self
reliance and sustainable social and economic
development are all now within reach of these
isolated communities that only six short years
ago had no communication with the outside
world and did not believe that life could ever
change.
By sharing these wonderful works of art, and
stories from our children with you today, and
David & Sarita accompany Dr Djelantik on arrival
offering the opportunity for all to buy and
donate our bilingual book "The Art of
Learning by Doing" to other needy schools in Bali, we hope to inspire other school children and
teachers throughout Indonesia, through their reading and language programs, to discover the
wonderful opportunities for them, as long as they are willing to open their minds to a new and
more caring kind of Education, where the children do not have to be drilled for long hours to
memorise facts, or coerced into coming back to school after dark to take additional courses for
high achievement.
In this new kind of Education, created through "The Art of Learning by Doing" at East Bali
Poverty Project, it is possible to elevate the children and all their families into improving their
own environment, taking good care of their sanitation and nutrition to attain good health, and to
create a gentle and caring environment, giving our children the keys to developing a healthy,
sustainable and joyous lifestyle, within their own communities, for the future of all.
Linda Garland & David announce the programmes to a
captivated audience
EBPP junior high school children, tutors and staff
flanked by Linda Garland and David, at the rear of
Linda’s house prior to departure to Desa Ban, a 3hour bus trip - and an extra hour’s walk home for
many
for more information, please contact:
David J Booth MBE or Tri
EAST BALI POVERTY PROJECT
tel.(0361)410071., email:
info@eastbalipovertyproject.org
Homepage: www.eastbalipovertyproject.org
Jane Hawkins, Made
EBPP’s
Wijaya,
Bunga
Drchildren
Djelantik
illustrate
& Victor
Chapter 2 of “The Art
Mason have refreshments
of Learning
in by
theDoing”:
children’s
‘School
art gallery
at Last’
On the occasion of the Launch of "The Art of Learning by Doing"
at Linda Garland's Environmental Bamboo Foundation, Nyuh Kuning, Ubud
A NEW KIND
OF EDUCATION
Ekoturin Foundation’s
East
Bali
Poverty
Project, established in
July 1998 in response to
a plea for help by an
isolated
mountain
village of over two
thousand families, with
no water supply, roads
or
electricity,
has
focused upon education
as the force to alleviate
poverty. When the
foundation was first
conceived,
most
children in this isolated area of East Bali were malnourished and illiterate, and the nearest
government schools and health clinics were two to five hours mountainous walk away.
Interviews in late 1998 with over 1,000 families revealed a myriad of problems, yet when asked
their most urgent need, the villagers requested “education for our children so that they can lead
us to a better life and a self-sufficient future”.
The East Bali Poverty Project’s
mission is “to empower illiterate
and malnourished children, reduce
poverty and promote culturally and
ecologically sensitive sustainable
development in impoverished rural
communities”, and the promise of
“No handouts of money, rice or any
short-term solutions: any project
must empower you, be sustainable
and in accordance with the
community’s
aspirations
and
needs”, was the springboard for an
inspiring and productive collaboration
that began with communities in five
of the most isolated hamlets.
Education, supported by full community motivation and participation has been the cornerstone
of successful progress to date, helped of course by many generous donors who have assisted,
enabling integration of all aspects of nutrition, health, hygiene, sanitation, sustainable land
improvement and creative arts
into the education programmes.
This is an education with a
difference, an education that
takes into account the situation of
the families of the children, and
focuses upon their needs. By
only going to school for three
days a week, half a day each day,
enabling them to still help their
parents in the fields and feeding
the cows that are their main
source of income, these children
have managed to cover the entire
government curriculum and to
date, 97 children have passed the
government exams with good
grades, as well as to learn new practical skills in the all-important fields of health and sanitation,
nutrition and sustainable organic agriculture.
The children have become the catalyst for positive change in their previously subsistence
farming mountain society. They are now their parent’s teachers, especially in the rudiments of
organic vegetable farming, the key to ultimate food security, self-reliance, sustainable health
improvement and ultimate sustainable social and economic development. Many nutritious
vegetables and medicinal herbs are now growing on steep and previously barren slopes that had
never supported crops before, not even cassava.
At the time of publishing this book, in 2005, the children are becoming expert trainers in land
improvement and erosion control and many of their parents are learning in East Bali Poverty
Project’s farming cooperatives to stabilise terraces with Vetiver grass, fertilize with organic
worm castings and grow new varieties of vegetables, passing on their seeds to new groups at the
end of their first year.
New horizons and prospects for the future are
opening up every day, with the confidence the
children are gaining in the fields of Art,
Writing, Theatre and their experience in
Organic Gardening. Food security, self
reliance and sustainable social and economic
development are all now within reach of these
isolated communities that only six short years
ago had no communication with the outside
world and did not believe that life could ever
change.
By sharing these wonderful works of art, and
stories from our children with you today, and
David & Sarita accompany Dr Djelantik on arrival
offering the opportunity for all to buy and
donate our bilingual book "The Art of
Learning by Doing" to other needy schools in Bali, we hope to inspire other school children and
teachers throughout Indonesia, through their reading and language programs, to discover the
wonderful opportunities for them, as long as they are willing to open their minds to a new and
more caring kind of Education, where the children do not have to be drilled for long hours to
memorise facts, or coerced into coming back to school after dark to take additional courses for
high achievement.
In this new kind of Education, created through "The Art of Learning by Doing" at East Bali
Poverty Project, it is possible to elevate the children and all their families into improving their
own environment, taking good care of their sanitation and nutrition to attain good health, and to
create a gentle and caring environment, giving our children the keys to developing a healthy,
sustainable and joyous lifestyle, within their own communities, for the future of all.
Linda Garland & David announce the programmes to a
captivated audience
EBPP junior high school children, tutors and staff
flanked by Linda Garland and David, at the rear of
Linda’s house prior to departure to Desa Ban, a 3hour bus trip - and an extra hour’s walk home for
many
for more information, please contact:
David J Booth MBE or Tri
EAST BALI POVERTY PROJECT
tel.(0361)410071., email:
info@eastbalipovertyproject.org
Homepage: www.eastbalipovertyproject.org
Jane Hawkins, Made
EBPP’s
Wijaya,
Bunga
Drchildren
Djelantik
illustrate
& Victor
Chapter 2 of “The Art
Mason have refreshments
of Learning
in by
theDoing”:
children’s
‘School
art gallery
at Last’