Supporting The Balinese Through the Covid-19 Pandemic

Help make a difference in the lives of Balinese people during the COVID-19 pandemic

As the world starts to shut down for an unknown period of time, people all around the world are losing jobs, businesses are taking hits and incomes are decreasing. As the Indonesian government declared a state of emergency last month, all foreign nationals have been banned from entering the country. As a lot of us know, the Balinese people rely heavily on the tourism industry. Without the tourists, hundreds of thousands of people are without an income. Basically, this translates to less food and less access to medical facilities or even worse, people are being forced to go out and find a way to provide for their families, fuelling the transmission of COVID-19.

If you want to help Balinese families in need, below are credible organisations and fundraisers that are assisting people directly.

KOPERNIK

Kopernik are a not-for-profit organisation based in Ubud. They aim to reduce poverty around Indonesia by looking at different solutions that can be implemented. They are helping the people of Indonesia during the pandemic by focusing on prevention and emergency response. They are doing this through a public education campaign, soap distribution and hand sanitizer production and distribution. They are also supporting frontline medical personnel by supplying them with gowns, head and shoe covers, face shields, respiratory masks and soap and hand sanitizer. They expect that by doing all of this, they can help reduce the spread of Covid-19, improve hygiene, protect health workers and patients who are being treated at targeted healthcare facilities.

How can you help?

You can donate directly through their website

NEWS FROM BUNUTAN

A small organisation located on the northern east coast of Bali, News from Buntan aim to help the people of Bunutan who live in poverty by collecting donations and helping them when they are in immediate need, especially in times of natural disasters. With the onset of COVID-19, News from Bunutan are working closely with the Balinese locals to create care packages for the poorest families. The packages include: 5 kgs of rice, a handful of shallots, garlic, chillies, 350ml oil, 6 eggs, 2 pieces of soap and a small package of detergent. It also includes an information sheet, written in Bahasa Indonesia about COVID-19; who is most at risk, how to protect oneself against it, what the symptoms are and what to do if they are experiencing them. The packages are prepared and distributed by Ibu Jero, a local woman who has been working with this organisation for a long time. She knows all 600 villagers by name.

How can you help?

One care package costs the equivalent of $6 USD and feeds a family of four for a week. You can donate via PayPal: rchitchmanatgmail.com or via the following bank details:
Bank: BNI
Account number: 0631828233-IDR
BIC: BNINIDJASGR
Name: Roy Clifford Hitchman
Purpose: Agung

For more information, visit their website.

SCHOLARS OF SUSTENANCE (SOS)

SOS help feed the poorest people in Bali. They rescue tonnes of excess foods from hotels and distribute it to those in need. SOS provide food for 13 orphanages, four other Balinese foundations and make regular trips to villages in the Northwest of Bali. In light of COVID-19 they have a new program called Community Fridges, in which food can be donated at various retailors across the island so people don’t have to travel far. SOS has cooler trucks, customised cooler motorbikes and nine full-time, paid drivers combined with food safety and transport professionals to handle all food.

How can you help?

Visit their website to see where you can donate food in Bali.

NEW BALI

New Bali are actually a tour company located in Ubud who have come up with the ‘One Million Meal Coupon Movement’ during this time. This initiative helps Balinese people in need so they can feed their families. The program runs for three months and the aim is that 1 million coupons will feed more than 16,0000 people in this time – around 5,500 people per month. Each person will receive 60 meal coupons per month and one coupon equates to one meal in a local warung.

How can you help?

You can donate to this cause via PayPal or directly through their donation form on their website.

Kawan Baik Indonesia & Fair Future Foundation

These two foundations are teaming up to help out the most vulnerable communities in Bali during the pandemic. They are organising information sessions in small groups with the heads of villages so they can discuss health information about COVID-19, including providing villages sanitary tools such as soap and sanitizer. In conjunction with Good Friends, they will also be distributing nutrient and vitamin rich foods directly from Balinese farmers to those most in need.

How can you help?

You can donate directly here.

IDEP

is an organisation that develops and delivers training, community programs and media about sustainable development through permaculture and community-based disaster management. IDEP deliver practical programs and public education activities to communities in need all over Indonesia.

To do their part during this pandemic, they are going to help the affected-community in Bali, particularly the families in Kemenuh village, an area located in Gianyar. There are 1,986 families currently living in Kemenuh and it is one of the most COVID-19 affected areas in conjunction with a lack of public awareness and a high number of unemployed workers. Through the help of donations, IDEP will raise public awareness, distribute daily basic needs to families and provide medical protection gear for the COVID-19 Village Task Force Post.

To break it down in more detail:

Raising public awareness – IDEP will spread awareness, especially in Kemenuh about COVID-19 in two ways. The first will be through ‘Bondres’ – a Balinese traditional comedy performance. They believe this is a local and effective way of delivering the message about WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene), how to detect COVID-19 symptoms, what to do if a member of the family is displaying them and the importance of the emergency line they need to call. The second way will be through compiling information and educational content and making it easy for locals to read and understand. This will be distributed throughout homes in rural communities.

Family Bucket – is a package containing bathing and handwashing items, rice, oil, eggs and vegetables, local organic seeds that can be harvested within 1-2 months and educational media for families related to COVID-19. This Family Bucket lasts a family around 2 weeks to 1 month.

Medical and Protection Gear – will be provided to the Kemenuh village COVID-19 Task Force. This group of people are working voluntarily and are coordinated by the head of the village. They will be regularly disinfecting the village, providing online support to communities, offering immediate health assistance to vulnerable groups and sharing information to reduce the spread of the virus. IDEP will provide them with spraying tools, materials and equipment, masks, gloves and clothes, public handwashing facilities and basic medical and sanitation materials.

How can you help?

You can donate directly via bank transfer or through their website.

Westerlaken Foundation & Yayasan Bali Bersih

These two not-for-profit organisations focus on human rights, children rights, coastal and marine environment, emergency relief and cultural heritage management in Bali. Westerlaken is a Dutch NGO and Bali Berish is an Indonesian NGO and they work together. During this time, they are raising funds for the people of Bali so they can help the most vulnerable. They are distributing food packages consisting of rice, cooking oil, noodles, fresh vegetables, garlic, chili and fresh bumbu. This package lasts a family of four people for at least two days and costs 50,000 rp ($5 AUD, 3 EU).

How can you help?
You can donate to their cause directly through GoFundMe.

Crisis Kitchen Bali

Crisis Kitchen Bali are a small charity located in the south of Bali who are distributing food to the people of Bali. They are working with local communities and partners to get essential items to those most in need. If someone is hungry and has no money or food, they can approach Crisis Kitchen Bali and will be fed right away, no questions asked.

How can you help?

Visit their Facebook page.

Yayasan Team Action Amed

This charity are made up of both Balinese and expats who offer community care in the east of Bali in Amed. During this time, they are distributing community care packages throughout the east Bali region. Each package consists of 5kgs of rice, 350ml of oil, 12 eggs, 2 bars of soap and 4 face masks. The package feeds a family of four for one week and costs $10 AUD.

How can you help?

You can donate to their cause either via PayPal, GoFundMe or directly to their bank account.

the mask society bali

The Mask Society Bali engages local unemployed seamstresses who have lost their jobs during the pandemic to make masks so they can earn enough money to buy food and medicine. 100% of the sales go to the seamstresses.

How can you help?

You can buy a mask for 10,000 rp ($1 AUD) – their masks are made from 100% cotton with 2 layers and a unique filter pocket system which allows you to add your own filter and change it daily. The masks can also be hand-washed in hot water and air dried in the sunshine. For every sale The Mask Society makes, they donate free masks and food to the Balinese people. Or you can donate directly to them by contacting them at: themasksocietybali@gmail.com

Social Impakt

Social Impakt is a an organisation based in Bali whose mission is to improve access to clean drinking water in remote communities. They do this by providing an affordable and eco-friendly water filtration technology, the Navaza water filter. Using this water filter improves income, health and reduces plastic bottle use.

The devastating impact of COVID-19 has left people in dire need of water filters more than ever. Tap water in Bali is not drinkable, so people either buy bottled water, which is expensive or they boil water on wood or gas which also costs money.

How can you help?

You can donate to their cause here.