Peduli Sesama Helen Flavel Foundation

Volunteerism and involvement with Foundations or charity groups can be an amazing journey that often evolves over time. This has been my experience with the Peduli Sesama Helen Flavel Foundation (HFF). The internet has become a great forum for introducing like-minded people. Just over 3 years ago – in fact on the very trip when I met Gabrielle and Omid on my plane home to Japan, I met Helen Flavel for the first time in Bali. Through the internet, I had heard about an Australian woman who had started a foundation to educate the poor children in North Bali. After exchanging email, I visited North Bali and met Helen and Dewi (our LC director) on the site where the Learning Center was just being constructed. Sometimes things click in an indescribable way. I felt an immediate connection with both of them. On behalf of the Aurora Bali Project, I dropped off story books and educational materials, left money to help build bookshelves for the yet to be completed Learning Center, and most importantly committed to sponsoring 2 children. This is where the sponsorship of Rudi and Meiling started and where our journey with the HFF and the LC began.

The Helen Flavel Foundation is foremost interested in the education of children. To date, there are almost 500 children in North Bali being sponsored. The sponsorship of these children enables them to attend school, otherwise impossible for most of them. School fees, uniforms, books and related costs are covered by sponsorship. This is critical for their lives and the lives of their families.

The foundation is headed by Helen, herself, who lives in Australia but works tirelessly administering the foundation. On the “front lines” are Nyoman Sukadana, the Director of HFF and Nyoman Pamadewi (Dewi) the Director of the Learning Center. There is also a “team” of teachers and volunteers that I am proud to be part of. I think what appealed to me initially was the focus on education and the fact that the Team on the ground in Bali are local people. The HFF is truly a “grass-roots” organization that is in tune with local needs and Balinese culture.

The growth of the foundation has been astounding! Sukudana, aided by Putu (John) Widiarta, our Deputy Director, deals with the over 100 schools where our sponsored children attend, is involved in dealing with sponsors and sponsor visits, and with Project Help, a house renovating/building initiative.

To supplement the educational needs of the poorest children in the area, the Learning Center was built. With a generous materials donation from an Australian building Co., the skilled labor costs provided by HFF and the manual labor supplied by the families of our sponsored children, The Learning Center dream became a reality.

The LC has a free after-school program where children can come for lessons in English and computers. The Sunday program has a “pick up” system so that children who live too far to walk can attend English classes, computer, drama, art or special programs on Sundays. Sundays truly embody the spirit of the LC with over 150 children attending some Sundays! The LC also focuses on the community and hosts events or workshops to promote education.

Trying to not be dependent on outside funds for daily operating costs of the LC, the Sukma Helen Flavel Kindergarten was established. This is a “paying” bilingual kindergarten attended by children from the area. The fees from this kindergarten pay the basic operating costs of the LC. The kindy already has a growing reputation for having one of the best programs in the area.

As educational consultant or teaching advisor, I have been working hard with the LC and kindy teachers. Money for all kinds of projects is always needed, and ABProject will continue to fund projects. However, the evolution of our involvement shows that people with time and energy and skills are also needed in a volunteer capacity. The teaching, training, and workshops I can provide are important for the foundation and the community, in general.

One of the problems with education in Bali, is that even though children may be able to afford to attend and walk to a local elementary school (grades 1 -6) , once they reach junior high school (grades 7-9) or high school (grades 10-12), the associated costs of fees and transportation can be out of the reach of poor families. The HFF found itself in this situation with approximately 30 sponsored children in danger of having to quit school. Though there is a long-range plan to construct and run a “boarding house” for children in this situation, the immediate need was critical. The response was to start “boarding” these 30 students at the LC. Though not a boarding house, the Team has done an amazing job of caring for these kids so they can attend school. ABProject has supplied the funds for the yearly salary of a “House Mother”, an amazing woman, who works tirelessly not only caring for the kids, but teaching them how to care for themselves.  The Boarders help with the cooking and are responsible for cleaning and their own laundry. The kitchen and laundry area are located about 100m from the LC on a borrowed piece of land. The Boarders also tend a nearby garden that supplies most of the vegetables for their meals. I’ve gotten to know these kids over the past year, teaching them and “hanging out” with them at the LC. The Boarders are an amazing group of kids who are truly inspirational. They have incredible spirit, are caring and thoughtful and have a mature understanding of the opportunity they have.

Though there seems to be so many things going on at once and the growth of the foundation is impressive, what is obvious is that the human resources (Helen and the Team) are critical. As the foundation grows and the skills and the experience of the Team grow, the future of the foundation looks bright. With support of many people, like the TTS Bali Project, the future looks even brighter!

Sincerely,

Syd Joseph

Volunteer Coordinator