David Booth MBE, an English expatriate, together with some concerned Indonesian friends created the East Bali Poverty Project (EBPP) in 1998 to work within the poorest communities on the island to alleviate malnutrition and lack of access to basic services. Participatory community surveys in mid-1998 showed that thousands of people lived in abject poverty without water, sanitation, roads, schools, health facilities and electricity. Illiteracy was up to 100%. Malnutrition and iodine  deficiency disorders were endemic, iodine being the essential nutrient for healthy child births, brain and body development.

EBPP's strategy is to work with communities to identify their particular problems and develop attainable goals in accordance with their aspirations. They aim to build sustainable programs that will empower individuals and result in self-reliance. David volunteers 100% of his time to coordinate all project planning and design, supported by a dedicated and motivated Balinese office and field team.

The Annika Linden Foundation is excited to be supporting a number of East Bali Poverty Project initiatives. Among the projects currently funded as of 2010 are the Maternal Child Healthcare and Playgroup program, the Outreach Dental program, Children’s Organic Garden, Community Organic Garden, Manikaji Integrated Education and Senior High School scholarships.

In 2011, ALF continued sponsorship of all children in EBPP’s Manikaji Mekar School and final year high school students in EBPP’s Cegi and Pengalusan schools. We are proud that all ALF students taking 2011 government exams graduated their respective levels, as follows:

• Manikaji: 7 Elementary school, 3 Junior high school and 4 Senior High School

• Cegi: 5 Senior High School

• Pengalusan: 9 Senior High School

In total, 18 ALF sponsored children graduated senior high school, in addition to 11 sponsored by other EBPP donors.

EBPP are proud that I Wayan Lias, starting as a 8-year old illiterate boy in EBPP’s new Cegi School in April 2000, graduating high school with ALF sponsorship, started university in Singaraja in August 2011 studying Fine Arts and teaching with the goal. After his 4 years study, he returned to Ban village to teach art in schools and communities and build on the Art Cooperative he created with fellow students in 2009.

Since 2006, INKAI karate has been the main sport for all EBPP school students with professional weekly training classes by 3rd Dan INKAI karate champion, Mangku Pasek. We are proud that three EBPP final year high school students, sponsored by ALF, Gata from Manikaji & Mudita and Wenten from Pengalusan, received their INKAI Black Belt at a national exam in Bandung early 2011. At a Bali Province competition in Gianyar in October 2011, Gata got the Gold Medal for “Kata Perorangan Putra” and Silver Medal for “Kumite Putra” and Mudita got Bronze for “Kumite Putra”.

By the end of October 2011, EBPP dentists have treated 4,000 students as follows:

Thanks go to EBPP’s dedicated dentists and health team, especially the dental awareness and education programmes and the examples of good practice introduced also to mothers in their 27 Posyandu (Baby Weighing Programs) throughout Desa Ban.

Music Education development in all EBPP schools 158 EBPP students above 10 years from all 6 EBPP schools have had weekly music classes in their curriculum since January 2011, led by professional music teachers Elia Simantov and Bambang Sri Handoko and 3 EBPP staff. With only 3 guitars, a keyboard, 160 donated recorders, donated Djembe drums and varied percussion instruments, our children have learnt very fast and many can already read music and are good recorder players. Bambang and our music team will soon start teaching our most talented students to play classical guitar as extracurricular acitvity on non-school days.

On 28th October 2011, 46 10-18 year olds represented EBPP’s 6 schools at The Bali Garden Party to showcase their amazing musical talents and entertain almost 200 children from other impoverished regions.

Maternal Child Health (By Dr Denise Abe)

EBPP’s midwife has been very successful in attending all 27 POSYANDU programmes each month to provide prenatal checks and education. The EBPP prenatal curriculum focuses on an optimal 4 visits to complete a comprehensive mother educational program ranging from delivery planning, to breast feedings and post partum contraception use. The physical assessment and follow up recommendations are charted on the EBPP pregnancy charts. With the recent opening of a private birthing clinic, a 30 minute drive from EBPP Ban office, providing free government funded deliveries, almost all women are now opting to give birth at the clinic. The occasional home delivery is now limited to women who can not make it in time.

Playgroup - Play + Learn Groups - at the Posyandu (by Amy Cardamone) As of September, 2011, ALF sponsored play + learn groups are being held monthly in all 27 Desa Ban posyandu. These playgroups provide a previously unavailable enriched environment for the young children. On any given day, as one approaches the posyandu, children’s voices and giggles can be heard as they sing songs that teach them to identify body parts, colours or to count to ten. They also learn basic hygiene including the importance of washing hands with soap and water before eating, brushing teeth twice a day and caring for a minor cuts and scrapes. In 2012, we will add a component that teaches the mothers basic home health care.

More about EBPP: www.eastbalipovertyproject.org

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East Bali Poverty Project