PURSUIT OF A BRIGHT FUTURE


Located on the hillside of Mount Batur in Northeast of Bali, Munti Gunung area consists of 34 villages covering 28 sq km area with population for about 5,500 people. This village is known as one of the poorest areas in Bali with exceptionally dry weather, little rainfall, and without no springs or rivers passing through the area. They collect fresh water from the coast or from the nearest Lake Batur without using any transportation, with walking distance can take for about five hours per day. Average income earned by the people of Munti Gunung is around Rp. 100,000 per head/per month. With no education, malnutrition and high mortality rate, many of them have not much choices than living a life in a worst poverty. To support their lives, some of them come to big cities in Bali such as Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, to beg on the streets asking for money. Sometimes they bring children and ask them to beg, while the parents, or the adults, just wait and watch them from far away. It may become a life saver to earn a little bit of money to fill their empty stomach, but this causes Bali a dilemma because their present begging on the street can cause a bad image for the tourism industry.

To help the society raising their economic level, many of NGOs and local organization hand in hand take participation in creating development project programs for the entire community. We also think it's necessary for us to hand in hand helping them to create a decent life. Because to get out of a poverty, a community shouldn't be depended on some sources of funds. Instead, they have to be able to fund themselves and fight for the better and brighter life.

Collaborating with the Economy Faculty Udayana University, Bali & Beyond Magazine is proud to present a CSR program to help the Munti Gunung people create a better life. There will be a one day seminar giving an overview of micro business skills for the community to present some general views of a micro business, managing finance, how to get the market, and marketing the products, as well as a one month educational program that will be done by the Economy Faculty of Udayana University. The seminar will be held on March 5, while some of the students will stay in the area for the entire month of March to assist them doing day-to-day activities and observe their needs.

To ensure the success of the program, we invite you to join our us by giving donations to them. Any amount of money will be used to fund and create some micro businesses that later is hoped can create work for them and become a problem solver. You are also welcome to donate clothes, books, or anything that you think can help them to get out of the poverty circle, throughout the month of March. Any donation will be transferred directly to them. Drop your donations to our office at Jl. Dewi Sri No. 23, Kuta.

For further information, please contact Arief Senoaji at arief@baliandbeyond.co.id or call us at (0361) 886-8601

UPDATED
Donation collected so far :
6 boxes second hand clothes
25 kg rice
Rp. 1,500,000