About The Bali Children's Project

For almost twenty years the Children's Project has been quietly changing  young lives in rural Bali by helping the disadvantaged obtain an education.  Today we are supporting over 200 children, and have created a dozen preschools and kindergartens.

Our programs include individual sponsorship, sex-education and AIDS awareness, health and hygiene initiatives, environmental concerns and support for traditional music and dance.  Through our volunteers we provide welcome English language teaching for both children and adults in rural communities, as well as classroom help and much-needed teacher training.

Kathryn Schlesinger

Volunteer Kathryn Schlesinger, who has arranged for the sponsorship of 34 more children through friends and family, has been active with the BCP since 2010.

This summer, July and August 2012, I was fortunate to make my 4th visit to the village schools in Munduk. The small group that came along consisted of my sister, Annie Schultz, for her third visit, along with first-timers Sharon Stotts and Jeane Ruston. We are excited that we are getting smarter about how we do things when we visit. This was a very cohesive group and all had worked to make our individual contributions in collecting school supplies, lesson plans, organized teacher training, and recruiting new sponsors for students while in the States. We also all worked well in the classrooms doing songs and helping the students do the art projects that we brought. We were able to visit two different schools. At each school we spent time observing some of their daily routine. Then it was our turn! We taught some story songs that had motions and movement. The students always get a kick out of these and want to do them a second time around. Then we did two art projects and a small hygiene lesson on tooth brushing. Before leaving all the students received toothbrushes and toothpaste.

While in Munduk we also had prepared for fun party for the sponsored students. We are very excited that we now have 34 students sponsored. The students were each given a bag with their own school supplies and some fun items. They spent time decorating visors that they got to keep and also a cardboard frame that they sent home with us to give to the sponsors. We also took each student's photo so the frame would have their photo in it. The highlight was when Iluh prepared some of the students to do an endearing dance performance for us. The party ended with a water balloon toss game and lots of fun and laughter.

Something new that we did was to hold a teacher-training workshop at Sanda House. About 8 teachers came and learned a lot of wonderful ideas to teach math concepts from Sharon and then a few ideas about language development and storytelling. We then all did some learning games with some parachutes that we brought to donate. Each teacher left with a bag of supplies.

It was a fabulous visit and we were touched by our experience.

Kathryn Schlesinger

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

Volunteer Karlien Van Rhyn writes about her 9-week stay in Munduk and the powerful experiences she had there.

As a now-permanent volunteer of the Bali Children’s Project, I am happy to say that I see this project working miracles helping children every day! Since my 9-week visit in March through May 2012, I have returned on a quick one day visit to Munduk recently. I am happy to report that BCP and Iluh Wilarida continue to impress me with development and ideas to keep this project alive!

My experience in Munduk has showed me peace, love, giving and a culture far beyond my expectations and I will carry and be part of this experience for as long as it is possible. It is wonderful to see how people can help in different ways. Whether you are there for a week, month or year (or NOT even there) there are many ways you can
create opportunities for children to have an educated future!

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world ~Nelson Mandela

With this project I'm hoping to involve and inform more volunteers to become actively interested to see where help is needed. With the help of volunteers and sponsors we give many children the opportunity to attend school and also better their education experience with teaching skills and the English language!

Thank you to Joyce Scott, Iluh Wilarida, and the rest of the BCP team to have shown me a way of life and giving that has changed my life as well as so many others!”

Jessica Brown: "To be frank, it was the best damn experience of my life."

Volunteer Jessica Brown was gracious enough to write about her experiences as an ongoing supporter of the Bali Children's Project:

Upon arriving in Bali you find yourself torn between a country divided by the actual life of the Balinese people and the booming tourism industry. I can't even express the gratitude I feel for becoming part of the Bali Children's Project, because through them I got to experience what Bali really is. From culture to family life I witnessed the reality for many Balinese. Although they are the most loving, connected, and open people I have ever met, many are deeply impoverished.

While there, I had the opportunity to work with children in multiple villages on making books on computers my friend and I brought, and share their story. We watched children who had never touched a computer learn to navigate, type, and explore in a matter of days. I taught english in villages near and far, in cities and the country and everywhere I was welcomed and continuously thanked. In doing so Eka, one of the most beautiful people I have ever met, introduced me to a village that desperately needed help. I was able to raise money and revamp the school, giving supplies and new paint as well as salaries for the teachers for a while. It didn't even take much to raise that money.

BCP is a multitude of different tasks and projects, but always with the same goals. Promote education and help give people the tools to succeed in whatever way possible. To be frank, it was the best damn experience of my life.

Volunteering with the BCP

Our volunteers are ordinary people blessed with extraordinary qualities.  These include commitment, patience, flexibility,  and a love of teaching.  They have a deep curiosity about Balinese culture and a burning desire to experience it at first hand.  Above all, they love helping children to learn and understand.  We seek people who are motivated and self-reliant, people who are able to handle the unexpected when necessary.  

Volunteers often live with teachers or Balinese families in the villages they teach in.  We also offer accommodation in a BCP-run house in the mountains.   We welcome volunteers and  help them settle in.   We are always available to give  advice and assistance, but hope that volunteers will be largely self-reliant.  We encourage volunteers to master basic Indonesian if they are able, as this is much appreciated and helps integrate with the community.

In general our volunteers are mature individuals with teaching experience, although we also welcome those with special skills, such as medical and dental expertise for example.  We encourage volunteers to commit to a stay of several months, as it takes time for both teachers and children to adapt to each other, but this is not essential.   Volunteers are encouraged to use any special skills they possess and to create their own programs.

We welcome volunteers, and are profoundly grateful for their participation in our programs.  However, providing the necessary facilities and support costs money.  Like most similar organisations we must ask that volunteers help contribute to these expenses.