20th June 2015

Most fathers in Bali do their absolute best for their children. Sometimes though, despite working all hours, it can be difficult to put food on the table, let alone pay the fees to send their children to school. There are so many families like this that we meet.


Sunday marks ‘Father’s Day’ in the United States – a day to celebrate the all that fathers do for their children. Traditionally in the US, children give gifts to their fathers to say thank you. In Bali, there is not so much of a fathers day celebration.

One father and Bali Children’s project supporter has done something very special for fathers day – for children in Bali.

Mark Bowden, an Australian with 3 daughters of his own was shocked when he learnt of the conditions many children in Bali live in. It wasn’t just that they children couldn’t access school because of the costs, it was their living conditions too.Family-Old-House

In 2014 we posted the story of Komang Ayu Setiawati and her family. They lived in awful conditions, in a makeshift hut with no toilet or facilities.

When Mark heard about the family, he was determined to help. He started sponsoring Komang Ayu as well as her younger sister. Not only that, he did something even more special – vowing to change their living conditions too.

Mark decided to fund the new house to honour his late mother, Cheryl.

A few months later, and what was once a barely livable shack, became a new house. Mark was even able to check up on building progress and visit once complete. The family moved in almost immediately.

NEW-HOUSESince then, the family’s circumstances have had a full turnaround. Komang Ayu is this year graduating from school, and her sister is doing very well herself.

Mark’s support didn’t stop with this needy family. Incredibly, he went on to sponsor another 3 girls through Bali Children’s Project. Mark now sponsors a total of 5 girls in Bali, and we couldn’t be more thankful for what this father has done.

We think Mark is a shining example of a father – to his own children and the other children he has helped. You can find out more about our sponsorship program by visiting here.

Here are the 5 girls Mark has been sponsoring.

Komang Ayu Setiawati

a KOMANG AYU SETIAWATI OLDER DTR HOUSE FAMAyu Made Lita Sari

a for Mark Gusti Ayu Made Lita Sari GOOD

Ni Putu Asti Winarsi

 

Ni Putu Asti Winarsih

Nita

a NITA IS A LOVELY CHILD

Gusti Ayu Made Juli Mahendrayani

a  Gusti Ayu Made Juli Mahendrayani BY MARK