Give Back Give Away
Thanks to the kind people at Give Back Give Away, Bali Children’s Project have renovated another needy library, this time in one of the most remote villages in Bali.
Subaya Village
Subaya Village is like the land that time forgot. The village is inexplicably built on the top of a mountain, with access via one tiny road that meanders its way through the mountain.
Far from the rest of Balinese society, most villagers work as laborers or farmers, earning a basic living. There’s no internet here, and when somebody wants phone signal they have to climb a tree.
One hundred school children all go to the one elementary school. However it’s only when you examine the village that you see some of its issues.
Educational Woes
The elementary school has its fair share of problems. Not least its library, which had been significantly damaged by earthquakes in 2018. The building still stood, but it was dangerous to learn in.
Furthermore, even if the building was in good condition, not much learning would happen anyway. The school just didn’t have any quality books. The books that they did have were all old and text-book style. So it was no wonder children weren’t reading.
It’s impractical to expect villagers to fund a library. With very few job opportunities, even owning (or renting) an old bike is considered a luxury. Poor families struggle to even buy their children uniforms and over 50% of students drop out of school after elementary. Such is the poverty in the village.
Give Back Give Away
When the good people at Give Back Give Away heard about Subaya, they vowed to help. Having raised the funds from Give Back Give Away, Bali Children’s Project got started on what would be an incredible project.
Our team of trusty builders repaired the earthquake damage, built a new toilet, fixed the broken ceiling and roof and restored the building.
The work wasn’t done there though. We had to set up the library by delivering supplies, furniture and hundreds of new books. The centrepeice of the library is an amazing new mural that brings the place to life.
The Give Back Give Away team joined us to add the finishing touches and open the new library officially for students. It was a scene of intense joy as children could not wait to get inside and check out the new books. Seeing the students flood in, choose a book and sit somewhere comfortable, before reading out loud is all the reward we needed.
Subaya’s Transformed
Now the village of Subaya has a great new facility that is beyond all expectations. Children in the village can finally access interesting books in an imaginative atmosphere.
There is still more work to do in Subaya. Working with the village uncovered a glaring lack of educational support. Children who couldn’t afford uniforms or shoes all need School Entry Backpacks and sponsorships are required for students who graduate from high school (over 50% of students in Subaya drop out directly after elementary school, such is the poverty there).
There are many other libraries in Bali also in need of renovations. If you are interested in support a library you can find out more here or see a list of libraries needing help on the ‘Fund a Library’ page.
Before
After
