Child Sponsorship Background from Bali, Indonesia

SOS Children's Village Bali

The island of Bali is famous for its scenic beauty and for its interesting ancient culture. SOS Children's Village Bali is situated in Tabanan, which lies at a distance of about 30 kilometres from Denpasar, the Balinese capital, on the main road from Denpasar to Gilimanuk harbour, the island's westernmost port. The site measures approximately 18 acres.

The SOS Children's Village was inaugurated on 23 October 1991. It consists of twelve family houses, the Village Director's house, an aunts' house (aunts are family helpers who support the SOS mothers), a community centre, a multi-purpose hall, a library including a computer lab, a village temple and some administrative buildings.

A large orchard provides the SOS Children's Village with fresh fruit, and two small fish-ponds supply fresh fish. At SOS Children's Village Bali, the children are brought up according to the cultural traditions of the island, which have been preserved most of all in Balinese music and traditional dances. Sports are very popular at this SOS Children's Village; children attend special training and competitions in volleyball, soccer and athletics.

Other SOS Projects in Bali

The smaller children are looked after at the SOS Nursery, which is also open to children from the neighbourhood. It includes a big playground both for children from the kindergarten and from the SOS Children's Village.

Adolescents usually move to one of the SOS Youth Homes in Denpasar when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education. With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers.

The SOS Social Centre offers family strengthening, health counselling, community support, counselling and psychological support. The programmes are designed to ensure that children have access to essential services, such as education, health services and psycho-social support. Families are assisted with income generation. They also receive help when dealing with the authorities. People's parental skills and awareness of children's rights are improved.

Background to Bali

Bali (Balinese is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar  towards the south of the island.

With a population recorded as 3,551,000 in 2009, the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. About 93.2% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music.