Educate and Empower 35 East Bali Mountain Children

Pengalusan and Jatituhu commenced the second semester with high spirits following their satisfactory achievements in the previous semester. Academic lessons, creative projects, and various extracurricular activities resumed with enthusiasm to further enhance students' skills.

Some students honed their creative activities draw the local government and villagers’ attention to various issues and problems in their communities, highlighting the potential consequences if these issues are not addressed, by composing songs:

• Pengalusan students for their “Stop Child Marriage” campaign, and
• Jatituhu students to bring a focus on the terrible local road conditions.

These initiatives aimed to raise awareness and propose solutions to early child marriage and the improvement of local infrastructure. Students successfully recorded these songs and presented them to the public in their respective community halls.

And continuing our parent-student engagement program, students collaborated with their parents in crafting Hindu ceremonial items, fostering strong relationships between students and parents.

In the EBPP inter-school futsal and volleyball competition for middle and high schools, Pengalusan secured first place in futsal and second place in volleyball, whereas Jatituhu attained fourth place in volleyball and second place in futsal.

Art activities included creating paintings with themes such as education, agriculture, and Hindu holidays. Counseling sessions focused on self-understanding through handwriting analysis. Computer classes covered skills such as creating presentations, using Gmail, typing, and composing on a computer. English Club members concentrated on vocabulary development through extracurricular activities.

In March, Pengalusan and Jatituhu Student Council (OSIS) members joined a 2-day team-building and leadership development program during an outbound camping adventure at Bali Woso Outbound camp in Bangli. After that, EBPP schools had their midterm assessments to gauge students' understanding of the material covered over the past three months. The results were commendable, with most students getting satisfactory marks.

These achievements and activities were made possible thanks to the support of our generous donors on our GlobalGiving platform. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for their contributions, which have enabled students in Pengalusan and Jatituhu to succeed. With continued assistance, we can maintain and enhance the quality of education and prepare future generations for success.

In early July-August, the enthusiasm of Pengalusan and Jatituhu students reached its peak as they prepared for the Republic of Indonesia's Independence Day celebration. This highly anticipated event became a focal point, brimming with joy and fostering unity among all students. Their eagerness to showcase entertainment performances and participate in diverse physical competitions involving all schools was palpable.

During this year's celebration, Pengalusan students captivated the audience with a Balinese comedy titled "Anti Child Marriage," delivered with a delightful touch of humour and entertainment. Additionally, some of them engaged in an English-language musical drama titled "Aladin and The Magic Lamp," complemented by musical renditions to entertain the attendees. To top this, Jatituhu grade-6 students astounded the audience with their traditional Balinese dance performances. In the physical competitions, Pengalusan students secured the 2nd place in the Dance-and-Draw competition and the Sarong Relay Competition.

Beyond the realm of arts and culture, Pengalusan students actively participated in extracurricular activities. They honed their computer skills, delivered impactful presentations, and campaigned on crucial issues such as anti-child marriage, school dropout, and gender equality. Success extended to the sports field, where they clinched 1st place in the futsal competition and 2nd place in volleyball.

The outstanding achievements of two Pengalusan senior high students, Anom and Murta, fills us with pride. Their involvement in art and drama performances was coupled with noteworthy achievements, including triumph in inter-school painting and winning the best Gender Equality poster design competitions. Murta, recently elected as the OSIS (School Council) chairman, emerged as a prominent voice, advocating for environmental issues in their village and securing 2nd place in the Balinese storytelling competition.

Presently, several students are diligently preparing for drama, music, and poetry performances for a donor’s anniversary event on 21 December 2023. Fuelled by hope, we carry the ambition to sustain this journey and attain even greater success in the future.