East Bali Poverty Project

Since 1998, the East Bali Poverty Project (EBPP) has helped more than 3,500 impoverished families in 19 isolated sub-villages to help themselves as they gradually escape the cycle of abject poverty.

In 1998, these communities, scattered over 5,000 hectares of the arid north and eastern slopes of Mounts Agung and Abang in east Bali, were totally isolated from the outside world with no roads, water supply, health facilities, education, sanitation or electricity – and children were the key victims! Malnutrition and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) were endemic, with iodine being the key micronutrient for brain and body development. They appealed to David Booth for help and the East Bali poverty Project was born! After interviewing 1,056 families, the most isolated communities requested “education for our children so they can lead us to a better life”. An inspiring and productive collaboration then began with all 19 communities to address the key aspects of human need.

Key milestones and achievements

Since launching our first integrated education programmes in August 1999 for illiterate children in Bunga hamlet and facilitating the first access road in history between Mounts Agung and Abang in March 2000, our key achievements are as follows:
• Educated 1,200 children in 6 EBPP remote schools since 1999
• Road infrastructure – more than 25 kilometres built;
• Safe water for2,400 families from mountain springs, artesian wells, and rainwater harvesting
• Toilet/bathroom blocks for 1,515 families in 13 communities
• Malnutrition: supported 111 severely and 244 moderately malnourished children
• 48 Posyandu (monthly health posts) serving>6,000 families
• Bamboo afforestation: 80,000 bamboo planted in 200Ha.

Mission

To create sustainable solutions to poverty in rural Indonesian mountain villages, prioritizing the health, nutrition, and education of children.

Purpose

We partner with remote disadvantaged mountain communities to fight poverty through relevant education, outreach health care, malnutrition elimination and sustainable dry land permaculture & agroforestry for food security and economic development.

We continue improving the quality of life of the most disadvantaged, with 3 main programs:

1. Integrated education for180 elementary to high school students in EBPP’s 6 remote schools;
2. Malnutrition outreach and intervention for infants 0-5 years old and, in partnership with Udayana University Medical Faculty,4th year of 5-year malnutrition study, to develop a replicable ‘family model’ to eliminate malnutrition.
3. Dry land regenerative Agriculture-agroforestry project for food security and economic development of 1,000 hectares, urgently needing road & water infrastructure, for 700 disadvantaged families in 3 remote Mt Abang communities