SOLIDARITY WITH THE ASSOCIATION “ LES ENFANTS DU MONDE”
If I say that the most important thing is not the goal but the way to achieve it. We are opening to any project to make these live more colorful and happier and looks more like the one they merit rather than that they suffer.
You’ll spend three minutes of your time to read this text and less than a minute to make a decision that will make his life. It takes less than five minutes to change the life of a child.
Before we arrived in Bali, we already had the project to invest in humanitarian action. We met some beautiful people who have guided us to the orphanage YAPPENATIM in Gianyar.
Our first visit the 25th of November in 2010 was a real shock.
I promise you that even today I still have the
Goosebumps to describe what you feel when you look in the energy exchanges with these kids who in one perspective all make you smile the rest.
This energy, you are tapping as “pledged” of life because you are born in the right place at the right time and you know that with not much you can change the destiny one of them and also to take the same energy in your eyes to offer you the only thing they have left : a smile.
A smile as if he were the happiest children.
It is hard to put some words all the feelings you have during those moment, I will prefer to talk about the action we made it.
The orphanage has 144 children aged 5-18 years. Rudy is the founder’s son who manages the structure with only volunteer help; also the older children help the other kids to cook.
The orphanage doesn’t receive money from our association; they only have some physical gifts (mattresses, sheets, soap, toothpaste etc.).
When we arrived the two hotspots were hygiene and nutrition.
For food, the government gives 3000 rupees (around 25 euro) per day for 30 children but they are 144 children…. A sponsor from Australian gives them the rice.
Clothes hand they lack nothing.
The rooms are a disaster! All the room are very small (12-15 m²) with a stifling heat, without air conditioner, with only a mattress or two some time, without sheet for 10-15 children.
Our first action was to buy some matelas, almost a mattress child.
The kitchens were infested with thousands of flies and the children had only few dishes they reserved to younger while the others were digging out of the flat or some kind of bowl.
They didn’t have rubbish, so they threw all the food over the wall. You can imagine the result with the heat and the rains!
We explain to them we were there to help them, but before to change something we told to them they have to keep the site as clean as possible.
I’ll spare you all the dilapidated places where mold and moisture are everywhere. The showers and toilets remains dramatic, passages at risk (sheets or tiles collapsing half, holes, iron rods) are almost smiled beside the rest!
Also the young kids (around 4 years) have to dress, eat, clean their room and wash their clothes themselves, they are alone !
We can feel the little kid need some affection. The little attention we can bring them is a real ray of sunshine.
They have a huge heart, an endless desire. They love when we bring our vision of things still have to do it without any rush too fast and with respect and understanding of their culture. We had reunited all the volunteers in a classroom, and explain to them the reason for our coming. We told them we want to help as much as we can but only if they also help us.
We asked them who wanted to be the representative of girls and boys. Six girls and five boys are quickly advanced to the applause of all. A beautiful moment. We left them 15 minutes they are reaping the priority needs and expectations common way they wanted as a reward for their efforts.
The result was an incredible mix of maturity and humility.
The leader of girls than boys reported us aloud the results of which the first was common to both: help us build a vegetable garden !
Other needs were craving for more of the kind of cleanliness, need more mattresses, clothes hangers, more ballets etc.
We told them we will try our best achieve their “dreams“. The final was a huge gathering of hands one above the other with a huge YEAAAAH, raising his hands to heaven, full of energy and hope to strengthen our common force.
I know that this message is not more exotic for you that maybe are on vacation or finish a long work week but the reality and difficulty of everyday life in Europe is only happiness I assure you compared with theirs!
I ask nothing special, your heart will speak for me.
I just be happy if you relay that message beyond this space. It is already doing a lot to talk about that with compassion, solutions will open naturally and so often brighter than our imagination can do.
Thank you for this moment of sharing !
September 7, 2012
Almost two years have passed since our arrival in the orphanage and the progress made today is a little more lush than the arid and dry from the very beginning. If the important thing is not the goal but the way to achieve it we realize that indeed small streams not end up becoming small rivers.
Today the situation is only one and a half we went from 100% of children receiving a mattress which we had purchased more than 60%. The remaining 40% coming from the fact that they simply rotten with moisture.
Our goal is to buy back the missing mattresses.
All children receive hygiene products we wear them every month. Soap per child, 20 cl shampoo, toothpaste tube 60g, a new toothbrush every six months, stems cotton, sanitary towels for girls (previously they were washing them and lent them) and 800 g of detergent per room.
Our objective is of course to provide them with a little more hygiene this is not more than a soap and at least twice as shampoo and toothpaste.
Our second action was to provide them with recovery or purchasing means of escape through recreation. So we equipped them of sports equipmnt such as badminton, volleyball and soccer as well as musical instruments like guitars.
Our third action was to help them realize their dream, have a vegetable garden. If the result was at the height of their hopes, tomatoes, peppers etc. the difficulty remains the long-term and maintenance in the dry season.
Our fourth action aimed to organize them a way out to the beach so they discover another world than that in which they are confined almost 365 days a year. Due to lack of financial means we had to regretfully abandon the idea. It is discussing with what Rudy did the idea to take five every month, alternating girls and boys with a responsible and invite them to spend a weekend at home. During these two days, we bring them to Echo Beach where they discover the body board, savor an ice cream or brownies, play, laugh and realize that there is another life that by fighting they can also aspire. The evening takes place around discussions and games while enjoying the famous chocolate pancakes they love and which have now become an institution! The next day, towards the Olympic pool and water slides where you can imagine easily the craze! Even if the return to the orphanage is always a moment we would like to delay as long as possible, they return with some photos and especially full of memories they are immediately shared with other children who know one day it will be their turn. The goal still remains organize all of their output together.
Our fifth action was to bring their monthly tissue falls (thank you to Francis and Laurence) that allow them to realize creations small sewing machine sent by a sponsor with the help of a volunteer teacher. We buy them by following their creation and put on display at United Colors of Bali where donations for the purchase of a bag or another they are donated in full.
The objective is that the contribution of money to enable them to improve their daily food level and it motivates them to train and learn a trade and to secure their future at the exit of the orphanage.
Our last action was a great moment of emotion. It was July 19, 2012. If this date Thursday was a plus for some, it was a Thursday, which meant a lot for two girls named Aufa and Nia.
For nearly two years we are investing for the lives of these kids still looks like something better but above all give them what they did in most need of warmth and love . They are 144 in this case and it is unfortunately difficult to be fair in this support. You may recall that at our last trip to France, we announced our goal to send one or even two children to university if we bouclions the budget. We are proud of you and us because this dream has come true thanks to your donations and the Mutual of Roussillon.
Our association “Children of the World” has this July 19 changed the lives of two girls and is also moving to relive it through these words the big day when we walked in the door of the University of Bangli. Accompanied by Salome, Domi Alex and we arrived in front of a college with closed gates! Rudy, director of the orphanage had just failed to check the opening days. Luckily, when you follow us! A government employee was hanging just small toko opposite. This was kind enough to open the facility and what is behind this gentleman we set foot in the newly renovated college ! For Aufa and Nia, like Rudy, it was a mixture of joy restraint, pride, simple recognition, through glances and smiles, “pinch me, it’s true! “Tight throat, heart that beats to the rhythm of jostling moments and anchor reality as hoped by all. For us, exchanged a few words and the same feelings that these three beautiful people fighting just for their lives and that of others is simply more fair!
When the employee presented their buffered registration form they have read and reread and I can assure you that living such a time it is something that I wish a lot. It is true that there probably ego takes its place at the limit but no matter what is most generous bonus all you who in these moments and say that with only our wills we ensures that two girls will be able to realize their dream, becoming an English teacher and can finally see life in a different way.
Thank you again for them.
Our main objective remains the improvement of their living conditions, but at the same time we wish to develop means to enable them to get out at the end of their stay at the orphanage.
We will take during their school holidays, one or two children in training at UNITED COLORS OF BALI them to learn a trade such as gardener, cook or housekeeper. They will be housed, fed and will ensure them a salary. Tourism is growing in Bali, they will be able to secure employment in all the hotels, villas or resort on the island. Each book that we receive from any source whatsoever, we donate € 1 to the association precisely in order to fund the most of training among young teens Yappenatim.
If I like to say that the most important thing is not the goal but the way to achieve it we remain open to any project for the lives of these children become more colorful and looks more like the one they merit rather than that they undergo.
Thanks you,
Philippe & Sophie
Click here to donate to the association
link assistancehumanitaire.org