Orphanage

	ORPHANAGE LICENSE, OCT. 2010 After 2 yrs operating as if we were an orphanage, we finally were granted a license. It doesnt change anything, but adds to our legitimacy. HISTORY: In June, 2008 we opened our large rented ex-warehouse home and Yayasan office as a GROUP HOME for street children. We could no longer tolerate leaving children begging on the street with fevers, bronchitis, dirty with old clothing, no sandals, and malnutrition; being managed by a 'boss' adult who takes their money and abuses them. Even with little funds, we realized that the extra space in out home could be used as a shelter and beginnings of a group home. Even though we have known the children for 6 or more months from weekly classes on the beach, the children come here suspicious, afraid, and have trouble sleeping at night (there normal 'work' hours). Slowly we watch them relax. GROUP HOME ACTIVITIES: We are operating on very limited funding, but, fortunately, local individuals and several foreigners with teaching experiene are volunteering with our education project. SCHOOL Children currently have classes in reading, art techniques, and Balinese dance. School is not just sitting at desks. The children have exercise sessions and time at the local football field for kites, ball games and fun. They also take field trips to local temples, cultural events, visit an historic old sailing vessel in the bay, support children having corrective surgery at the hospital, etc. AND Children eat nutritionally, wear newly cleaned clothing daily, get treated for head lice, and, soon we hope to have them all obtain immunizations and dental care. CHILDREN START SCHOOL YKPA children in residence all attend school. A few go to a local elementary school, others attend 'Packet A' school, an advance-as-you-can alternative school. YKPA pays the salary of the teacher who conducts classes 3 days/wk in an outside school, and 2 days/wk at YKPA's classroom. As of August, 2010, 4 of the children who are longer-term YKPA residents have just graduated from elementary school. These children, 2 yrs ago had never attended any school, and could not read, write, or do math!
The photo below shows some of the first group of YKPA students. Some were YKPA residents, the others were still begging in the streets. Those begging were required by their boss/parent to keep begging. They couldn't continued classes, and now, 2 yrs later are still in the streets.