Wahyu's story | Family one

Ni Komang Wahyu Jani Artini,

the third child of two parents who makes 1.5million Rupiah per month (~averaging $5 a day).

Wahyu strives in her academics, topping class often, and even teaches Balinese dance to younger children after school every other day.

Wahyu is a little celebrity in her village. She often performed the Bali dance for events and ceremonies in the community. She was featured in the 📸 local newspaper to make baskets, chairs, containers and a boat oar from plastic recyclables ♻️. She shared with me during the interview she wanted to be a teacher 👩‍🏫 when she grows up as she always taught of it as a job of kind heartedness, and because she wants to encourage other children to study as well.

Wahyu is extremely lucky to be receiving aid from SOS children's village (SOS CV), allowing her to attend school.

But this story is not without its struggles.

Wahyu's parents are low skilled workers who barely make enough to scrape through day to day.

Her father works as an ad-hoc construction worker 👷‍♂️ in the vicinity and helps to construct houses when there are projects in the community. However, once that stops or when there are no projects happening, he will be jobless and earns 0 income.

Her family lives day by day, with no savings. His wife, sells banana and coconut leaves (offerings) 🍁 but earns an insignificant amount from that, about 30 cents per day on good days and on bad ones, none.

Hence, with the help of SOS CV 💪, their child is able to attend school, and provides a possibility out of the poverty cycle.

12, Wahyu goes to school everyday by a donated motorbike or by walking. Waking up at 5am everyday, she has a bath, and walks an hour or motorbikes for 7-10 minutes for 6km. She travels nearly 20km a day – 6km to school and to her after school activity of teaching Balinese dance to younger children 3km away and 9-10km back home. 😪

😣 Undoubtedly, this is illegal due to her age and lack of driving license. But she is just one of many children in the area who attends school and after-school lessons on their bikes.

I did however, see school buses leaving the school I was visiting, the size of a truck carrying nearly 25-30 students. But again, that is the lucky few students of the 413 in SPN1🏫, being able to afford school bus fares. Besides, those on the school bus live along the main streets where roads are accessible by car.

Financial Statement

Wahyu's family pays 50k (~S$5.00) per month for electricity, 25k (~S$2.50) for food daily, Benzene petrol for his daughter's commute 10k (~S$1.00) and father earning on average 36k (~S$3.60) daily.

Conclusion

There are many families like Wahyu's. In Tabanan region alone, there are 7 villages, housing about 25 families each, totalling about 180 families.

With your help, when you donate $280, you help ensure one family will be able to survive without worrying about their next meal.

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

―Mohammed Ali