Robby Lichtenberg our wonderful co-ordinator in Pacung, Northern Bali, has initiated many projects for local children. Adopt-a-school has been able to assist with some funding.
Rain water collection ponds for growing fish and vegetables have been built in several schools. This is a community project. Funding is provided to purchase the materials for building, for plants for the fish to eat and shelter under, lotus flowers seedlings to grow and sell at the market, 1000 baby catfish, fish food for a year and vegetable seeds and seedlings for the garden beds. The selling of produce to the local community aids health and nutrition and profits from the sales are used for school projects.
Robby has initiated AAS funding for many orchid growing schools for children through local schools and Sunday Schools in the centre of the island. He has had voluntary assistance from a member of the Botanical Gardens to instruct the children how to plant the orchid babies and how to maintain them. Plastic bottles were cut and used as pots. The children must
keep a record of requirements for the plants and their growth. Eventually it is proposed that the adult plants are sold in the flower markets and the proceeds fund the purchase of more seedlings. Each child in the project received a mulberry, papaya or guava tree seedling to plant at home.
Two local unemployed boys are learning new skills that may eventually gain them employment. Nengah and Wayan have not only been planting cuttings of fruit trees, growing vegetable seedlings and assisting Robby in many of his projects, they have been given the opportunity to learn to repair and maintain bicycles. AAS has funded the purchase of new and second hand bikes, repair kits and parts for the boys to learn their trade. The bicycles will be donated to outlying schools for students who have to walk a long way through the mountains to school each day. The bike remains the property of the school and is passed to another student when a recipient leaves.
