In Reply to: school sponsorship posted by frazzledfozzle on Thursday, 27. December 2007 at 12:37 Bali Time:
Education is by far the most important thing that affluent westerners can provide for the underprivileged in the long run. That is why I contribute through the Helen Flavel Foundation. There is no compulsion to provide any more than that.
That given I have also brought donations to the school of an educational nature- these were either giveaways from Australia or basic stationery bought in Bali at comparatively inexpensive cost.
I have visited the children at the Learning Centre, their school and their homes at my request. My family and I have been welcomed as guests and this has has generated obvious pride in those hosts in receiving visitors. It is a special occasion for the Balinese but again there is no compunction for sponsors to do this, and it is fully monitored by HFF staff.
During home visits it becomes blatantly obvious that the families are struggling and can be in dire need of basics that are again cheap to provide. Three months worth of rice can be bought for less than fifty dollars. As has been pointed out already the Balinese will share this with others in need.
When buying gifts we need to stop thinking like westerners and choose something appropriate. When I saw that the children I sponsor had to walk five kms to school my simplistic western brain decided to get the kids a bike. The upshot would have been that the kids with a bike would have been separated from the other kids they walk with and jealousy could well arise.
Instead I have learnt to think more practically and to take advice from the Balinese themselves. I saw that a family was cooking on a concrete slab and so I arranged for a kero stove to be purchased for that family for a measly $25. I didn't fund that- a friend who is very kind and generous gave me money to spend on the kids before we went away.
Balinese have a different way of accepting gifts as Thorsten alluded to. There is no fanfare and they don't usually open the gifts (if wrapped) I think because it is considered bad form by the Balinese to "gush" as westerners do when receiving gifts. One of the best received gifts we provided were photos of us with the kids from a previous visit that they can display with pride. We framed these with locally bought frames, again very cheaply.
We need to be wary that we may be setting unreal standards and expectations in the form of gifts, again the Santa Claus syndrome that makes it difficult for other sponsors and could well generate jealousy from other Balinese who are doing it tough but getting nothing in the way of support.
There is never going to be concensus on what is the ideal way of helping the underprivileged. Not one person or organisation can solve everyones problems but some help is better than none.