In August 2014, Yayasan Cahaya Mutiara Ubud (YCMU) was established in Bali, Indonesia, by and for people with physical disabilities. YCMU's mission is to create a learning/training centre and residence to empower its members to grow more independent - physically, professionally, financially and spiritually. It supports its members by providing a purpose-built space for people with disabilities to come together, allowing them to feel safe, nurtured and supported. It also provides a central hub in the Ubud / Gianyar region for creativity, learning, opportunities and exchanging ideas between members and the broader community.Members of YCMU are mainly residents with various physical disabilities while others reside with their families and regularly visit the Foundation. Programs offered at YCMU include the arts, sports, and English language and computer skills classes. In addition to learning painting, jewellery-making and crafts, members have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their artworks, generating income for themselves and the Foundation.
The music and dance programs bring members together and give them the opportunity to express themselves through song, music, clapping and dance.The sports program aims to improve health outcomes and increase members’ self-confidence. Members can participate in a variety of sports including wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby at the Bali Sports Foundation. There are also individual and group sports programs delivered in the Foundation.The Foundation is developing a wheelchair-accessible organic garden which will enable self-managed organic food production while providing job opportunities to local residents and a sustainable income source. YCMU is now seeking greater levels of independence, new income opportunities, general organisational development and fundraising skills. YCMU staff, recruited from its membership base, identified that an international volunteer could help the organisation achieve these goals.In March 2016, Australian volunteer Stefan Mecklinger joined YCMU as a Community Development Adviser.
In the short time that Stefan has been at YCMU he has already observed that “The members of the Foundation have a clear vision of where they want to go and what they have set out to achieve. They are not dreamers and have already reached a number of significant steps along the path.” Over the 18 month assignment, Stefan will contribute to the Foundation in two main areas: assisting members to develop the organisation and create more sustainable lifestyles. Organisational development will include identifying new income sources and fundraising opportunities, developing the Foundation’s local and international networks and improving internal systems and processes. As a gardening enthusiast, Stefan is passionate about the development of the Foundation’s organic garden.This is Stefan’s second volunteering assignment in Indonesia and he believes his decision to become an international volunteer is one of the best decisions he has ever made.This volunteering assignment is part of the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program, an Australian Government initiative.
Photo: YCMU members Hamdani (L) and I Nyoman Budiarta (R) with Australian volunteer Stefan Mecklinger (middle) with chillies harvested from the Foundation’s organic garden, Tampak Siring, Bali, Indonesia. Photo > Harjono Djoyobisono Pemuteran is a small fishing village on the northern coast of West Bali. This is a small laid-back village which has become increasingly popular with visitors in recent years. There are a number of waterfront resorts and its proximity to Lovina and West Bali National Park together with the extreme natural beauty of the area, has fuelled quite rapid growth in tourism infrastructure in the area. Pemuteran is home to the largest artificial Biorock reef project in the world[1] and there is a real spirit of marine conservation effort in this area. Visitors usually arrive in Pemuteran on the north coast road from Lovina or Singaraja or from the west at Gilimanuk. Regular bemos and really old, rattletrap busses ply the north coast road but they can be slow and get extremely crowded.
Hail them from the side of the main road and haggle over the price if you are a foreigner. You will see a lot of the locals pay just pennies. Tell the driver you want to get off at Pemuteran since there is little in the way of a 'town centre' or landmarks. Then walk down any 'gang' through the fields and past posh resorts to the coast. You will have no problem renting a car with driver to take you from Lovina to Pemuteran - fix the price in advance and make sure petrol is included. A direct ride to Pemuteran from tourist centres in the south will take about four hours depending on traffic on the coast roads. This is a great place to walk or get around by bicycle. Your hotel will be able to help if you decide you need to rent a motorbike. Bio rock and Coral Reef right on the main beach is rare anywhere in the world. Here it is also free! Just make your way to the beach, hire your goggles and snorkel then enter the water at the marked locations along the beach. Do make sure you put on sunscreen or at least a t-shirt as you will be burned to a crisp within 30 minutes.
The reef and bio rock is extensive so you can easily spend a day here. There are no touts or other hassles at all. It is very Wheelchair friendly too. Just a couple of kilometers east from Pemuteran is a Monkey Temple right beside the road. The dozens of monkeys here are better behaved than those in Ubud. They make a great photo opportunity, particularly with the ocean and beach background. Locals feed them fruit but its not a good idea to put down your bag or leave windows open in parked cars. Early morning dolphin watching boat trips can be arranged through any hotel. By no means guaranteed, but you have a decent chance of finding a pod here. The beaches are especially nice in this area and consist of a particularly fine grained black sand. Menjangan Island and West Bali National Park are easily reached from here. The Menjangan Island boats depart from Labuhan Lalang which is a 15 minute ride west from Pemuteran. Obligatory permits can be purchased from the national park office at the back of the Labuhan Lalang car park and you can also arrange a guide here.
It is quite common for groups of visitors to congregate in this car park and join together to charter a boat. Most local hotels will make any arrangements you need for activities related to the national park. Proyek Penyu [2] (turtle project) is a turtle breeding and release program run by one of the dive operators in co-operation with local villagers. Very much worth a visit and certainly worth your support. The area around Pulaki village just east of Pemuteran is full of vineyards and is the centre of the grape growing industry in Bali. Diving and snorkelling is excellent both here and at nearby Menjangan Island inside the West Bali National Park. Visibility is excellent and there is a profusion of reef fishes, turtles, and hard and soft corals. Fishing is good in calm waters and you can charter a boat easily from the beach. The hills and mountains that form the southern backdrop to Pemuteran offer many opportunities for interesting hiking. Ask at your hotel for directions and/or a guide.