New Friendships & a Sense of Community

YAKKUM Bali is about providing opportunities for  improving mobility and learning usesful skills. It’s about giving people dignity by earning a living, by raising a family and sharing fully in the life of the community.

New Friendships & a Sense of Community

In 1986 the first Balinese people with disabilities visited Yogyakarta’s YAKKUM Centre for rehabilitation  treatments. By 1999 YAKKUM had started activities in Bali and soon established a new branch. Activities were sponsored by donations from the local expatriate community, private businesses and clubs. Two years later premises were provided by the Department of Social Affairs in Bali, and the New Zealand embassy in Jakarta contributed furniture and equipment and the cost of the first training course.

Towards a Better Understanding

In a traditional culture where disabilities have always been considered a curse, or the karmic result of wrong-doing, the changes of perception through education are remarkable. YAKKUM Bali helps raise awareness and dispell myths, enabling entire new lives of hope and happiness for young people, who have previously been considered a burden and embarrassment to their families. YAKKUM Bali also helps families adjust home facilities to give access to their disabled members.

YAKKUM Bali is run by Balinese people who themselves have received the benefits of training from YAKKUM. A sense of belonging to a community of their own, and having role models that they can relate to helps these young people make rapid changes in their lives. The range of disabilities treated of YAKKUM Bali includes paralysed limbs (polio), amputations, congenital deformities, burn injuries and spinal injuries. Clients must be from families with poor economic backgrounds, no more than 25 years of age, and have a permanent physical disability and are able to be rehabilitated. They may not receive assistance from any other organization at the same time.ing

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