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School on the beach & in the slums
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School on the beach
When the kids 'boss' isnt around, ask any of the many kids working the streets, "what do you want?", and they will answer "we want school...we want to read."
In 2007, YKPA Director Putu next asked, "where do you want to learn?", and they said "we feel safe on the beach" (because the police cant catch them there), so Putu, with her own limited income, started school on a tarp every Saturday afternoon with volunteer teachers.
The children came, and continued to come every week, and they began to read, and do math.. These children are serious about learning. They know they dont know what other 'normal' children know.
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Services to children
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The night before, YKPA staff visit the children on the streets where they are begging, to remind them of class the next day. This weekly 'survey' also gives us valuable information about the state of life on the streets.
Classes last for 2-2.5 hrs on Saturday afternoons on the beach under a tree, and include basic alphabet, phonics, reading, math, and art , depending on the children present.
The same teacher at the orphanage comes to the beach, along with various volunteer expats. At the end of class, the students have a nutritious meal and drink.
Class attendance varies from 5 kids to 25, and is mostly dependant on how active the police are in their sweeps to chase them out of the tourist areas. |
| Slum school |
Increases in the costs of living is pushing the children out of the tourist beach areas, causing the children to live further into Denpasar city. YKPA now has 3 days of classes in these 'slum' areas, the same as the beach classes on a tarp, with the same curriculum and meals.
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| Summary |
About 70 children in total are served by these classes, which are slowly teaching to read. These classes have always been the most helpful way of staying connected with the children and their problems. Most of the children who come to live at the YKPA orphanage were first students in the beach or slum 'schools'. |
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