Our heartfelt thanks

Our Heartfelt thanks to all our friends who have enthusiastically raised funds in a spirit of community that is much appreciated in Bicak and Ngunut. Your generosity means that we are able to provide much-needed health care, as well as begin the next phase in the journey towards recovery.

A very special thank you to our friends in Australia (Toowoomba, Armidale, Adelaide, Melbourne, Ballarat, and Colac) and London (the Sekar Gedhogan Gamelan Orchestra and residents of W Square).

We would also like to give our heartfelt thanks to the many local volunteers who have helped on the ground, in particular thank you to the volunteers from Yayasan Bumi Kita, ARS Internasional Bandung and the people of Sekaralas.

We are now working to support Bicak and Ngunut in the next phase of the relief effort, which so far includes:

• a public kitchen with cooking facilities in Bicak and Ngunut. The kitchens also provide nutritious food, providing vital energy for the difficult task of physically rebuilding homes; and
• a children’s centre in Bicak and Ngunut. The centres provide a safe place for children to gather and have fun while resuming some of their classes, under the supervision of the many capable young people from the community. We have stocked the children’s centres with our limited supply of storybooks, art materials, toys and jigsaw puzzles (puzzles are very popular). After classes, the children enjoy a biscuit and a glass of milk. The children's centres allow parents to concentrate on rebuilding their homes, without having to worry about the children getting in the way.