Our Latest News & Stories

The collaboration between East Bali Poverty Project (EBPP) and Stella’s Child has brought new hope and motivation for students in Dusun Darmaji to pursue a brighter future. Stella’s Child is an organization that provides opportunities for high school graduates to develop practical skills through training programs in tourism, business, self-development, and other fields based on students’ interests. Since 2025, Stella’s Child has supported several EBPP graduates through short

Every afternoon after school, the sweet sound of guitars, cajon, bass, and students’ voices could be heard drifting from EBPP Ban Office, as EBPP’s ‘modern music’ group practiced together for their special performance on National Education Day, 2nd of May. What made this journey very special was that most of the students were complete beginners in music not long ago. Some were still learning basic guitar chords, while others struggled to remember lyrics and follow the tempo.

I am very happy to learn about organic farming at school. Through this program, we are taught how to farm our steep and dry land using natural materials without pesticides or harmful chemicals, making it safer for both human health and the environment. For me, organic farming is not only about growing crops, but also about protecting nature and preserving it for the future. At first, we learned in the Manikaji school garden, studying many important skills, including building

May 5th was a proud day for the 22 newly elected OSIS (Student Council) members as they held their inauguration ceremony at EBPP Ban HQ to officially hand over the rights and responsibilities to the new members. The program opened with the singing the Indonesian National Anthem and a prayer. The atmosphere was solemn yet joyful, with smiles and bright faces throughout. After signing the minutes of inauguration, the former OSIS president, Eti, handed over the document to the n

In April, students in Darmaji continued turning knowledge into action through hands-on learning in their individual gardens and the shared learning garden 🌱 With guidance from Pak Dwi from Yayasan Bumi Langit and EBPP agriculture team, students’ intensive mentoring sessions focused on improving their dryland agriculture techniques for evaluating terraces, waterways, and land slope conditions directly in the field, providing them with a better understand of how to improve the

On 2 May 2026, EBPP once again celebrated Indonesia’s National Education Day (Hardiknas) with an engaging program where students didn’t just attend, but actively participated. From the start, the atmosphere was energetic, with students moving between competitions and performances. Academic quiz contests, from elementary to senior high levels, tested knowledge and teamwork, while painting, chess, and debate added creativity and strategy. Manikaji stood out at the elementary an

The construction of eight new toilet/bathroom blocks in Manikaji Kaliaga was successfully completed on 30 April, bringing meaningful change to the community. As the final phase of this year’s sanitation program, sponsored by PT Mitra Prodin’s CSR program, the project ran smoothly with strong community participation. Despite challenges from heavy rains and difficult dirt track access, the community’s spirit of mutual cooperation ensured timely completion. This achievement buil

On 28 April, EBPP School held the 2026/2027 Student Council (OSIS) President election, following several selection stages, including a debate, where the 3 candidates presented their vision and mission. All EBPP students gathered at Darmaji School, with the adjacent Darmaji community hall (Balai Banjar) as the election venue, starting with a joint prayer and a clean-up activity in the temple area. After vote counting, I received the highest number of votes and was officially e

At EBPP, learning is no longer limited to classrooms, whiteboards or textbooks. This April, our students experienced something that reflects the future of education where technology, preparation, and mindset come together. Through Indonesia’s Academic Competency Test (TKA), delivered in an online format, students engaged with a system that challenges not only what they know, but how they adapt. Using digital platforms, they navigated real-time assessments, managed their time

April 23 is World Book Day, an important time to foster a love of reading, especially among students. For me, this day feels even more meaningful because my school now has a comfortable and well-equipped library. The presence of this library has brought a positive change to our learning habits. Now, I can read more freely and enjoyably. The school provides a wide variety of books, from entertaining fiction stories to informative non-fiction that broadens our knowledge. The qu

For many families in Manikaji Asti, having a toilet was previously an impossible dream! Living remotely on Mount Abang slopes, with limited income and difficult access made proper sanitation hard to achieve. Many families had no option but to continue living as their ancestors – with no choice or chance to change! The construction journey was filled with challenges. Steep and slippery dirt tracks made it difficult for vehicles to deliver materials with some homes only accessi

Learning English doesn’t always have to rely on textbooks and worksheets. In our English class, students are encouraged to explore their creativity by creating colourful and meaningful bulletin boards based on different topics through a project-based learning method. Each class is given a unique theme, such as traditional food, hobbies, or social issues, with different themes for each class. Students design their own bulletin boards by combining drawings, pictures, and Englis

Teachers’ regular meetings are an important stage of EBPP teachers’ Continuous Professional Development, for which we hold a learning community meeting at the end of each month. These meetings discuss various aspects of students’ development at school, such as the evaluation of learning outcomes and the challenges students face during the learning process. In addition, teachers exchange ideas and collaborate in developing syllabi and continuously improving the curricula. As t

The Manikaji dryland regenerative agriculture learning program, supported by the Finns Bali Social Fund, is progressing very well as an important learning centre for local farmers by strengthen knowledge, improving family nutrition, and initiating sustainable economic opportunities for the community. During the middle of the rainy season, the East Bali Poverty Project distributed 2,700 fruit tree seedlings to the 99 members of the local farmer groups, comprising avocado, lime

This year, once again, EBPP elementary, junior, and senior high school students participated in Porjar (Pekan Olahraga Pelajar), a multi-level student sports competition held from the village level up to the district level. The sub-district competition took place on March 23–24, 2026, providing a valuable platform for students to develop their talents, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit in various sports, including athletics, chess, and martial arts. In athletics, students

When EBPP received an official invitation to join Karangasem Akhir Pekan (Karangasem Weekend Community Event) , I knew it would be more than just a performance. As a traditional music arts teacher, I was given the opportunity to take part and share what I love. I led the preparation while working closely with teachers from the 8 government elementary schools across Desa Ban. We began practicing in early February 2026, meeting every Friday and Saturday at a school we agreed on

My name is Sutami, a Grade 12 student at Manikaji School. Recently, I had a very meaningful experience when students from Green School visited EBPP Manikaji for a three-day collaboration program from March 3–5. It was a special opportunity for us to learn together, share ideas, and build friendships with students from an international school. On the first day, we learned about hydroponic farming, rainwater harvesting systems, and waste management. We divided into two groups.

My name is Putri, and I am an 11th-grade female student at East Bali Poverty Project Cegi School. I would like to share my journey in learning and teaching Balinese traditional dance in my village. My interest in traditional dance developed because I have always loved watching performances at village ceremonies, and I felt inspired to learn the movements and understand their meaning. I practiced consistently and tried to improve step by step. For me, dance is not only about m

This week, in the Youth Empowerment gender lesson, our high school students reviewed a short movie entitled “Purusa, Utama?” that vividly illustrated the harmful effects of patriarchy in Balinese households and evoked strong emotions because of its relevance to their own lives. Several students related closely to the characters, especially the abusive father figure who enforced strict discipline by raising his son with corporal punishment, while giving his daughter endless do

What does real learning look like in a Guidance and Counseling class? Sometimes, it begins with a simple yet powerful question: ‘ How do you feel?’ In today’s session, students explored three fundamental emotions — happiness, sadness, and anger. Through small-group discussions, drawings, and personal sharing, they reflected on real situations from their daily lives. The goal was not only to talk about emotions, but to understand them. As the session unfolded, the classroom be