Our Latest News & Stories

A big congratulations to our Grade 12 students who successfully completed the National Academic Assessment on 2–4 November 2026! For the three days, our students arrived at the examination room early each morning, dressed neatly and ready to put their knowledge to the test. This computer-based assessment covered Bahasa Indonesia, English, Mathematics, and two additional subjects chosen by each student according to their interests. This assessment is part of Indonesia's nation

Saraswati Day (Hari Raya Saraswati) is one of Hindu Bali’s most important holy days, celebrated to honour the arrival of knowledge and learning. This celebration takes place every six months according to the Balinese calendar. For the Balinese community, especially students, it is an important occasion to show respect for knowledge while preserving cultural traditions. At EBPP schools, Saraswati is a special occasion that brings students and teachers together in preparation f

Every year on 28 October, we commemorate Youth Pledge Day, a reminder of the unity and spirit of young people who helped shape Indonesia's history. For us, the Youth Pledge is not just a part of history to remember, but also an inspiration for what we can do today. As young people, we have an important role in keeping our culture alive. At EBPP School, we learn about local arts and culture in our Arts and Culture lessons. We learn about traditional arts, passed down from our

Recognising a social issue is one thing; understanding why it happens is another. In EBPP’s Youth Empowerment classes, students are learning to take this next step by observing their surroundings, questioning common practices, and analysing social issues through a more critical lens. Having explored child marriage, sexual harassment and violence, patriarchy, and gender equality in their Youth Empowerment lessons, students are now applying their knowledge through simple observ

Education is constantly changing, and as teachers, we also need to keep learning and adapting. One of the valuable learning experiences I recently had was through discussions and mentoring with Bu Sari, a district-level education supervisor, particularly around the changes introduced through the 2025 Curriculum. With her experience, clear guidance and strong commitment to education, Bu Sari shared many useful insights and suggestions. Our discussions helped me better understa

“Why are you happy?” “Because I won a game on my phone.” It was a simple exchange, but it was not a question from the teacher. It came from one student to another at the end of our English lesson. What started with one word, ‘Why’, soon turned into a lively classroom conversation. I had asked the students to choose one word to describe how they felt that day. Their answers were quite different: “Happy,” “Lazy,” “Humble,” “Excited,” “Tired,” and “Fun.” One student said, “I’m h

What happens when students are asked to write a report, but instead of starting with a lecture, they start with an experiment? This is how EBPP Junior High School students are currently learning their ‘report text’ topic in their Indonesian language lessons. Rather than simply listening to an explanation about the structure and language of a report writing, they first explore, observe and discover something for themselves. Their experiments are simple but full of questions. T

Throughout Ban Village, bamboo grows abundantly and is one of the communities’ most valuable local resources. It is used for construction, household items, Hindu ceremonies, musical instruments and many types of handicrafts. With creativity and proper skills, bamboo is a sustainable resource with significant economic potential. Recognising this opportunity, EBPP students are learning to transform bamboo into useful and valuable products. They have previously made balancing ba

As part of the students’ creative projects, Grade 1 and Grade 3 students took part in an engaging art activity using simple and easily available materials, including recycled paper and dried leaves. The project encouraged students to learn through hands-on activities while developing their creativity and fine motor skills. For Grade 1 students, the project focused on learning how to use scissors safely and correctly. Students practiced cutting paper and dry leaves into simple

At first glance, marching practice may look simple: students walking in step, standing tall, and following commands together. But at EBPP, it is much more than synchronized movement. It is a lesson in discipline, teamwork, responsibility, and leadership. During practice, students learn that every movement matters. One person moving too late can affect the whole formation, so they must listen carefully, stay focused, and support one another. They learn that success depends not

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

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

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

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

For two meaningful weeks, EBPP once again became a space for learning, collaboration, and reflection with the return of our volunteer, Chris Frankland . This visit marked his fifth time at EBPP, continuing a long-term partnership that has steadily grown through shared practice, trust, and reflection. Chris first introduced cooperative learning in 2024, as an invitation to rethink classroom interaction and student engagement. Over time, teachers explored, adapted, and applied

Mathematics is often perceived as a difficult subject by many students. This challenge is not only experienced by EBPP students, but also by learners in schools around the world. Such perceptions can negatively affect students’ motivation, participation, and confidence in the learning process. When students feel that mathematics is intimidating, they tend to become passive and disengaged in the classroom. To address this issue, I have increasingly implemented cooperative lear

Last week, EBPP distributed iron supplement for 63 female students across our Manikaji, Darmaji, and Daya learning centres. There was a total of 315 iron tablets, with each student receiving five tablets to be consumed over five weeks. To commemorate Hari Gizi Nasional (National Nutrition Day) on 25 January 2026, we took the iron supplement together with the students as a symbolic and practical act of staying healthy by fulfilling daily iron needs. This collective moment als

As 2025 draws to a close, the East Bali Poverty Project (EBPP) Education Team held a Coordination Meeting as a key part of our evaluation and sustainable planning process to reflect on the progress of the educational programs over the past year, while also formulating concrete steps to address the challenges ahead. During the meeting, each department presented performance reports, program achievements, and the challenges encountered throughout 2025. The discussions were open

EBPP’s extracurricular music program took an exciting step forward this semester, expanding from modern music to including traditional Balinese music—especially Rindik, a bamboo instrument known for its soft, calming tones. Although Rindik is new to our students, many showed immediate interest and enthusiasm to learn. Every afternoon, after completing their academic lessons, students come down to the EBPP Ban office for practice. They begin with the basics: recognizing pitche

The beginning of the rainy season is always a time we look forward to. Together with my friends, I feel excited again to work in our learning garden and to help my parents on our family farmland. We immediately apply all the skills we have learned about dryland farming, making every activity meaningful and enjoyable. The first thing we did was build a cubang —a rainwater storage reservoir that will be essential during the dry season. We also planted various vegetable seeds, b