Markit
As I will be returning to Bali in the near future and I have about 10 kilos luggage going wanting has anyone any suggestions for (cheap) things that I can bring that will do some good there?
I already have all the mobile phones I can find along with lots of children's books but any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)
PS I know this question has been asked in the past and superbly answered but when I search for the answer I got 64 possibilities - and I can't really be arsed to look through them all. Bert maybe a "sticky" to that effect?
don
Hi Markit,
Not knowing if you have any particular Balinese family connections, but I live in West Bali where economic opportunities for the locals are quite limited. Having a home here and staff to maintain it puts me in close contact with a particular family always in need of my castoff clothing.
My luggage is always packed to the brim with the offerings from my family in the US .Everyday affords me an opportunity to witness the results of this largesse, and permits me in some small way of feeling that I am making a contribution.
Hope this suggestion might be helpful to you.
Don
Markit
Hi Don, being over 6' and coming from a cold climate kinda hinders me in what I can bring. I mean there aren't a lot of Balinese that need my size cloths or warm wear. Shorts and T shirts they got enough of there own, don't they?
So maybe you can be a little more specific - there is a website called Stuff Your Rucksack that recommends we bring children's cloths but those from my daughter are all long gone.
[u]What I am bringing[/u]:
An old but good laptop
some older model mobile phones
A collection of children's books to learn English
mimpimanis
You mentioned "cheap" so I will assume you are buying stuff to bring rather than things you already have. In that case I wold suggest that anything you want to give you can buy here cheaper than you will in UK. baby clothes can be had from about 50p per item in Clendys. Childrens clothes a bit more. And the baby clothes are lovely soft cottoon and IMO much nicer than what you get in UK. If you go to Makro or infact any supermarket you can get a whole packet of school exercise books from about 50p boxes of pens, pencils etc all very cheap.
I once had someone send me a few parcels of t-shirts to distribute to the people in our village in Lombok. To be honest I was embarrased by the condition of some of them and for what he paid in postage per item I could have bought the same number of brand new tshirts here.
Markit
Thanks Gemma it was an aspect that I hadn't even considered - is it possible to get english books for kids there? Makes sense to buy them there, then. Would you just bring them to a school somewhere? Or give them to kids on the street?
By cheap items I really meant stuff like old mobile telephones, "bricks" that nobody wants anymore - we also have a thing here called "freecycle", if you don't know it, is a way to get rid of all those things that you don't want but are too good to throw away but not worth trying to sell - so you put an add in email circular for anyone that wants whatever it is you want to get rid of to come pick it up and it's gone the next day.
mimpimanis
I think you will find that old brick style phones wont be popular here either! I used to bring back mobile phones from UK that I bought on Ebay and some of the older models I really couldnt give away.
Yes you can buy english childrens books in Gramedia Book shops wich are the cheapest but also Periplus. I have to say I have only bought books appropriate for a infant learning first words but I have seen others. I just had a look at some here beside me now and the english price on them is £1.99 & the rupiah price Rp19,000 so cheaper too.
Roy
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Roy
On a serious note…not that what Bert removed was all that bad, Markit, why not bring something useful like a bunch of pre-natal vitamins or calcium tablets? If you don’t know where to distribute them, just drop them off at Naughty Nuri’s in Ubud and they’ll get properly distributed to those who have the need.
As for the clothing, the Balinese are not pygmies, and there is plenty of need for cold weather clothing in the mountainous areas of northern and northeastern Bali.
Markit
Frankly since the post from Gemma I'm beginning to believe that things like prenatal vitamins and calcium would be cheaper to buy in Bali. For instance 120 tabs prenatal vitamins cost here $20 and 360 calcium tablets go for about 15$.
Winter cloths I can do.
Markit
[quote=Roy]Assuming you are serious in your intentions, I applaud your efforts, but at the same time suggest that you listen to good advice from folks who know “a little” about what is truly useful and in need over here.[/quote]
I simply don't believe that the prices I've quoted for calcium and vitamins are not considerably less in Bali and will wait for further evidence before I go investing in same. OK?
Roy
[quote]Frankly since the post from Gemma I'm beginning to believe that things like prenatal vitamins and calcium would be cheaper to buy in Bali.[/quote]
Then again, after having three kids with Eri here in Bali one could accurately assume that we would already know that...if it were true, which it isn't. :D
what Mimpi wrote about clothes is spot on.
As for books, somewhat of the same can be said…however, professional educator’s teacher’s guides for teaching English are hard to find, and expensive here (as they are everywhere)…so that would be viable, as they are very useful and will be photo-copied endlessly.
Assuming you are serious in your intentions, I applaud your efforts, but at the same time suggest that you listen to good advice from folks who know “a little” about what is truly useful and in need over here. :wink:
Dyah
Hi Markit ...
from Germany i send my pakets via colective container organised by indonesian community (exp. fresh gratuated Students ... who back home to Indonesia ... ), just for ca. 15,00 EUR-17,00 for 0,1 m3 (box 60x40x40) to (normally) Jakarta. I let you know, if they organise new container next time... than i always use this possibility for sending books for my collegues or etc ... My family in Jakarta can organise to sending to Bali or to other destination.
Salam,
Dyah
Roy
[quote]OK?[/quote]
Fine. :roll: I never expected anything more, considering all that needs to be considered.
Markit
Hi Dyah,
That won't help me much because to get my stuff to you in Germany would cost a fortune - I have family there so I know the UK - German postal rates.
What I am really interested in knowing is how to fill the remaining ca. 10 Kilos of my luggage with things that cost little or nothing in England but would help someone in Bali (other than money :) ).
Any suggestions?
Dyah
wow ...
i don´t know that. I think exist special price for europe ... example just for books or other print-product.
Or ... other idea: I´ll ask some indonesian friends, who live in UK. It will be great, if they have similar idea with collective container. Maybe is good for your plan next time...
Salam,
Dyah
Markit
Ok Dyah this is maybe a little ambitious but just yesterday I learned that in the health service here they use a lot of devices (on wards, in hospitals, etc.) things like medical equipment that is quite expensive but the thing is they only use them once and then throw them away because it's cheaper and less risky (from a legal point).
Well this seems like insanity to many of the nurse so what some of them have done on their own is to keep the equipment, clean it and take it themselves to places in Africa and donate it there.
Maybe an idea?
Roy
[quote]Maybe an idea?[/quote]
Now, that’s a great idea! Pack your extra 10 kilos with used syringes, and for certain your second holiday here in Bali will start with one hell of a bang! :lol: :lol: :lol:
[quote]What I am really interested in knowing is how to fill the remaining ca. 10 Kilos of my luggage with things that cost little or nothing in England but would help someone in Bali.[/quote]
What makes you think that anything that costs little or nothing in England is going to be regarded as otherwise here? :roll:
Dyah
:( For Kupu-Kupu Foundation in Ubud ... i´m sure that you need those materials just in english...
i have many-many books and didactic materials eventhough for kids... but those are in german language... until now i bring those material for my colleague who have german classes (also highschool) ... sometimes i bring materials for some university in Java...
But i promise you to send you with next collective container something you can use for works with kids.
-Dyah
Markit
For all of you out there that aren't as incredibly clever as Roy I'd like to share a PM I got on this subject today:
Hello Markit! Solidarity greetings from Ubud
I am working with Kupu-Kupu Foundation, helping people with disabilities in Bali, we will open a new center next January or February in Bangli, where will be a small school for children and young people with disabilities.
Any materials for the school will be great for us, didactic materiales, puzzles, simple games or toys, sorry my english is not good enough, to explaint the kind the things I wish somebody could bring from overseas, the ones usually are from wood and has diferent things, like animals, shapes........and you take all the pieces out from the wood and you have to find again the place where the pieces go on the wood.........aduhh I hope you got what I mean!!!!!!
I am not sure about now but I remember when we open our school in Ubud (2002) we went around bali to buy school materials and there was not really good materials, I mean educational materials, I think there is now a lot good books but materials to learning by fun still poor......
Puzzles are things as well usually young people enjoy in our school, hehehe although not patient enought to do the 1.000 o 500 pieces!!!!!!!! maybe you could find cheap of these kind the things in second hand shops in UK.
Anyway, just let you know in case you want to help us!
Terimakasi banyak
Sorry to send you a pm, I don´t really like to go on public, Maaf yap!
So all you travelers out there, as the English say "Fill your boots!" (and your rucksacks).
Ask any health worker most of the stuff they use is not syringes
begonia
Terimakasi banyak Diah!!!!!
We use to have english classes at the school very often, with very small groups, although they are informal and not very intensive, just learning simple and easy things.
Our school in Ubud is quite full of didactic materials and things 90% of them brough it from overseas by friends and volunteers from Spain, Australia and England.
The new school in Bangli will be open in January or February and we hope litte by litte we will have as well good didactic materials at the school there, working with children with physically or mentally disabilities the most of the time is very important to estimulate them and it is quite important to have didactic materials, to me it is amezing how many things we have in a class for example in a school for children with disabilities in wester countries!!!! of coure creativity is very important as well and sometimes is not necessary really to have too many things as well if people has ideas how to make things, but of course all the most of the time didactic materials are very important and more fun!
Peluk dari ubud Diah! di sini sudah hujan trus, kemarin hampir full day tapi saya suka musin hujan!!!!
take care all
