Bali is an island deeply embedded in the psyche of all australians – known for cheap tropical holidays and our worst terrorist attack - but most people are unaware that very few Balinese benefit from the economic boom of tourism. Most are peasant Hindu farmers struggling to survive, feed their families and educate their children. 

Now Sydney Anglicans have begun a partnership to care for the orphans of the Indonesian island. The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has developed a partnership with Widhya ashih, a development arm of the protestant Church of Bali, which provides family, pastoral care and education for almost 500 Balinese children at its seven orphanages scattered throughout the island.

Photo: Children involved at an orphanage covered by the project

Anglican Aid has called the program Projek Bali Kids.

The project aims to help the orphanages to develop greater sustainability through a range of income- generating activities plus water purification, bio-power generation and agricultural development initiatives. Apart of anglican aid’s Overseas development Fund, donations to the project are tax deductible.

Anglican Aid director David Mansfield says the project aims to have more than 1000 australian donor partners within the next four years.