The total collapse of the tourism industry in Bali has shattered many villages in Bali, including Tengkulung village. Located in Tanjung Benoa, the villagers have been the main workforce for the surrounding hotels, restaurants and watersport centres, as well as the main operators of small souvenir shops along the Jl Pratama streets.

Alas, with the COVID pandemic, most things are now closed. The hotels are operating at super low occupancy, the restaurants, watersport centres, shops and even convenience stores in the street are 95% closed.

The villagers have indeed suffered from this pandemic. They are cash-strapped from having no jobs, and some haven’t had any money for over a year. And to add salt to this wounded economy, the village bank has failed, wiping out peoples savings. Some young and still healthy men have decided to go back to a Hunter-Gatherer lifestyle; they’ve started to do night fishing on the beach with very minimal fishing equipment to fill their families empty stomachs with a few fish caught that day.

No rice nor veggies here.

Just fish.

Food is short and people are starving.

Most of the things that we would take for granted such as soap, toothpaste, medicines, nappies, sanitary goods, laundry detergent have become extraordinary luxuries for the villagers right now.

Further to this, there is no safe drinking water.  Any water is a problem.  Most of the village relies on groundwater wells …. there is no electricity for pumps. 

The Government has indeed tried to help, but help is so far very limited, with no consistent social security system of any sort.

With the need to feed people, the village has been running a kitchen since the start of July.  Anyone who wants a meal can have one, and so everyone in the village gets at least one meal per day.

Since the start of July, the village ladies have cooked and served nearly 50,000 meals.  Sadly funds for this project are now exhausted and the kitchen service will collapse within two weeks.  Very simply, people will quickly starve.

The head of the village, Eka Surawan has approached Bali Children Foundation for help.

The Grand Mirage Resorts have also offered their help and have sent out this invitation out to past guests.

We know that the past 18 months have been difficult for many people and that there are many, many causes calling for help.  However, we can't think of any community enduring the calamity happening in Tengkulung.

You can help in two ways. 

1. A donation would be great. Donations are tax-deductible and you will receive a receipt. 

2. It’s also important to get the message out … please pass this link on to others. 

The money we raise goes straight to food.  All the work in the village is voluntary.

We hope to see you back in Bali in the near future in much happier circumstances. 

We also know The Grand Mirage Resort wants to make your next holiday extra special.