Our Organization
Our organization is fortunate to have two fantastic main buildings to help us meet our vision and mission of caring for those in need. Our two main buildings are Aura Sukma Insani (ASI) Learning Centre and The Aura Sukma Insani Function Centre.
AURA SUKMA INSANI LEARNING CENTRE
The ASI learning centre is a place where the foundation welcomes all guests and visitors. It has become the base building of the foundation. The building itself has become highly multi functional because it is used for conducting many activities / programs offered in the foundation. One of the main activities is the (ASI) kindergarten, a kindergarten which is designed to help with the operational costs of the Learning Centre and Function Centre. It was set up and started in 2005 and has become the only truly bilingual kindergarten in Singaraja.
Besides the kindergarten, the Learning Centre is also used for conducting after school programs which are prepared and available for children from disadvantaged families. Students come and study based on the programs they are interested in which may include: English courses, Balinese dance, drawing class, computer class and English drama class.
Every Sunday, the Learning Centre offers a special Sunday program. Students who are not able to come for after-school programs during week days, are picked up using the foundation transport to attend the Sunday Program in ASI Learning Centre. Around 100-130 students usually come for this program and they are grouped based on their ages and study in the classrooms provided.
Aside from education programs, the ASI Learning Centre is also used to accommodate 36 students from disadvantaged families. We fondly refer to these students as “The Boarders.” During day time, the learning centre is used for studying and at night time, it is used for accommodation. Mattresses for sleeping are placed in special racks and are easily taken in and out. The Boarders each have a small locker at the back of the rooms and all meals are taken at the ASI Function Centre.
If this wasn't already enough to make the ASI Learning Centre truly multifunctional, we can add periodic programs such as teacher workshops, student events and also frequent visits by university students who, while studying to be teachers, access our expertise for advice and observation. We welcome everyone.
With all of these programs and activities, the Learning Centre is used to its fullest capacity and we are very grateful for the generosity of all sponsors and donors for making everything possible.
AURA SUKMA INSANI FUNCTION CENTRE
This is the second building which has become as important as the Learning Centre. The original purpose of the building was for the kitchen and a place for our boarders to have meals. The ideas then extended to use the building more functionally. Now, besides being used as a kitchen, it is used as the administrative office and classroom of the Tourism and Home Assistant Program (THAP), a program especially designed primarily for our sponsored students who have graduated high school.
The purpose of the program is to provide students with a multi-skilled based program designed to help them have better job opportunities. Students signed up for this program have their classes in the Function Centre. Upstairs there are two guest rooms which are used as the lab-rooms for the THAP program where students have their practicum for housekeeping operations.
Multifunctional like the Learning Centre, each morning, on a rotational basis, one of the kindergarten classes meets to use the wide space for PE and games activities. After kindy is finished, THAP classes begin. In the late afternoons, the function centre is also very busy. It is used for Karate Class for the students and also for Gamelan orchestra class. As well, it serves as a meeting place for foundation staff with parents of the sponsored students.
In addition to that, the function centre is also used to hold graduations for both our kindergarten students and for the THAP students.
The FC is also used as a venue for large meetings and workshops in serving the community. For example, we recently gathered 175 students at the FC in order that medical staff from Bali Kids could discuss health and welfare issues with the kids and provide health checks for any in need.
DORMITORY FOR STAFF
This past year, the Aura Sukma Insani Foundation (ASIF) expanded its facilities. From July 2012, the ASIF was able to set up a four bedroom dormitory for staff/teachers who work for the ASIF. By providing a special dormitory nearby for staff, they are able to commit their time and energy for their work and for the foundation.
DROP-IN-HOUSE IN DENPASAR
After two years of conducting the THAP program in the ASIF, we found that that having students do their training and internship program in hotels and restaurants in Denpasar brings the most success because they are exposed to more and better job opportunities which are frequently offered on the spot right after finishing the training. However, having training in Denpasar is not easy for the families because the expense of room rent and living in Denpasar is very high. While the foundation can’t afford to pay for student's living allowance while they are in training in Denpasar, in order to help the students and to enhance the success of the THAP program, Nyoman Sukadana and family are happy to allow their old personal house built 15 years ago in Denpasar to be used as a drop-in house. Students can stay there and use the house during their training. We are sure this will give more chances for the students to have a better experience and exposure and at the same time better job opportunities after they finish the program.
The Drop-in House can also be used to help the foundation children who need shelter if they need to have medical treatment in Denpasar. The ASIF has been linked for a long time with Bali Kids Foundation, located in Denpasar, who help us with medical assistance. Frequently families need to stay in Denpasar when special medical treatment is needed. With the Drop-in House now available in Denpasar, the foundation families are welcomed to stay there if needed. We hope this will help to relieve some of the stress of having to somehow pay for accommodation while they are dealing with medical issues for their children.