To The Orphanage -

Si Badak, of Bali Travel Forum fame, first introduced us to the Franciscan Orphanage in Tuka through a small mention in one of his regular postings.
My curiosity was piqued and I resolved to visit during our forthcoming holiday in September of 2000.

I was not prepared, mentally, for what we found, and to this day I am relieved that most of the children were at school when we made that first visit.

Subsequently I wrote about this in my Bali Story 2000 diary (Day 15) which was posted on the Forum.  It stirred an unexpected and pleasing response from a number of readers and I like to think that it persuaded many other travellers to make the visit also.
In answer to a number or readers questions I wrote these directions to the Orphanage, originally for a poster named Michael. 
The details of the orphanage and the orphans which follows these directions are from Si Badak.
 

Hi Michael,
I'm not sure that I can put you right on the doorstep of the Orphanage but I can get you to the village of Tuka and your driver can ask directions of locals when you get there, Tuka is not a large village and the orphanage is well known to locals. I have included the address (below) to help you further.
I have used a 'Periplus Editions Travel Map' of Bali (ISBN # 0-945971-49-4) for the following description.
From Tuban/Kuta/Legian take the north road. 'Jalan (road) Raya Tuban' which changes its name to 'Jl Raya Kuta' and then to 'Jl Raya Legian' and then 'Jl Raya Seminyak' before taking a sharp right turn and becoming 'Jl Raya Kerobokan', still heading north to the large village of Kerobokan which really joins onto Seminyak these days and is a little north of due west from Denpasar and just over 4 Km from the very centre of Denpasar.
From here you have two choices.
- either go further north to the village of Tegeh then generally west on side roads which wind left, right, left, right and right again to Tuka - or probably better -
- turn west (left) at Kerobokan and take the road to Tanah Lot Temple which has a signpost, although its not too big and can be missed if you're not looking for it. A good clue is to watch the traffic as many vehicles turn off here. About 3Km along this road you pass through Canggu before arriving at the village of Kayutulang. A right turn here (heading north again) brings you to Tuka, about 3Km further on from Kayutulang.
The total trip is about 15 km as the crow flies over the roads but perhaps closer to 18 or 20Km given the small twists and turns that the map does not show.
You could make a scenic day trip by going the Canggu/Kayutulang route and returning via the side roads to Tegeh. The scenery makes it worthwhile.

I hope this is a help to you, Michael. For more info the e-mail address at the end is Si Badak who often writes on the Forum.

Filo.

Farm house and rice paddies near Tuka.

ORPHANS AND THE TUKA FRANCISCAN ORPHANAGE, BALI -

The address of the Tuka orphanage is ;
Panti Asuhan Katolik.     ('Institute of Caring Catholic.')
Jalan Raya Tuka,            (Tuka Road.)
Desa Tuka,                    (Village of Tuka)
Bangar Dalung.               (Administrative District of Dalung.)

A local driver will understand this.  The phone number is (62 361) 747 3827.
 

The orphanage entrance in the village of Tuka, only a short and pleasant drive from Sanur or Kuta.

This Orphanage is run by the Franciscan Sisters and, like others, subsists totally on the support of kind people: no help whatever is available in any form from the Government in Indonesia for institutes other than those run by the Muslim majority.

About 100 young girls and boys are cared for at one time, no religious criteria apply for entrance, those in need are not set adrift on the world at the age of 17 as practiced by other Christian orphanages, rather they are welcome to stay until they have found a living.
Their ages range from 3 years to adults.

In Indonesia there are three names for an orphan, depending on their situation:

YATIM              =  WITHOUT FATHER.
PIATU               =  WITHOUT MOTHER.
YATIM-PIATU  = WITHOUT ANY PARENTS.

As well as the above three categories sometimes children whose families are simply too destitute to feed them, commit them to the care of the Sisters for reasons of survival only.
 

Made, our driver, on the left with some of the children at the Tuka Orphanage a few kilometres north of Kuta and west of Denpasar. The orphanage is run by Franciscan nuns. Most of the children were at school when we arrived but these few thought the balloons were the best of all the things we brought.

The main problem for the Orphanage is money for education and medication. However, donations of food or clothing are welcome also. Nothing is wasted. If there is no immediate use for something it is traded, sold, exchanged or bartered for something that is needed, or altered to fit a need.

The problem with education is that after the children have gone through some tuition at the Orphanage, they then have to attend formal school outside. Every single stage of the education process has to be paid for, up front. Uniforms are compulsory, books to be bought, nominations, teachers' fees, exam fees and every possible charge associated with education has to be paid for.
If sufficient money is not available at any time then some children have to wait their turn until the money turns up from somewhere.
Visitors are always welcome and the smallest donations are received with genuine gratitude.
A special Religious Service is held each Saturday evening when everybody prays for the well-being of donors.

In Tuka is there the first Catholic Church built in Bali. Anybody interested in more details of this may e-mail me, rhinorok@primus.com.au for further information.
 

The little guy in the blue shirt had found a nest of baby birds somewhere. He continually threw them up in the air hoping that they would fly, but without feathers there was no chance of that. When the older Sister caught him (usually because the girl in the striped dress 'dobbed' him in) she would catch the bird, or pick it up, and put it in her habit pocket. He was undeterred and simply went off to get another. By the time we left her pocket was more like a messy bird's nest than a pocket but not once did she chastise him.

The small chapel just inside the entrance is a gleaming pocket of peace in the wild world of kids.

The kitchen staff at work. The place could do with a paint (as could most of the buildings)

but it was scrubbed clean and sparkling.

Another part of the kitchen. Working on the floor is not unusual in Bali.

The Sisters of the orphanage. Balloons are welcome anywhere in Bali.

The boys dormitory at afternoon nap time.

The orphanage now has a web site thanks to a generous Aussie traveller. It's at http://www.tukaorphanage.org .

Details of other Orphanages, which we have subsequently heard about are at Orphanages in Bali and Lombok.

There are other pictures and information at 'Tuka Pictures'.

There are more stories, pictures and heaps of information about Bali on our Home Page. Just select from the list of contents you'll find there.