 Update #01 31-August-2026  Changing lives across Indonesia for those most in need: better health; greater hope; brighter futures … 2026 GVFBali highlightsDear First name It has been far too long since we last sent many of you an update from Global Village Foundation Bali — and for that, we apologise ! There is, however, a very good reason for the silence. We have been busy ! With the formal establishment of the Australian registered arm of Global Village Foundation Bali, we thought this was the perfect time to reconnect with those of you who have supported us, donated to our programs, visited us, or simply followed our journey over the years. There has been a lot happening — and we are excited to share some of it with you both now and in subsequent updates. We will not fill your inbox too often. Our aim is to send just a few newsletter updates each year, only when there is meaningful progress or an exciting opportunity to share. This one is a bit longer, given the time since we last shared information! You can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of this email. But we hope you'll stay with us ... There is much more to do, new projects underway, and exciting plans for the future. With thanks from all of us at Global Village Foundation Bali P.S. If you know someone who might be interested in what we do, please feel free to forward this newsletter to them. They can join our mailing list using the sign-up button at the bottom of the page.  Giving Children the freedom to move...Our biggest programs continues to be the provision of Wheelchairs For Kids to children with disabilities who would otherwise have little or no access to an appropriate wheelchair. So far in calendar year 2026, our hardworking wheelchair team has donated and individually fitted more than 850 Wheelchairs For Kids across Indonesia — bringing the total number of adaptive children's wheelchairs provided by GVFBali since 2021 to nearly 5,000. Our long-standing partnership with Wheelchairs For Kids Australia, based in Western Australia, grows stronger. We have regular exchange visits, helping both teams gain valuable first-hand feedback and continually improve the way these amazing, all-terrain, fully adaptive wheelchairs are delivered to children who need them most.   Adult WheelchairsThe desperate need for wheelchairs is not limited to children. Since 2021 GVFBali has donated more than 950 wheelchairs across Bali to adults living with disabilities who could not afford one. Disadvantaged disabled adults across Bali often wait years for the gift of a wheelchair. Pak Suwija had waited three years after a back injury for the gift of a wheelchair. Education: futures changed, child by childEducation has always been an important part of the GVFBali mission. During the 2025–26 school year, more than 100 children affected by disability, orphanhood, or extreme family poverty received school scholarships through our Education Program. The long-established Australian charity Adopt-A-School (AAS), founded in 2002, has now joined the GVFB family. Following a decade of collaboration the retiring AAS Directors chose GVFB as a like-minded organisation to carry forward the vision and values that have made AAS so special. We are honoured to build on the wonderful achievements of AAS. This new chapter will augment GVFB existing school sponsorship and scholarship programs, while creating opportunities for more schools, businesses and individuals across Australia and beyond to support disadvantaged Indonesian schools. Looking ahead, we are particularly committed to helping Indonesia’s Special Needs Schools, where the need for accessible infrastructure (eg wheelchair ramps; accessible toilets) and essential educational resources remains enormous. To all Adopt-A-School supporters, thank you for your contributions to the remarkable AAS 24 year journey and we look forward to continuing that journey together.   New Global Village Kafe taking shapePlans to expand and redevelop the Global Village Foundation Kafe in Lovina are underway, with the support and assistance of Meyer Shircore Architects in Perth. The new Kafe will be much more than a café. It will also be a dedicated training centre, and employment facility, offering young Balinese people with disabilities the opportunity to learn hospitality skills, gain confidence, and develop meaningful employment opportunities. It will become a valued example promoting inclusive employment of persons with disability in Bali, Indonesia and South East Asia.  New Facilities for our Wheelchair TeamOur wheelchair program has also taken another important advancement with the purchase and operationalisation of the new wheelchair repair workshop and storage facilities, nearby the head office in Kalanganyar Village, making it much easier for our team to manage repairs, maintenance, storage and preparation of wheelchairs for future distributions.  Supporting Our Rehabilitation ProgramAlso, in the adjacent Yehanakan Village, we have completed the refurbishment of comfortable accommodation for several health professionals to work with our Disability Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre. Having suitable accommodation available locally will help us attract visiting health professionals and expand the range of therapy and rehabilitation services we can provide to people living with disabilities in North Bali.  Our Turtles have a new homeOur Turtle Hatchery has been transformed this year thanks to an generous donation from a Perth-based business person. The hatchery is three times its original size, with eight new tanks where newly hatched baby turtles can mature and gain strength before being released into the ocean. An education display for school children provides information on the value of conservation and beach ecology. We have built a new turtle hospital tank, large enough to allow rescued and injured adult turtles to recover safely before their return to the sea. And the timing couldn't be better. We currently have 3,000 turtle eggs incubating at the hatchery, protected from predators — dogs, rats and other animals — on North Bali's beaches.  Clean Water Many families living in remote areas of Bali have no access to potable drinking water. We have distributed more than 100 passive osmosis water filters so far in 2026 to families who, because of poverty and location, had no reliable access to clean, safe drinking water. A simple solution that can make a profound difference to a family's health and quality of life. ...and then there's Komang... Last but certainly not least; many of you who have spent time in North Bali will have met Komang. Not a man to forget. Komang has been part of the GVF family for many years, and in June he received something very special — his refurbished new mobility kart, giving him greater independence and the opportunity to develop his own small handicraft business. Stories like Komang's are at the heart of what Global Village Foundation is all about.  A Very Special Gift for GVFBali's FutureThere is one final story we would like to share. We will return to this in subsequent newsletters. While the everyday operating costs of GVFBali are funded primarily through profits generated by the GVF Kafe and through donations, the major infrastructure projects described above have only been made possible by a generous bequest from a New Zealand businessman who was both a long-time supporter and a dear friend of Global Village Foundation Bali. His bequest, received in 2024, came with a clear direction: that the funds be invested in vital infrastructure that would strengthen GVFBali and secure its future. We have and continue to strive to honour that wish. The wheelchair workshop, new accommodation, Kafe redevelopment, turtle hatchery improvements and other infrastructure projects are not simply buildings or facilities. They are investments in GVFBali's ability to do more. They give us greater capacity, to build a stable base to allow us to expand our programs, create new opportunities for people with disabilities, and help us reach more vulnerable people in the remote and rural communities of Bali — and, increasingly, on the islands throughout this incredible Indonesian archipelago. We remain enormously grateful for this extraordinary act of generosity. And We're Only Getting Started...We are proud of what our small team in North Bali has achieved. In 2025 1,188 Wheelchairs For Kids were individually fitted and donated to children who desperately needed them. In 2026 numbers continue to grow. But numbers are but part of the story: Behind every wheelchair is a child. Behind every scholarship is a young person given the opportunity to stay in school. Behind every water filter is a family with access to safer drinking water. Behind every training opportunity is a person with a disability being given the chance to learn, work and become more independent. And behind every project is a growing community of supporters who believe that every person, regardless of their circumstances or abilities, deserves the opportunity to live with dignity and hope. We are incredibly grateful to all of you who have helped us get this far. Thank you for staying with us. There is still so much to do — we hope you'll continue to share the journey. With our best wishes from Bali, Global Village Foundation Bali Team Lovina, North Bali |