Destinations known | It is not all bad news from Bali – expat-founded charities give back to the island’s inhabitants

The Indonesian island, which relies heavily on tourism to support its economy, recorded almost no visitors in April

A number of charitable organisations have sprung up to help those who rely on an influx of arrivals for their livelihood

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Residents of Bali, whose livelihoods have been threatened by the pandemic’s impact on the island’s tourism industry, line up to collect food and sanitary essentials from Project Nasi, a charitable organisation set up by Australian expats. Photo: Project Nasi

Mercedes Hutton

Published: 10:03am, 29 Apr 2020Updated: 10:03am, 29 Apr 2020

Last week’s column appears to have touched a nerve, with a number of readers taking issue with the suggestion that Indonesians in Bali have adopted social distancing measures whereas international residents and stranded holidaymakers have not. Images and videos shared with Destinations Known over the past few days demonstrate that a lot of people on the island are going about their business as usual, regardless of where they hail from, some without the face masks that were made mandatory in early April.

Except that, for a significant number of residents, business is far from usual. Home to a population of 4.2 million, the island’s economy, and the wealth of its populace, have come to rely heavily on tourism. And, of course, the coronavirus pandemic has all but paralysed that industry, with foreign nationals – apart from diplomats, humanitarian workers and those with residency permits – having been barred from entering Indonesia since April 1.

According to Australia-based non-profit organisation Indonesia Institute, as much as 80 per cent of Bali’s GDP depends on tourism, although the island’s deputy governor, Tjokorda Oka Sukawati, recently placed that figure at 60 per cent of the gross regional product. Either way, any absence of international arrivals will be felt almost immediately. On April 25, The Jakarta Post reported that the island had recorded an almost 100 per cent decrease in foreign visitors that month.

It’s not just those who work in tourism who are affected. With no demand from the hotels it is used to supplying, the agricultural sector, another of Bali’s economic pillars, faces a surfeit of produce. On April 24, an article on English-language news site The Bali Sun estimated that tourism-related losses could cost Bali 138.6 trillion rupiah (US$8.9 billion), which is potentially devastating to the island’s inhabitants, many of whom live hand to mouth, according to the Indonesia Institute.

Project Nasi donating food and care packages to those in need on the island. Photo: Project Nasi

To support struggling families in Bali, the organisation has set up a fundraiser and will collaborate with the Universitas Pendidikan Nasional, a private university in the island’s capital, Denpasar, to work with municipal and village leaders, identifying those most in need of assistance and working out how that can be delivered. At the time of writing, the campaign had raised A$9,341 (HK$6,053) of its A$100,000 target.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Destinations known | It is not all bad news from Bali – expat-founded charities give back to the island’s inhabitants

Destinations known | It is not all bad news from Bali – expat-founded charities give back to the island’s inhabitants