Social welfare tops the BIWA agenda, supported by social networking, creative fairs and bazaars, and other fundraising projects, but some BIWA members got together to lend a hand where other powers refuse to go.
Of all the marginalized people in society, probably the least understood and most unappealing are criminals behind bars. When a jail sentence is passed on a thief, a killer, a drug pusher, a pimp, the world is a little safer with them off the street, and probably most of us like to forget they ever existed. But not all of the inmates of a prison are there for life sentences or on death row. They expect to come back out and join us again. Whatever the society’s religious and moral beliefs, there is usually a desire to see a convict released eventually as a penitent and honest member of society. It would be outrageously barbaric, and dangerous to society, to keep criminals in degrading conditions.
Here in Bali, Kerobokan Prison is home to over 700 prisoners, including those who attracted intense media focus in the last few years; the Bali Nine, the Bali Bombers and Schapelle Corby. Articles in Women’s Day and the recent book “Hotel Kerobokan” paint a grim picture, inaccurate at best, wholly sensationalist at worst.
“Our priorities are women and education,” explains BIWA President Melly St Ange, “and we had heard that there were some basic needs within the women’s prison that deserved our attention and so we agreed to help.”
First was the lack of clean water. The Rotary Club of Seminyak had raised money to dig a well and build a water tower so that an approximate 75 inmates could now have clean water. BIWA lent a hand, and Melly said,“it soon became clear that there were some other small things we could do to improve their lives.” It’s been a humbling experience for many. A willingness to help others takes a person down many strange paths, and this eye-opening endeavor has truly been a case of “someone’s got to do it.”
Like all countries, available funds for social welfare are limited. Most money is earmarked for the most popular and socially acceptable causes like education and health care for the general population. And rightly so! Unpopular social needs are put at the end of a long list, and they need to be addressed nonetheless. Those who break the law and are imprisoned, end up marginalized and their food and shelter needs attended to in only the most basic ways.
Few understand that Kerobokan jail is set up as a prison for men. Women at the prison live in a separate block and the inmates choose to remain in this prison because they are close to their families who would be unable to visit them if they were transferred to the women’s’ prison in Java. Unlike the Men’s Block they have few facilities and activities to occupy their time, improve their skills, and give them a sense of self worth.
Conditions rose with the appointment of the current warden, a compassionate man. Several months ago, a small group of women from BIWA were welcomed as honored guests and inmates put on an entertaining afternoon of traditional dances and music. Many BIWA members were touched deeply by the hard life and lack of basic sanitary conditions.
Most of the women inmates have no money of their own and some have been rejected by their families and don’t have any human connection to the outside. Many sleep on sarongs on concrete floors, with bits of clothing as pillows. Simple supplies, like sanitary napkins, tampons, toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, clothing, linens, towels, cleaning supplies all need to be purchased. Just to be clean and clothed was not guaranteed. So BIWA stepped in because a little money can go a very long way to rehabilitate a few basic dignities.
BIWA now regularly brings the Mobile Dental Clinic to visit the jail. BIWA and Seminyak Rotary raised funds for additional water towers, wells with pumps and regular cleaning of the septic tanks. Presently the jail, built for 350 inmates, has in excess of 700 prisoners, both local and westerners. As a result the jail is VERY short of bedding.
It may come as a surprise that the Bali 9 convicts make an enormous contribution to the jail and the well being of fellow inmates. They conduct English classes regularly to assist local inmates in employment prospects when they leave the prison system. Renae Lawrence has become the “angel” of the Women’s Block, looking out for inmates’ self esteem and encouraging them to become more active with their time during the day. Renae understands the importance of positive thinking and creating an environment of which they can be proud. She cut the lawn with hand-shears herself, and it’s been suggested that donated gardening equipment would be put to good use.
There are small things needed, which would mean so much. Recently their old cassette player broke, an integral part of morning aerobics classes. Exercising to a little up-tempo music had been something many female inmates looked forward to every day. Men’s and women’s blocks are supplied with sewing machines, but the women’s machines are in disrepair, to an estimated $200 in repair fees.
Even though the art complex has screen printing equipment, there are no supplies or orders for work. All of these vocational projects require money that has not been coming in. From the expat community, volunteers visit to give classes in English, yoga, and art. A few more funds and supplies could support and continue this rehabilitation work.
The Men’s Block, particularly the local Indonesian inmates, are in need too, but BIWA has had to start at the bottom, since women inmates were of the lowest priority. One BIWA member says she paid for a keset mattress with the price of a pedicure, setting an example of how simple it is to make a huge difference in an inmate’s life.
The women’s area is much smaller as there are on average about 75 women, as opposed to almost 700 male inmates. They don’t have the same freedom as the men and there are still some additional projects BIWA would like to conduct within the block for the women. The large room where the women can watch TV and get together is bare. Some of the women are busy sewing or crotcheting to earn extra money. Another group have created a small shop and make food for their fellow inmates.
“During our visit the Bali Nine had been joined in maximum security by a group from Iran who had recently been arrested. None of them had mattresses to sleep on so we arranged for the purchase and distributed them,” explains a BIWA member.
Another member, Sarah, adds, “I was nervous about going, I had heard so much about the prison and had never visited. The reality was not nearly as bad as I had expected.” “The men have a lot more freedom than I expected and the Indonesians and the westerners mingled throughout the day.
Some members spent some time chatting to one of the organisers of the Bali Nine drug haul and a death row inmate. One is now studying theology through a Melbourne college and claims that things could be a lot worse.
Although the prison project is something new, it is hard to deny that the bond between all women cuts down class and other distinctions. “Some of our members ask why we want to help these criminals but when you look at them you don’t see their crimes or their mistakes, you see a human being. All human beings need some love and kindness and this is just a small thing that we can do with the help of donors, sponsors and our members,” explains BIWA President Melly St Ange.
On the 17th of May, Melly organized a delivery of bedding and also brought the Mobile Dental Clinic to give check-ups and cleaning to inmates. More visits will be made in the future and if anyone would like to donate to the Kerobokan Jail Project, they are encouraged to contact BIWA at
BIWA Center
Jl. D. Tandakan no. 5 - Sanur, Bali.
Phone/Fax no. : 0361 - 286564,
Flexi no. 0361 - 7469607.
Email : info@biwa-bali.org
Website : www.biwa-bali.org
BIWA Account :
PERMATA BANK, Jln. Dewi Sartika Kav. 88, Denpasar - Bali, Indonesia.
Swift Code : bbbaidja. Account no. : 5812 314 485.
Under the name of : Indah Meilyani Alimin or Maria Johanna D.
