When the bomb went off in Kuta last October, the reactions were mainly those of grief, horror and surprise. After the first few weeks of emergency care, it was time to try and figure out how to help those affected heal–on all levels: emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually and economically. The Bali Relief efforts have been enormous–an outpouring of medications (80 percent of them outdated, I’m told), medical support, and money came onto this tiny island. After all the fanfare, and the extravanga free concerts with the big name stars, a number of us wondered what else could be done.

Cody Schwaiko of YKIP (Yayasan Kemanusian Ibu Pertiwi, which was initially established to assist the bomb victims) asked me if I knew a dalang (shadow puppeteer) who could create a story about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that could be taken into the villages, particularly in and around Kuta.

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Yayasan Kemanusiaan Ibu Pertiwi (YKIP) or the Humanitarian Foundation for Mother Earth is dedicated to helping the needy in Bali through health and education programs.

YKIP is a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of the needy in Bali through Health and Education Projects. Established only days after the Bali Bomb Blast of October 12, 2002, YKIP’s founders were business people, doctors, officials and volunteers who assisted during the crisis. It soon became evident that in order to accommodate the tons (literally) of medical supplies and monetary donations from well-wishers around the world, a transparent and responsible organization needed to be established. As many of our founders are members of Rotary International, we were able to establish YKIP as such an organization in the eyes of potential donors. We received endorsements from the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, the diplomatic community in Bali, and the Governor of Bali. Our members come from a variety of faiths and from many different nationalities.

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