DENPASAR, Bali (BPN) – The Australian Consulate-General, Bali hosted a gathering of recipients of the Consulate-General’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) for 2017-18, on Monday, June 25. The participants work across Bali and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) in fields including community development, education, gender equality, disability, youth, and economic empowerment.
The DAP is a flexible small grants scheme available to individuals, community groups and local and international NGOs, government entities, academic institutions, or other non-profit organizations working in development activities at community level.
At the gathering, Consul-General Dr Helena Studdert said she was pleased with the diversity of projects being funded in Bali and NTB in the last financial year.
“The Direct Aid Program has been run by the Australian Consulate-General in Bali since 2005 and has supported over 132 projects worth more than A$890,000 in funding,” Dr Studdert said.
This financial year, the Consulate received 63 applications and A$120,000 of DAP funding was distributed to 14 non-profit organisations in Bali and three in Lombok.
The projects in Bali range from providing a medical record system for a women’s health clinic in traditional markets, a water and sanitation project, providing educational materials for people with disability, coral reef restorations, developing art and market space for local start-up artists and designers and a waste management project for a community affected by last year’s Mount Agung eruption.
In Lombok this year, DAP assisted with the construction of a village education centre, a marine education project and the provision of extra-curricular activity programs at a local orphanage and community school.
“The main purpose of the DAP is to work with local communities on projects that reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development consistent with Australia’s national interest,” added Dr Studdert.
Applications for the 2018-19 DAP funding will open early in August 2018. Individuals, community groups, NGOs and other non-profit organisations interested to apply should monitor the Consulate’s website www.bali.indonesia.embassy.gov.au and follow the Consulate’s twitter account @BaliKonJen.
