Club Trip to Bali - report by PP Trudy Stevenson, PP Dexter Tabeta, and PP Sudhir Mooray Pasala
27th May 2025
Eight members, partners and friends of Carlingford Rotary club travelled to Bali on 25th April 2025. The purpose of the trip was threefold: meeting with members of the Rotary Club of Bali Bersinar, visting the joint project we have been undertaking in northern Bali, and experiencing the culture of Bali ! Participants were: PP Trudy Stevenson, PP Sudhir Mooray Pasala and Radha, PP Dexter Tabeta and Ruth, Paul Keteku, Leela and Bart Pacheco. The trip was coordinated by Carlingford Rotary Club member Nita Yunita, currently residing in Bali, and her associate Nobita who made all the travel arrangements and toured us around the island for 9 days. Dexter created a wonderful presentation containing some short videos of the highlights of our trip.
The first highlight was the welcome reception hosted by PP Dr Tini Gorda of Rotary Bali Bersinar in Rotary District 3420. The recepton was attended by District Governor Suzana Chandra, Club President Tiwi, and many members of the Rotary Club of Bali Bersinar. Featuring speeches, banner and gift exchanges, wonderful Balinese food, and dancing - both traditional and Zumba (led by Ruth Tabeta) - the evening was a great success. We announced our new sister club relationship, and DG Suzana Chandra congratulated Rotarian Nita Yunita for connecting the two clubs.
The next day we embarked on a 4 hour trip through the mountainous northern region of Bali to visit the Bali Rural Toilets project in Singaraja region. We were greeting by the Village Headman at his house, and a small ceremony was held with presentations of 5kg bags of rice donated by RC Bali Bersinar to local villagers. Carlingford Rotarians also presented bags of sweet treats to young children.
We were then escorted to visit three of the recently constructed toilets (all we could access easily in the mountainous terrain in 200% humidity) and to meet the local villagers. The toilets are of simple but study construction, with a solid door, and villagers are encouraged to select their own tiles to decorate/personalise the interior of the toilet building. Rotarian Gunatri conducted the official handover to each toilet by having the villagers sign a certificate. Two doctors from Bali were also part of the travel party - they provided important education on hygiene.
Following the review of the toilet buildings, we celebrated the success of the project by sharing huge coconuts which had been donated for the celebration. Our club also presented the village headman with an Australian football jersey.
With the important purpose of the trip completed, we were then able to have some fun, enjoying the many attractions of Bali - a visit to the rice terraces, sunrise dolphin watch (more boats than dolphins ?), visiting the thermal pools at Mount Batur, the sunrise jeep safari up Mount Batur, the Leewak (civit) coffee plantation and temples in Ubud, visit to the Save the Turtle Conservation facility and released some baby turtles out into the ocean. We enjoyed many wonderful meals, stayed in lovely hotels, enjoyed local shopping and massages, and generally had an amazing time.
This year the project has been to construct 20 toilets, funded by a District 9685 Grant, matched by Rotary Carlingford, and some further funds invested by members of Rotary Bali Bersinar. There remain more than 70 households in this northern part of Bali which do not have toilet facilities. We aspire to grow this project and fund through a Global Grant with additional clubs coming on as project partners.
A selection of photos is showcased below !
#MagicofRotary
