Tourism Education Tourism Driver Communities Take Orphaned Children to Bali Zoo
GIANYAR, NusaBali.com – Bali Zoo Gianyar was bustling with excitement as dozens of orphaned children visited on Sunday (October 24, 2021). Alongside other tourists, these children were overjoyed to witness firsthand the various animal collections at the zoo located in Singapadu Village, Sukawati District.
The presence of 40 orphaned children from the KH M Manshur Orphanage Education Center (YAPPA) and 5 orphaned children from Karangasem was initiated by three tourism driver communities: Honey Money Bali, Rajawali Trans Bali (RTB), and Bro Dewata.
“We invited orphaned children to go on a tour together and provide them with education about wildlife. We also received support from Bali Zoo,” said Firman Pane, a representative from Honey Money.
The orphaned children were picked up and dropped off by 12 four-wheeled vehicles from the three tourism driver communities. During their five-hour visit to Bali Zoo, the children had the opportunity to feed deer at the Deer Park and observe lions in the African-themed savannah.
“This savannah is a favorite area for visitors,” revealed Dedi Ramlan, the Operation Manager of Bali Zoo.
The synergy between the tourism driver communities and Bali Zoo is not a new phenomenon. Previously, in 2020, dozens of orphaned children were also taken on a tour to this popular tourist destination in Bali.
“We hope this activity can benefit the children and bring them happiness,” said Ery Budi Sisworo, a representative of RTB.
Overall, this social initiative amidst the pandemic marks the fifth program for the communities, which have also been economically affected since March 2020. Previous initiatives included blood donation drives and distributing basic food supplies.
“We have indeed faced difficulties since the pandemic, and many of our members’ cars have been repossessed by leasing companies,” explained Hendra Djoko Susilo, the Chairman of Bro Dewata. “However, we still want to share joy with orphaned children because we realize that amidst these challenging times, some people experience even greater burdens,” added Hendra.
Hendra also emphasized that this activity serves as an educational platform to help children understand the important role of animals in maintaining the world’s ecosystem.
At the end of the full-day excursion, high-achieving orphaned children were rewarded with a unique experience—riding an elephant. “With this special gift, we hope to motivate other children to excel academically,” added Hendra.
Meanwhile, Budi Utama, a representative from the KH M Manshur Orphanage in Denpasar, expressed gratitude for the event.
“Thank you for the opportunity given by our friends to go on this vacation and learn about animals at Bali Zoo. May we always maintain this bond and bring happiness to one another,” said Budi Utama.
- Visit the original press release from Nusa Bali > News about BroDewata here
- Visit the original press release from Antara Bali News > News About Bro Dewata Here