As people started arriving in Bali for the AVPN Global Conference, we were setting up for an inspirational open day at the Annika Linden Centre. The idea was to open the space for people to see first-hand the work being done on the ground by local disability organisations.

The Annika Linden Centre is an Incubator for Impact for social change, which aims to provide capacity building and mentorship, connecting non-profits and social enterprises to resources and experts to receive knowledge, support and expertise. The Annika Linden Centre also serves as a Centre of Excellence and a ‘one-stop shop’ where persons with disabilities can receive mobility aids, rehabilitation, education and employment opportunities under one roof.

YPK, PUSPADI and DNetwork are physically based in the Annika Linden Centre’s incubator space, creating a world-class hub for disability services and expertise that serves people with disabilities from Bali and across Eastern Indonesia.

The event started with a tour and the story behind the Centre. In 2002, a terrorist bomb in Bali, Indonesia, killed 202 people. Among them was Mark Weingard’s fiancée, Annika Linden. Devastated by his loss, Mark was inspired to help those affected by the bombings. He founded the Inspirasia Foundation and in 2013 built the centre to create more positive impact in Bali and provide more support to social initiatives. The Foundation manages grants, provides non-financial support and works hand in hand with the organisations in Indonesia through the Annika Linden Centre.

The group were then taken to Yayasan Peduli Kemanusiaan (YPK) Bali, led by the Director Wahyuni Andhitya and Founder Pak Purnawan Budisetia, to understand their education and rehabilitation programmes. Based on the principles of improving the quality of life and helping others become independent and reach their full potential, their programmes are tailor-made for every student to ensure they reach their individual goals, while working with parents and families for growth to continue beyond YPK.

The next stop was a chance to experience first-hand how prosthetic legs are made by PUSPADI Bali, an organisation providing services to empower and mobilise persons with disabilities. Pak I Nengah Latra, the Founder, and Putu Juli Lawalata, the Operations Manager, showed the group around their organisation. Producing, assembling and fitting mobility devices for people in Bali and East Indonesia, providing empowerment services and advocating with Government for the rights of persons with disabilities, Puspadi Bali ensures that lives are changed through all their programmes.

The centre would not be complete without the services provided by DNetwork, a social enterprise that connects people with disabilities to employment. Ganis Shibarani, the Project Coordinator, explained the importance of inclusive workplaces and how DNetwork works to connect, raise awareness, provide training for users and work with companies to receive training on how to have an inclusive workplace.

The morning ended with questions and discussions around measuring impact, long-term support vs project-based funding and understanding local context while working with organisations to strengthen their capacity and scale impact.

‘I was impressed by the Annika Linden Centre and Inspirasia. I consider Inspirasia’s vision on philanthropy an example for all. The Centre combines direct support to marginalized groups with strengthening other NGOs. Thereby breaking the tendency of competition between NGOs and, instead, working on real cooperation. If you get the chance, please visit the Centre and get inspired!’ – Merel Luichies, Country Programmes Manager, VVOB.

Louisa Attard, is Chief Executive Officer at Inspirasia Foundation

Reach out on the below contacts:

info@annikalindencentre.org
info@inspirasia.org / http://www.inspirasia.org
info@ypkbali.org  / http://www.ypkbali.org/en/
info@puspadibali.org / http://www.puspadibali.org
info@dnetwork.net / http://www.dnetwork.net