Minas - still working on a link here, so in the meantime, visit for real the next time you're in Jogjakarta. Not only did this prove to be our favorite restaurant during our two weeks of language study (vegetarian, organic, local, with salads, soups and juices to go along with the nasi goreng and gado gado), but it also has a crafts market that supports their urban youth development program, fresh veggies and fruits for sale, and runs regular movie nights and local live entertainment.
Surf Aid International - a friend from our language school works in their Padang, Indonesia office as a project coordinator, which we though was cool. What we think is AWESOME, though, is that their position on the west coast of Sumatra has made them the perfect response agency for disaster relief following in the October 25th tsunami. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake just offshore sent a 20ft wave tearing through primitive villages on the Mentwais Islands, killing nearly 500 people and displacing 15,000. Surfaid is all over it. With 10 years history on the island, they aren't pulling out anytime soon. Their website has daily updates as well as links to help them out.
Turtle Conservation on Gili Meno - we got to swim with a few of the turtles that likely contributed eggs to this project. On our walk around the island we also met and talked with Bolong, the manager of the project. Some people think he's crazy to devote all of his money to saving baby turtles. He's one more person we've met along our way that chooses to devote their life, no matter how crazy it might seem, to making their world better for others.
Bumi Sehat - Should we have devoted 4 months to this organization instead? Bumi Sehat provides free health care and specializes in maternal and child health services in Ubud, Bali. They take a comprehensive and integrated approach to prenatal and perinatal care, focusing on family dynamics, education and social wellbeing, as well as using non-western forms of medicine and healing arts. The end result is careful and creative care with an empowering, mother-centered approach. The short time Jimmy spent there will inform years of medical practice.
