Peli is from the Mambal, Badung Regency. She joined YPK Bali in 2017. Until we first met Peli, she had not visited a health or educational service. Disability and familial hardship made it difficult for Peli’s family to provide her with access to quality healthcare and schooling. Initially, there were obstacles for Peli to attend school which restricted the opportunity for her to develop learning skills, gain social interaction and procure independence.

When Peli came to YPK she was mostly dependent on her parents to help with life’s daily tasks and provide the care that she required. Caring can become a task that becomes difficult to manage for many. For Peli’s parents, YPK provided the extra helping hand to lighten the load of caring for their child.

Over the past four years, Peli has been a part of the YPK program. We have seen her resilience, talent and happiness grow. We believe that education is imperative for confidence-building and enhancing the quality of daily life which leads to new experiences and makes a positive impact on children’s lives. Through the program at YPK, Peli now feels empowered to progress her skills and further her education. Peli’s keen aptitude for numeracy has seen her mathematical skills increase and she now focuses on adding, subtracting and dividing in the classroom, she enjoys writing and strings engaging sentences together with ease. Peli has gained true independence through learning at YPK.

Peli contributes to her household by helping her mother make “ceper” a traditional Balinese offering. These cepers will be sold by Peli’s mother at the market near their house. Peli is proud to be able to do things for her parents and help them at home. With her sense of autonomy, Peli will go on to make great friendships and work to achieve the education she hopes for. Peli is brave and is becoming braver each day. Thanks to our wonderful YPK staff, without whom it would be impossible for people like Peli to have the access to treatment, education and programs to be involved in.