the Australian Consulate-General’s Direct Aid Program

Musicians at Dria-Raba receive the gift of music

Five young musicians from the Dria-Raba Education Foundation joined Australian Vice-Consul Cal McGuirk in a jam session to celebrate the completion of their new music studio.

The Dria-Raba Education Foundation, which provides a home in Denpasar for 30 vision-impaired children and teenagers from across Bali, received IDR 40,250,000 funding through the Australian Consulate-General’s Direct Aid Program to buy a drum set, 2 guitars, a keyboard and fit-out a new music room.

The five musicians, aged between 17 and 20 years, are all naturally gifted musicians who have learnt to play music by ear.  Last Wednesday, they joined Mr McGuirk in an impromptu jam session when Mr McGuirk visited Dria-Raba to see how the new instruments had been received by the young musicians.

Australian Consul-General Brett Farmer said he was proud to help support Dria-Raba and the work of its dedicated staff, including its head, Mrs Ida Ayu Pradnyani Manthara.

“This is a great example of the inspiring outcomes that can be achieved through the Direct Aid Program. I am proud that we have been able to help the children and teenagers at Dria-Raba to do something they love and assist Ibu Ayu with her work in the local community,” Mr Farmer said.

Mrs Ida Ayu said the children and teenagers at Dria-Raba loved their music lessons.

“It is fantastic to see them all pick up instruments and find the right notes only by listening,” Mrs Ida Ayu said.

“It is already quite clear some of the students are very talented. Some have already written their own songs on the keyboard. The gift of music is one of the greatest gifts that can be given to children with vision impairments,” she said.

The Direct Aid Program provides small grants to fund education, environment, social development and various other projects in local communities throughout Bali and NTB.  Over the past seven years, the program has provided more than IDR 2,950,000,000 to projects in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara.

For more details about the Direct Aid Program, please email bali.congen@dfat.gov.au.

Message from the Consul-General in Bali