On behalf of everyone at IDEP, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy. It is very hard to express the depth of the sadness and empathy that we feel.

We, our children and our loved ones, are also very saddened that we seem to be moving into the future in a world that is in many ways driven by fear and anger. Our hope rests in our respect for the human responses of compassion and swift action that tried to save as many lives, and bring as much alleviation of suffering to as many as was possible at that very difficult time.

Yayasan IDEP would like to acknowledge the many participating organizations and individuals who demonstrated incredible dedication in that time of great need. We hope that somehow the effort that was undertaken by volunteers and professional staff from all walks of life can be offered as a way of expressing our sincere grief for those who have suffered so much.

• Reports for assistance required at the hospital were phoned through to our Ubud base. By 1pm we initiated the email and telephone switchboard operation of the ‘Bali Update’ designed to advise people of what donations and support were needed on the ground. Updates were sent out on a regular basis as immediate needs were identified.

• We assisted in identifying, and in some cases transporting, donors of the specific blood types that were urgently needed, as well liaising requests for donations of water / food / linens etc.

• Sunday evening two more IDEP representatives arrived and began assisting with blood donor orientation and increasing information flow between the crisis center hot line, victim families, morgue staff and hospital wards.

• We created and distributed press releases to international and local media to raise awareness and request support for the evacuation of criticaly injured local victims.

• We continued channeling donation requests for specific medicines, volunteers able to assist with translation and grief counseling.

• We created and distributed updates on those volunteer groups working on the ground we were aware of.

• Networking between organizations, volunteers, and Sanglah Hospital staff.

• At Sanglah Hospital we began mediating with international and local media, and tried to encourage media representatives to avoid disrupting hospital function.

• Mediating between volunteer groups, Hospital Administration and staff.

• We established an informal ‘media watch’ network overseas, to address false media reports about the situation and especially needs on the ground.

• We worked with the staff of the Suta Dharma school to initiate a project that encouraged students to release trauma by creating stories and drawings about their feelings concerning the tragedy, click here to see some of their work. (see below)

• With support from local volunteers, we created a situational FAQ that addressed key issues identified through the ‘media watch’.

• At this time another local NGO, Yayasan Bali Hati, was taking a leading role in direct victim support and Yayasan IDEP made agreements to transfer all funds raised to date into this fund and started channeling donors to the Yayasan Bali Hati account.

• Networking and supporting activities on the ground, including mediating with international and local media.

• Addressing between 50-150 emails daily of inquiries and offers of support. Supporting Bali Hati efforts and directing donors to their accounts.

• Promoting BARU www.balireliefubud.org & www.BaliSOS.com web sites (a complete back file of ‘Bali Updates’ is available at both sites) click here to go to our links page

• To address increasingly apparent issues of social and economic re-construction, IDEP began preparing and implementing programs for disaster recovery, with a focus on poverty alleviation.

This class helped them to come to terms what has happened here and has now given them a positive focus on what can be done to help. This type of class, designed to help with the release of trauma, is now being used in schools island- wide