Finally on 7 April 2022, Begawan released this flock of free-flying young wild Bali Starlings in Banjar Bayad in an area that is not part of the nesting area of the current wild pairs which are territorially protecting their own areas.
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Water Filter for Subak Irrigation
Before starting a new rice cycle early this year, Begawan installed a subsurface water filter for the Subak water that enters our rice fields using Akar Wangi.
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SMA Al-Falah Jakarta Visit to Begawan Breeding and Release Centre
On 28 March 2022, 19 students and 3 teachers from SMA Al-Falah Jakarta visited Begawan Breeding and Release Centre.
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Making Aromatherapy Beeswax Candles
On March 9, 2022, the students in Begawan’s Learning Centre made aromatherapy beeswax candles using the wax they extracted from the beehives.
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Eco Warriors Create Aesthetic Collages of Butterfly Shapes During Online Learning
In this activity, the Eco Warriors were given control and autonomy over their own learning to create collages of butterfly shapes using natural resources such as leaves, branches, stems, and flowers around their own homes.
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Eco Warriors Visit A Butterfly Park
As a part of the ‘Bees and Butterflies’ thematic program, on Sunday 3 April 2022, Eco Warriors visited the Bali Butterfly Park in Tabanan Regency to observe the life cycles of butterflies.
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Weeding Begawan’s Regenerative Rice Fields
Begawan has begun its farming program with a rice cultivation project implementing a locally adapted regenerative approach, focusing on improving the degraded soil and increasing the rice yield.
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A Snake-Proof Nest Box Pole for the Released Birds
Before releasing the birds back to their previous site, the staff are now installing a snake proof birdhouse pole recommended by Ron Lilley, a snake rescuer and snake-proofing advisor in Bali, who visited the foundation in 2021 to give advice for the birdhouse pole in the Breeding Centre.
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Preventing the Increase of Covid-19 Cases, the Eco Warrior are Learning at Home
Begawan realises that distance learning has its own challenges for students and facilitators. Students are vulnerable to feeling bored and constrained by limited learning support facilities. Begawan strives to continue to provide meaningful and relevant learning to students’ everyday life.
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Beekeeping Experience – A Day in the Apiary
On 23 February 2022, Eco Warriors visited an apiary located in West Selemadeg, Tabanan. This program aims to enrich the students’ insight and knowledge about beekeeping. The students were guided by the Learning Centre’s facilitators and two beekeepers.
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Knowledge and Experience Sharing Session with Talasi
On Monday, 7 March 2022, our guest speaker was from PT. Talasi Tru Origin: a company that seeks organic food of premium quality from their origins, which in return helps and empowers grassroot communities.
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Eco Warriors are Preserving Honey Bees at Begawan Learning Centre
January 31, 2022, the Thematic Class at the Begawan Learning Centre commenced a new theme, Bees and Butterflies. This theme encourages students to recognise the role of bees in pollinating plants, the life cycle of bees and butterflies, their habitat in the wild, and look at how to take concrete actions for the conservation of bees and butterflies.
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Sexual Health Education with KISARA
In late January, KISARA (Kita Sayang Remaja) came to Begawan Learning Centre to give the Eco-Warriors a role-playing workshop. The goal was to improve students’ self-confidence and influence their behaviour in sexual health education, even at a young age.
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Nurturing Hope through the Hope Tree
On 28th January 2022, Begawan Learning Centre involved the Eco-Warriors in a learning session entitled “Hope Tree”. In this session, the students learned about the significance of having hopes that they want to pursue for the future.
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Begawan Farming Program
In January 2022, Begawan launched its farming program with the goal to establish productive, regenerative agriculture in Bayad, a neighbourhood close to our office and to our breeding centre.
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Begawan’s First Release in 2022
Early in 2022, we released a further breeding pair at a community compound in Banjar Paneca, Melinggih Kelod, Payangan. Prior to their release, our veterinarian, dr. Sugiarta, accompanied by our bird keeper, Kadek, installed a microchip in each bird’s body, for future identification purposes.
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First Aid Training with the Indonesian Red Cross in Gianyar Regency
On 16 December, 2022, Begawan Learning Centre in collaboration with PMI (Red Cross) Gianyar Regency held first aid accident training at the Learning Centre.
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December: A Month Full of Gratitude
The Mother’s Day celebrations at Begawan Learning Centre lasted for two days. It began with students bringing eggs to take care of during the first day.
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Preparation for A Flock Release
Guided by our veterinarian, several staff and local residents installed an enclosure for pre-release habituation and adaptation for several weeks at the proposed flock release site in Banjar Bayad.
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New Year’s Resolution: Building Healthy Eating Habits Together
On 17 December, this team from Puskesmas Payangan consisting of a doctor, a nurse, and a nutritionist came to the Learning Centre to check the students’ eyes, ears, teeth and nutritional status.
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Happy Holidays, Happy Year End
On December 23, 2021, students at Begawan practiced yoga with an instructor named Segara. Thirty-seven students participated, and were taught simple yoga movements.
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A New Formula for Bali Starling Release
In 2021 we released three pairs of Bali Starlings and in 2022 after evaluating these releases, we will conduct our releases slightly differently.
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Eco Warriors Take Part in A Balinese Dance Competition
Bali is famous for its beautiful culture and arts. One of the most interesting of Balinese arts is dance.
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Eco Warriors Take Part in A Balinese Dance Competition
After practicing for seven classes, five Eco Warriors confidently took part in the Condong Bali and Baris Tunggal dance competitions organised by Sekaa Teruna Yowana Dharma Pratiwi, Sukawati.
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Healthy Environment for Birds at Begawan Breeding and Release Centre
We implement protocols for an enclosure location. It should be sited away from kitchen fumes, garages, and roads, as the fumes are toxic. Birds are very susceptible to smoke and toxins in the air.
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The Use of Ancient Coinage in Balinese Traditional Ceremonies
In November 2021, Eco Warriors were invited to get to know more about various types of uang kepeng and practice its use in cultural traditions in Bali.
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Fostering Creativity to Tackle Real World Challenges
In the Commercial Maths / Money theme, apart from learning about money itself, the students were also invited to care about and be sensitive to social issues that are relevant to the theme of money, one of them being poverty.
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Microchip Installation
In 2021, Begawan released three microchipped breeding pairs of Bali Starlings in Melinggih Kelod Village area.
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Developing Altruistic Thinking Through the Theme of ‘Commercial Math’
The Eco Warriors are learning about money in the ‘Commercial Math’ theme during October and November 2021. They work on activities ranging from researching the history of money to examining currencies and conversion to other countries’ currencies.
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The Wild Bird Pairs and Young Wild Birds for A Flock Release
The Foundation will release a flock of free-flying young wild birds in Banjar Bayad, Melinggih Kelod Village, in an area that is not part of the nesting area of the current pairs which are territorially protecting their own areas.
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Technology Integration in Everyday Learning
Begawan Learning Centre integrates learning technology beyond typing and assignments. In our specialised computer room, we have four iMacs, and a total of 18 tablets are also available for the students to use.
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Eco-Warrior Turning Organic Waste into Compost
Begawan Learning Centre collaborates with Adhi, who graduated in September 2021 from Udayana University specialising in Agriculture. He comes from our local village, Melinggih Kelod and focuses on developing organic plantations.
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Monitoring Bird Health
Begawan is committed to preserve the Bali Starling.
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Letter from an Eco Warrior: Surprise Gift on Saturday
Hello! My name is Nia. I’ve been studying at Begawan Foundation Learning Centre since 2020 before the pandemic.
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Raising Bali Starlings
Every day, Kadek prepares a variety of food items for our Bali Starlings, such as bean sprouts, carrots, papaya, crickets, mealworms to meet their nutritional needs and ensure the health of our birds.
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Letter from an Eco Warrior: Experience of Participating in a National Child Singer Talent Search
Hi, my name is Ni Luh Sri Apriliani. I am now in 4th grade at SD Negeri 2 Melinggih Kelod. I have been studying at Begawan Foundation Learning Centre since the 2nd grade of elementary school.
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The Unyielding Spirit of the Eco Warriors
Batakita, Buildings on our Land, is the final project of the theme, Dwellings. During the two months that the Eco Warriors studied this theme, they carried out a variety of activities relating to buildings, including making dioramas.
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Two Eco Warriors Join the National Child Singer Talent Search
Every child is born special and unique, every child is intelligent in his or her own field.
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Begawan Foundation’s Third Release in 2021
Begawan is actively breeding and releasing the Bali Starling since 1999.
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The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival
The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) is an annual literary festival held by the Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati in Ubud.
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Illegal Hunting Stop Signs Installation for Melinggih Kelod Village
The Bali Starling is a white bird with the iconic blue “eye mask”. The gentle and docile nature of these birds makes them a valuable and easy catch for poachers.
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A New Family Member
Every morning, Leo checks this pair on his property. He performs a ritual to call her and her partner by knocking on a bamboo wind bell while shouting her name. These two birds understand the sound of the bamboo wind bell and the calls made by Leo and they always fly and perch near him.
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Education Knows No Boundaries
Begawan Foundation Learning Centre is in Melinggih Kelod, a typical community village with rural customs, far enough from the hustle and bustle of the city, and where nature is still beautiful. Even though they live in a village, the children are enthusiastic to get an education.
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Letter from an Eco Warrior: Experience of Participating in a National Biology Competition
Hello my name is A. A. Istri Laksmi Pradnya Yanti, you can call me Gek Ami. I’m 11 now, but I’ll be 12 soon. I’m in 6th grade at SD Negeri 1 Melinggih. I live in Banjar Badung, Desa Melinggih. I don’t live in Desa Melinggih Kelod where the Learning Center is located, but I have been studying there for almost 4 years.
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Eco Warriors Preserve Balinese Art and Cultural Heritage
In the theme ‘Dwellings’, Eco Warriors were invited to recognize and preserve the cultural heritage that exists in the immediate environment where they live. One of the activities was to visit the local ‘Puri’ and ‘Pura’.
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Eco Warriors Design a Second Home
Every month, Eco Warriors learn a new theme. Throughout August and September 2021, they learned about ‘Dwellings’. Using the four pillars, with introspective, active, emotive and cognitive activities, students travelled to various parts of the world to identify different places to live.
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Translating The Senses of Taste and Hearing into Colour and Visuals
Eco Warriors at Begawan Foundation Learning Centre used taste and hearing as ‘color translator tools’, then they painted. They started by tasting a candy and then translated it into a color which they thought could represent the taste of the candy, putting what they imagined onto paper.
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The Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities is Not a Limitation on Quality Education
In early July 2021, the government announced the enforcement of restrictions on community activities. This situation made the staff of Begawan Foundation think on how to continue to provide quality education for Eco Warriors, and an idea was born to use the online space to bring together professionals from various regions with Eco Warriors.
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Letter from an Eco Warrior: A 4-Year Journey with Begawan Foundation
Hi, my name is Ni Putu Sri Cantika Maha Dewi. You can call me Cantika. I have been studying at Begawan Foundation since the time when the Learning Centre was still called Klub Lingkungan, approximately 4 years ago, in 2017.
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What to do prior to a Bali Starling Release
Begawan Foundation also ensures three identification tags are attached to the Bali Starlings that will be released into the wild.
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The Miracle of Rice Fields
From behind their face masks, we can see joy and happiness radiating from the eyes and faces of our Eco Warriors while learning in the rice fields. The full story of their activities can be read in the previous article.
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Eco Warriors’ Field Trip to a Rice Field
On July 22, 2021, the Eco Warriors, the name for students at Begawan Foundation Learning Centre, had the opportunity to enjoy a field trip to the rice fields in Banjar Bayad, about 1.3 kilometres from the centre.
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Eco-Warriors Food Festival :Eco Warriors ‘Showcase’ Their Learning
On June 29 – 30, 2021, the Eco Warriors organized a Food Festival as their final project in the Cooking Science theme. This activity was attended by a variety of guests, such as school teachers, parents, previous Begawan Foundation education staff, a team from Amandari Hotel & Resort, an international senior teacher, and several people who have supported the students’ education.
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Reaching for the Stars in the Sky – Begawan Foundation’s Students
On June 5, Eco Warriors – the name of Begawan Foundation Learning Centre students – attended an interior design workshop with Melati Danes Interior at Amandari Hotel & Resort.
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Letter from an Eco Warrior: Surprise Gift on Saturday
Hello! My name is Nia. I’ve been studying at Begawan Foundation Learning Centre since 2020 before the pandemic. During the pandemic, I diligently participated in ‘study at home’ with Begawan Foundation. I enjoy studying with the foundation.
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Eco Warriors Create a Variety of Rice Dishes
In a corner of Begawan Foundation Learning Centre, a small group of Eco Warriors worked together to make various Indonesian spices and herbs. They made nasi liwet (savory rice served with choko) and nasi uduk (steamed rice with coconut milk), a famous Javanese rice dish, creating appetizing dishes.
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Food Is Not Just About Eating
What do you think of when you first read the word ‘food’? Maybe you imagine a variety of delicious dishes. Maybe you imagine eating a meal with someone in a place with good food. Maybe you also remember the taste of food that you cannot forget.
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Utilization of Technology as Learning Media at Begawan Foundation
Begawan Foundation Learning Centre provides facilities for learning technology in its computer laboratory to improve the learning abilities of our Eco Warriors.
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Begawan Foundation’s Second Release in 2021
In order to realize our goal to see Bali Starlings flying freely in the wild, on June 22, 2021, we released a further two Bali Starlings at a community compound in Banjar Begawan, Melinggih Kelod, Payangan. This is the second release for 2021.
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Education for Eco-Warriors
Orientation activities, which began on May 2nd, coincided with National Education Day. We saw this as a good time to get to know the Eco-Warriors better. The education staff invited Eco-Warriors to let them know what education means for each of them. The results of their reflection are amazing.
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From Poacher to Keeper
One of our staff members, Kadek Sanjaya Winangun, who works at the foundation’s Breeding and Release Centre as the bird keeper, comes from the local community of Banjar Pengaji, Melinggih Kelod.
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Sharing Space with Bali Starlings
When you visit the Breeding and Release Centre, you can see a couple of wild Bali Starlings flying around freely. The sound of their singing will be like music to your ears, especially knowing that this species has struggled to live in the wild for many years now.
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Boosting Self-Confidence, Eco-Warrior Practice Their Interviews
To summarize their learning as well as to close the theme of “Growing in Bali”, on April 28-30 2021, the Eco-Warriors at the Begawan Foundation Learning Centre made a video coverage of interviews with each other. Their goal is to share the knowledge they have acquired with others.
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How We Take Good Care of Bali Starlings
Until now, Bali Starlings are still threatened with extinction. In conserving and maintaining the health of the birds at Begawan Foundation’s Breeding and Release Centre, we apply strict standards, from clean enclosures to intake of nutritious foods.
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The Spirit of Kartini Today at Begawan Foundation Learning Centre
Begawan Learning Centre also has the same spirit as Kartini, which is to provide equal rights for males and females, especially in the field of education. This is realised by the participation of girls in the Learning Centre. As many as 70% of our registered Eco-Warriors are female.
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Welcome to our Conservation and Education Centres in Melinggih Kelod!
Our Breeding and Release Centre is located at Banjar Begawan. Here, the Bali Starlings are taken care of by our bird keeping staff. The health of all birds is regularly checked, with vitamins given by our veterinarian, Made Sugiarta.
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Building Local Community is Key in Education and Conservation Work
By developing the local community in general, education and conservation work becomes easier. There is a synergy between the two and the connecting point is building the spirit within the local community so that they themselves want to educate and conserve the endangered animals in the future.
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Encouraging Curiosity, Eco-Warriors Learned How to Use A Microscope!
On March 21, 2021, under the theme ‘Growing in Bali’, the Eco-Warriors studied one of the topics, namely plant cells. The education staff invited the Eco-Warriors to observe the shape of carrot plant cells.
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Post-Release Monitoring Activities of the Bali Starlings
On Monday, 5 April 2021, the Begawan Foundation again released birds in Melinggih Kelod village, from one of the residents’ houses in Banjar Begawan. After evaluating this first release, two other pairs of Bali Starlings will be set free this year.
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A Letter from an Eco-Warrior
Hi, my name is I Gede Agus Eka Adi Putra. I have been studying at Begawan Foundation for about two years. I learned many things at Begawan Foundation, one of which is studying for the Science Olympics. I learned a lot of things with the Olympics lessons during this pandemic.
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Studying in the Forest to Recognise the Plants Growing in Bali
To get hands-on experience in their natural habitat, the Learning Centre invited Eco-Warriors to study at the Gianyar Botanical Garden. This place is a local forest located about 30 minutes from our centre. Parents of the Eco-Warriors escorted their children individually for safety due to the pandemic.
