Physiotherapy Project in Bedulu

By Yvonne Toebosch-Joordens

I am from The Netherlands and studied Communication Management in The Hague. After graduation, I started working in Marketing and Communication for several companies. When I came to Bali as part of a trip trough Asia, my mother-in-law, Elsbeth Toebosch who is a physiotherapist in Holland, asked me to provide some structure to the physiotherapy project for disabled children she had started in Bedulu in conjunction with The WINS Project. I spent two months working in Bali and I loved it with all my heart.

Physiotherapy SessionAfter extended research with the local Balinese and seeing the poor hygienic conditions in which these children live, Elsbeth was convinced she could do something for them. Using her medical background, she trained a local physiotherapist and two assistants. The program is designed for children from birth to fourteen years old. The physiotherapist and assistants work with the children based on their individual needs. The program is conducted on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Some children come all three days. Others come only on one or two of the days.

There are currently twenty-one children receiving physiotherapy. The WINS Project wishes to increase the number of children that are served in the near future but the initial focus must be on the development of a proper treatment program that stresses professionalism on the part of the providers. For most children, it is the first time they have received physical therapy since their families are too poor to pay for it. The parents always accompany the children since one of the aims of the program is to teach the parents how they can help the children when they are at home. In this way, it will be a continuing process.

If one visits the Yayasan while the sessions are in progress, they can see, feel and hear that a physiotherapy program is alive and well in Bedulu. The children play enthusiastically. It is a lively atmosphere! It is wonderful to see them them interacting and to notice the progress that is being made.

The near-term goal is to get sponsors and other donors to fund the continuation of the physiotherapy project in Bedulu as well as starting a special education program which is so important to the future of these children. A solid structure that can be adapted at the other WINS Education Centers will be built and a network with other local organizations created so more can be achieved for this special group of children.