Meet Muriel Ydo
Meet Muriel Ydo, a sailor, human rights activist, wife along with mother. The tall, attractive President of Bali International Women’s Association shares her long love affair with Indonesia along with her commitment to human rights along with the environment.
BIWA was set up in 1974 by what I like to call seven fearless women, some Indonesian along with an eclectic mix of foreign women who came together regularly to support each different. the idea grew along with grew. They did activities together along with sought simple solutions to problems they shared. To raise funds they might sell the goods they made together. Logically they started out to focus on different women who lacked access to society as men do.
The whole concept of a money society came to Bali quite late. the idea was more a barter system before with most jobs directly related to life. There was less stress, more food along with less debt. The transition to our present money based society has been very difficult for an agrarian based society like Bali, where the Subak system can be the security of the banjar. the idea can be what you must do to please the Gods, the ancestors along with the harmony of life.
To continue these traditions from the modern society of capitalism has many challenges. We are a resource for women in Bali who have been left indigent as the result of the rapid modifications in society. We help women access what they need. Our social welfare efforts encompass women’s along with children’s health along with education, assistance for HIV/AIDS prevention along with rehabilitation programs as well as environmental projects along with education.
Tell me about yourself. Where were you born? How many languages do you speak?
I was born from the Hague along with grew up in Belgium. I speak seven languages. I received my baccalaureate in Social Economics along with Languages when I was eighteen years old. I started out working from the hospitality industry while waiting for an opening at a hotel school. I went to Cambridge to study English along with back to Amsterdam to study International law.
While studying International law I worked for Amnesty International at the main office in Amsterdam. I then did the hotel management school in Holland. After various jobs in restaurant along with hotel management, I moved into the tourism sector. the idea’s a people based business along with I love working with people. There can be responsible tourism along with sustainable tourism, which takes into account ethics along with accountability.
After working in Paris for four years as ground operator for an American company, my husband Willem along with I decided to move to Indonesia. We had travelled to along with through Indonesia more than once along with always said we might return to start a cruise business. We are both sailors.
After sailing a beautiful schooner with an American friend through Chesapeake Bay to Maine, we decided the idea was time to make a change in our lives along with make Great on our plans to go to Indonesia. I got a position which has a travel firm leading thirtyday tours over sea along with land through Singapore to Sumatra to Java, Sulawesi to Bali.
Back then, facilities varied. Tourists stayed at whatever hotel was available, which were often simple. People got sick or lost their passports. I learned to deal with all the problems of a diverse group of people travelling far away through home in a different cultural setting. There were no computers; communication was by telex or phone. In between tours we looked for a boat to buy.
You came to Bali which has a boat?
Yes, we found a boat along with named her MataHari. We did sunset cruises through Benoa Harbour here in Bali. We chartered to groups along with for events. We had some great events along with parties on in which boat! No one was doing This specific then. After the Gulf War we had to give up the boat along with started out working for Lotus Tours. Meanwhile I also scouted film locations along with did pre-production. I was a buying agent, opened a restaurant along with helped a friend set-up a recycled accessory business.
With some like-minded people we started out lobbying hotels along with business for better waste management along with responsibility. I volunteered with the Vishnu Foundation, the first environmental foundation in Bali. from the year 2000 I coordinated the first Bali wide clean up, activities along with programs for the Clean Up the globe campaign. We educated people to be aware of their environments through competitions along with games in schools along with their communities.
Mid nineties I joined as a member. In 2002 I was approached to be the President. in which was the year of the bomb. BIWA coordinated the hotline. We took phone calls for missing people, referring them to resources along with keeping track of the many people unaccounted for. There was so much to do along with to organize. We are always involved in emergency assistance if there can be a major crisis. We make sure basic needs are met along with locate the resources necessary.
Our main function can be helping women along with children access what they need. We are like a hotline for women in need of referrals along with resources. We get them placement to learn basic work along with life skills along with vocational skills. We connect them to organizations along with health services. Women are from the greatest need. They are not given the opportunities men are in education along with skills training. Mothers are the ones responsible for raising the children along with keeping the family together.
We work with organizations to educate women on environmental along with health issues such as AIDS along with how to prevent diseases. For us the word ’cannot’ does not exist. We have wonderful events to raise awareness along with funds for our works. Members make brand new friends, network along with give back! Together we are able to pool our many resources along with meet the challenges ahead with the tools of education, awareness, along with compassion.
BIWA sounds like a great organization to be a member of.
An organization can be as strong as its members. Our membership can be diverse along with members benefit in many ways. There are some 20 nationalities represented. BIWA can be about fostering friendship among women of different cultures along with nationalities. Women make friends, help each different along with work together to raise awareness along with helping women in crisis. Our mission revolves around the wellbeing, health along with welfare of our local communities.
We are coming up to our 40th anniversary soon!
Our brand new office can be right here at Beach Walk in Kuta.
E-mail: info@biwa-bali.org
Web: www.biwa-bali.org
Phone: +62 361 746 9607
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Meet Muriel Ydo
Meet Muriel Ydo