The BIMC Hospital Group and the ROLE Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing their collaboration to provide health education to women from low-income families, witnessed by Western Australian Senator Glenn Sterle, Chair of the Senate Legislation Rural, Regional Affairs and Transport Committee. With the intention to contribute to a healthier Bali, BIMC Hospital Group is convinced that supporting the ROLE Foundation’s program for women education, Bali WISE, will make a difference.
“As a healthcare facility with highly qualified doctors and nurses, health education is a vital part of our services to the people in Bali. Even if we can’t reach everyone with our services, our corporate social responsibility activities allow us to widen the audience and increase the impact we make,” explained Craig Beveridge, Chief Executive Officer BIMC Hospital Group. “With Bali WISE we have found the right partner for our efforts.”
As one of the programs of Nusa Dua-based ROLE Foundation, founded by Australian Mike O’Leary, Bali WISE’s vision is to break the poverty cycle through women’ and girls’ skills education by providing free education, job skills and employment opportunities to women in need. BIMC Hospital is now the new medical partner for health-related education in the curriculum.
Bali WISE releases approximately 200 ready-to-work women every year. Nurturing the women with basic skills as reading, writing, English language, personal hygiene, health and office skills, the program also provides vocational skills supported by hotels, spas and other business institutions. “90% of our graduates find work immediately, either with our Project Partners or through their own connections,” said Liza Dawn, Chief Operating Officer of Bali WISE. “Individuals and organisations like Bali International Women’s Association (BIWA) regularly approach us to source staff from our recent graduates” she added.
Senator Glenn Sterle witnessed the ceremony as part of his information visit collecting first hand insights regarding the medical infrastructure in Bali, the most popular travel destination for Western Australians abroad. Being strongly involved in social community development programs in Western Australia himself, heemphasized how important education was in order to achieve real change.
Kicking off the collaboration shortly after signing the MoU, BIMC Hospital provided a seminar on“Women and Family Health” to over 20 young underprivileged women, students of Bali WISE programs. The seminar which took place at the BIMC Hospital in Nusa Dua, was led by Dr Meike Magnasofa, the Medical Director of the BIMC Hospital in Kuta. The topic drew extra attention which led to many questions asked by the attendants. “It was a successful class, the students enthusiastically wanted to know and learn more. This was exactly what we wanted it to be.” said Dr Meike Magnasofa.