What We Do

Yayasan Solemen Indonesia (SOLE MEN), an Indonesian registered non-profit Foundation, was formed October 2010 to raise awareness and provide funds to support accredited agencies and projects for the disadvantaged in Bali. Sole Man Robert declared his intention to be barefoot until SOLE MEN had raised $USD 1 million. The reason for being barefoot is “to be in solidarity with those who don’t have a choice to wear or not wear shoes”.
Sole Men‘s first ‘awareness’ 535km barefoot walk around Bali was not just a ‘walk’. The Sole Men held frequent health education checks and made presentations in schools, orphanages and villages together with a medical team from Anak Anak Bali (Bali Kids).  The Sole Men also taught  the children to be aware of and how to clean up their immediate environment.
The first series of barefoot walks was to ‘prove the concept’ for the Sole Men to then package and take to corporates for fundraising.
Sole Men achieved wide publicity for their first awareness campaign in a number of newspapers in Indonesia, UK and globally online. Coverage by four Indonesian TV stations - TVRI-Bali, Bali TV, Alam TV, and Bali’s ITN as well as UK’s ITV news channel and two Indonesian film companies including balitodayshow.com posting constant progress videos to YouTube.
Sole Men met with incredible kindness, humility and selflessness in teachers, villagers and communities. We learned the value of a smile and sympathy which meant so much especially as quite often they were in some pain from the roads. They learned to recognize where help is needed especially when making the health education presentations which were very eagerly received by the children. They learned and were reminded time and again that sharing is caring and that there is still so much that can be done in Bali, not only with health education but also environmental issues which of course impact on health for example the main reason for pollution being the burning of plastic which later causes cancer in the community.

Yayasan Solemen Indonesia funds printing and distribution of age appropriate basic health care manuals for poor children as well as leaflets for HIV prevention, awareness of alcoholism, drugs, and addiction and child safety and protection books with a free helpline. Sole Men organise  ’Sunday Funday’ events in different venues which are sponsored ‘fun days’ with food, drink, clowns, jugglers, musicians and a general great fun day outing for disadvantaged children.

Currently Sole Men are increasing the number of their charity collection boxes in various strategic locations around Bali.
FUTURE PLANS
  • Escort and assist Sri Lestari on her journey through Bali* whilst visiting targeted local disabled people http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/from-jakarta-to-bali-by-modified-motorbike-a-journey-to-inspire 
  • Expand our sustainable fundraising activities and partnerships
  • Continue our walks in Bali (next one planned for August 2013)
  • Plan for our proposed 2014 ‘Walking the Length of New Zealand alongside a team from www.mend.org.nz helping the disabled to become mobile. Our target will be to raise $US 500,000 in support of our sister Foundations