Let’s change the world
together
one island at a time
With our programs, we are proud to combine both your wellness and the wellness of the islanders.
For every program purchased, Julie gives back to the island some of the magic it has given her.
Soraya Foundation's Founders
Soraya Foundation is a private, non-profit organization located on Gili Air. It is nested in this well-known, beautiful white sand island where cars and motorcycles are banned —the local community is joyous, and kids can roam around the island freely.
The goal as a non-profit/ non-governmental organization is to generate funds and organize educational and environmental projects for Gili Air.
Our mission as a foundation is to provide education for the people, and the future generations of Gili Air, to inspire and ignite the spirit of the community with the love of sharing, learning, and living. Through this, the island will thrive as a united community where humble nature and innovation flourish.
Education on Gili Air
English
Mahatma Ghandi’s quote, “Be the change you want to be in the world,” has grown wings.
Being in the middle of a touristy island isn’t a guarantee that the primary school gets all it needs to face the fast-changing environment. English language classes aren’t included in the school curriculum. Thus, Soraya Foundation ensures English is taught in the local primary school, by having a dedicated teacher on the island, and offering an hour-long class on Saturday morning, free of charge, for all children who wish to attend.
Music
“Music education can help spark a child’s imagination or ignite a lifetime of passion.”
We started all our music classes by wondering what could bring more magic into these kids’ lives. Extra-curricular is an alien term for them. When we brought in music instructors to teach them how to play a set of Angklung, their faces lightened up. Soraya Foundation acknowledges how music creates ambiance, boosts creativity and confidence. With all the benefits of learning how to play music and merely its presence, we hope that it will bring us closer together.
Circus
For a few years our friend Marge organized a circus show at the local primary school with the Pirates Retreat team, circus pros who regularly come to Gili Air. The kids loved it so much and wished to learn circus skills. This was the first requested workshop we facilitated for the local children, and we gladly made it a regular one. We dare to dream that our kids will transform from being audience members to be performers.
On the 8th of August 2018 Lombok got hit by a 7.0 devastating earthquake. There were 381 fatalities, 1400 injured, and over 300,000 displaced and homeless. We teamed up with the talented @thefierypixies and launched a trauma recovery and moving-on program to raise funds and to help the people heal.
100 Hoops for Lombok
To help the children that have been affected by the 2018 earthquake, NGOs continue to show their support. The Train of Joy was created after the earthquake to provide trauma relief programs and emergency educational services.
CircusAid, founded by Jill Maglio, travels the world to support the relief from mental anguish while helping build resilience through engagement in circus arts. They have been in Lombok since January to support in trauma healing after the earthquakes.
We at Soraya Foundation and our volunteers have and continue to raise donations, we provide support in education and provide weekly sessions of circus classes to aid in trauma relief.
Swimming lessons
Soraya Foundation began offering regular swimming lessons for moms in 2020 in order to help them to become confident in the water and master an essential life skill for those who live on a small island in the middle of the ocean. We believe through developing independence in the water, these women will develop confidence, self-esteem, resilience, and hopefully be able to keep themselves and their children safe during emergency situations. In partnership with @sustairnable.
Zero Waste Gili
Zero waste is an important topic that continues to inspire. The term represents a goal, something to strive for. It is the dream of the Gili Air community to make the island the first zero waste island.
What is zero waste?
We might have different thoughts about what zero waste is. However, we can agree that we all have the same goal—to conserve natural resources and to prevent waste from entering landfills, incinerators and the oceans. These days a lot of trash doesn’t even make it to the landfill, It falls on the side of the roads and most ends up in the ocean.
In partnership with the Gili Shark Conservation, we inspire businesses and private households on the island to make a difference, supporting the zero waste living ideology. To get the Gili Green stamp, one must become a water refill station, ditch the plastic straws, use plastic-free packaging for take away, and join the plastic free paradise movement.
Parallel to that, we’re working together with engineers and scientists that are completing research, measuring the island’s water and waste management.
Permaculture
At Flow Gili Air, we live Off the grid, powered by solar energy, water recycled and reused to water the gardens, these are just a couple of examples of permaculture methods. The permaculture ethics, and principles are based around extensive food forests, medicinal plants, an annual market garden, an animal system that rotates, edible street trees collection, etc.
We raise our own chickens, have a nutritional garden, we harvest fresh herbs, and eat our own vegetables, from farm-to-table. We are closing in on net zero living, we live on solar, reuse our gray water, and have a responsible trash management system separating organics from plastics. We’re also working towards reducing trash production thanks to our chicken – worm – BSF farm.
Planting Tree
Meet Suparman – the man behind Suparman Pizza and Gili Trawangan’s own tree-planting superhero! In the last year Suparman has moved the community to help him fulfill his mission to plant oxygen all across the island. To date, the community has planted over 5,000 trees and he has big plans for more.
