With everything Ratu did, he tried to give people’s lives a positive turn. This continues today by creating facilities that have a positive influence on our lives and the life of the people in Bali. A charity and a micro finance cooperative were already established some years ago.
Yayasan Ratu Bagus Telaga Mas
Before Ratu died, Ratu expressed that he wanted the Ashram to be held by a charity, (Yayasan) to safeguard the Ashram and his lifetime work.
Therefore the charity Yayasan Ratu Bagus Telaga Mas was set up to support the continuation of Ratu’s mission and vision. It is based in the ashram and led by long term senior shakers. This charity (Yayasan RBTM) is a legal entity regulated by Indonesian law. None of the members of the Yayasan can personally benefit from the Yayasan activities.
First of all Yayasan RBTM supports the Ratu Bagus Bioenergetic Shaking practice to help people to change their life to a happier, healthier and more prosperous life. Therefore it maintains all the non-accommodation parts and temples in the ashram. The Yayasan RBTM also supports other Ratu Bagus ashrams in Indonesia.
Besides this, the Yayasan RBTM will continue Ratu’s work to support people in social need, to support cultural and religious events and help with education.
Not everybody in Bali has 3 meals a day or access to a basic provision such as health care. There are many old and poor people living around the ashram. They get support from the Yayasan RBTM in different forms. Sometimes food packages are handed out, occasionally a sick person is supported, a donation is given for a funeral, school supplies and so on.
The Yayasan RBTM facilitates the local Muncan female community to come to the ashram for practising gamelan and Balinese dancing. There is also a children gamelan band. These bands perform regularly at ceremonies.
The Yayasan RBTM also helps with schooling and organises e.g. English classes for the local children.
If you would like to support the Ashram, you can make a donation to Yayasan. Details can be found here.
Koperasi Konsumen Sedana Giri Murti
For Ratu, our spiritual growth is the most important, but because he was aware that many of his Balinese students and also some from the West face financial difficulties, he became involved in systems that can solve this problem over time.
The ‘Koperasi’ (cooperative) is an initiative in Indonesia that is certified by the Government. There are many such cooperatives across the country. Ratu’s Koperasi is set up by himself and is led by the Balinese in the ashram according to the requirements of the Government, which does regular monitoring. The original Indonesian name for it is ‘Giri Murti’, which can be translated as ‘Powerful Circles’. It is a self-governing social capital fund. The Koperasi already has many members. It is essentially a form of micro credit finance which is of great importance for the Balinese. The Koperasi offers the Balinese – including those who are not affiliated with Ratu – a way to take out small loans for their business or for their family. It can, for example, be used ‘simply’ to buy a cow, or for a wedding or a cremation ceremony (many Balinese people cannot pay for a cremation).
The Koperasi Board holds regular meetings with the members to decide which projects will be funded and to discuss problems or other issues. The Koperasi is a non-profit organization. It is led by the members themselves, any profits are divided among the members, everything according to the rules of the local branch of the Government.
