The environment has become a victim of this poor planning and uncertainty. Recently, commitments to environmental information gathering, dissemination and action seem to be evaporating, drifting on the winds of change. Environmental issues have become marginalized in public discourse as the government, business sector and community focus on democratization from a social-political perspective. Especially when environmental or pollution problems require financial responsibility, it is becoming more and more difficult to secure public support.

In this new era, where transparency, accountability and community participation in programs and project implementation have become both increasingly possible and necessary, the need is urgent to empower communities to take their own positions and advocate their own actions with regards to the environment. We believe that all citizens – be they government officials, businesspeople, university staff and students, or community members – need to be offered an opportunity to participate according to their own unique roles and capabilities.

A community empowered to recognize and understand environmental issues is a community equipped to speak out independently in support of the environment. Environmentally conscious and committed communities will be able to take advantage of new laws, such as UULH No.23/1998, which gives citizens the right to bring polluters to the courts. Community education and independence will drive the development of civil society towards sustainability. Civil society will then be positioned to become the major actor maintaining the crucial balance of power between the new government, chosen by the people through the parties in legitimate elections, and local communities.

To support this agenda, the Bali FOKUS foundation has been established as a not-for-profit institution that will promote the dissemination of information about environmental management and pollution issues to the broader community. The main focus will be on nurturing efforts that see culture and nature as one ecological unit, and that recognize the correlation between the quality of life within communities – both for individuals and collectives – and the state of the environment.

Bali FOKUS will work to develop the community's independence and autonomy in regards to environmental management. Bali FOKUS will also reflect community solidarity and a shared commitment to active participation in working towards sustainable development.

VISION, MISSION AND VALUES OF BALI FOKUS

Vision:

To become a result-oriented organization with a long-term view, working to secure the ecology in collaboration with all stakeholders.

Mission :

To work towards sustainable improvement in environmental conditions in community and tourism areas.
To focus on continual concrete corrective actions in environmental management and public policy through increasing public environmental awareness and undertaking empowerment programs.
To concentrate our programs and activities on the root causes of environmental degradation.
To conserve local cultural values that support environmental management.
To promote alliances and partnerships with other environmental NGOs in Bali , Indonesia and abroad in order to pursue common interests.

Values:
- Sustainability
- Credibility
- Common sense
- Transparency and accountability
- Development of program activities in a participatory manner
- Commitment to an approach that is at once critical, fair and balanced
- Consistency in our attention to issues

ORGANIZATION

Bali FOKUS consists of a Board of Trustees and an Executive Board. The Executive Board functions as the decision-making body for activities and programs, which are then led by a Coordinator, with the support of the Team Leaders of several Task Forces.

ACTIVITIES

The commitments and principles of Bali FOKUS will be shared through a series of efforts including:

Regular publications and information dissemination
Formulation of concepts as inputs for policy makers
Monitoring of public (state) expenditures
Training activities to increase the community's capacity to undertake independent environmental management
Implementation of necessary actions for environmental management
To accomplish its goals, Bali FOKUS will work in collaboration with all stakeholders.
INITIAL PROGRAMS

Some of the initial programs of Bali FOKUS are:

The BALI BERSIH (Clean Bali) program – working together with local stakeholders and sponsors, including several airlines, Matamera Communications, Salvador Bali advertising agency, and other corporations, in collaboration with the related government offices as well as the recycling business actors.
The NGO-Business Environmental Partnership (NGO-BEP) Program in areas of:
The cleaner production program for small and medium scale batik dyeing manufacturer.
Environmental Management for hotels

FOUNDING MEMBERS

David Kuper – CHAIRMAN - chemist, environmental consultant
Anak Agung Raka Dalem – biologist, Udayana University lecturer
Gde Ngurah Surya Anaya - veterinarian, HIV/AIDS activist
Yuyun Ilham – environmental management specialist, environmental activist
Michell Togasa – artist, graphic designer

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Coordinator : Yuyun Ilham

Bali FOKUS is OPEN to anyone who shares our concern and commitment to the improvement of the environment as an ecological entity.