In the first week of the Bali Musicians Appeal, between 14 — 21 April, over AUD$4,800 has been raised directly from the public, over 1,000 kgs rice has been distributed to more than 200 families and those in need.

Donors come from Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and Switzerland.

The appeal was launched on April 14 by Graeme Storr and Michael Turner.

Graeme Storr has been living in Bali for 15 years, has gained an extraordinary position of trust in the Indonesian music industry and is fluent in Bahasa. In 2015 he founded and built The Orchard Bar & Restaurant, widely recognised as the best live music venue in Bali and the most popular for both international and local musicians to perform.

Michael Turner has been a digital strategist and entrepreneur since the mid-’90s. He is the founder and director of Eventfinda, an event marketing and ticketing platform in New Zealand, and the founder of Bali Holiday Secrets, a popular travel advice website with 40k users a month and 3k weekly newsletter subscribers.

The pair formed a partnership in 2019 around a vision for producing a series of music festivals in Bali. Those plans, along with the global events industry, have been put on hold until the live events sector recovers from the pandemic.

They decided to do something to help the musicians, artists and support staff who have all lost their jobs and incomes. Because there is no social safety net in Indonesia they saw a real need for raising money to buy food directly from wholesalers and get it distributed straight to the people who need it most in their local community.

By cutting out 3 levels of middlemen Graeme and Michael believe they are making the most efficient use of donations.

Buying directly from the markets and wholesalers instead of the big multi-national owned supermarket chains means the markup normally charged by retailers is avoided. Not only that, but the spending directly contributes to the local community again with those people in turn buying goods and services in the local communities.

By using The Orchard as a base for collecting and sorting deliveries, the appeal doesn’t need to pay intermediaries. Graeme and Rheta, a well-known local musician, are receiving, sorting and distributing all the aid themselves.

And by taking donations directly through The Orchard website, the appeal avoids paying the commissions earned by charity platforms which can dilute donations.

Michael is putting his skills and experience to work by building and maintaining the donation system and a donor wall showcasing all the kind and generous people who have contributed to the appeal, along with communications and marketing activities to keep the donations rolling in.

We have provided essential food and dry-goods to over 500 families, helping to feed over 2,000 people who don’t have a social safety net to fall back on and have seen their entire economy decimated by the global pandemic.

So far the Bali Community Appeal sourced and distributed:

• 2450kg of rice
• 250kgs of carrots
• 150 kgs garlic
• 250kgs tomato
• 250kgs Oranges
• 250 pieces Tempe
• 4970 Eggs
• 250kg sugar
• 451 Ltrs oil
• 560kg cabbage
• 250kgs green bean
• 490 x 25tea bags
• 490 x 12 coffee sachets
• 490 x 500ml soap
• 490 cans Milk

See some of the people we have distributed aid to.

Love and respect,
Graeme, Uncle and The Orchard Family