Bali: Disaster Strikes, Again

For the second time in 3 years, the Indonesia island of Bali has been hit by terrorism. In 2002, a large explosive was detonated in the busy tourist center Kuta Beach, killing 202 people, mostly Australians. This time, suicide bombers walked into 3 crowded restaurants, blowing themselves up and taking with them over 20 people, injuring many others, most of them Indonesians.

It's too soon to tell what the affect will be on Bali's thriving tourist economy. But if the past is any indication, things will not go well. Like the aftermath of 9/11 and the Bali bombings in 2002, the Balinese economy will suffer, perhaps irreparably. The people of Bali who depend on toursim for their livliehoods will pay the price.

As many of you know, I advocate cause marketing as a means to align your business with your values. I've been involved in poverty projects for the past few years through Global Initiative to Advance Entrepreneurship (GIVE).

I just returned from Bali last month, having met with several program partners to initiate a handuful of projects based on GIVE's mission that self-initiative throught entrepreneurship is the most effective and sustainable means to lift people out of poverty.

I was pleased to find that Bali had fully recovered from the economic disaster of 2002, when tourists fled the island in the wake of the last bombing. I was also happy that GIVE's first success story, my friend Ketut Sukadana, was thriving as a local tour guide, made possible largely due to a GIVE service grant that provided him with business and marketing training.

Now, the future is bleak. Again, Bali must consider alternatives to an economy overly dependant on tourism.

GIVE's dedication to Bali remains unchanged. GIVE will continue on the path of working with individuals and organizations dedicated to the economic advancement of Indonesia. Our goal is to create a powerful culture of entrepreneurship in Bali that sets a positive example for the rest of the region. We hope to make Bali a centerpiece of GIVE's work in Asia -- a springboard for our future work in Vietnam, Thailand, and India.

Visit GIVE's blog to learn about GIVE's mission, history and global projects.

If you want to get involved, learn about GIVE's Marketers Without Borders program.