Reni: A Little Light from the Streets of Kuta

 Reni Before 

 

Beneath the glittering night lights of Kuta, alive with the laughter of partying tourists and the clinking of street music, a small five-year-old girl slowly walked along the sidewalk. Her feet were bare, her clothes worn out, and her eyes were clear but silent. Her name was Reni. In her hand, she tightly held the hand of her older brother, Made, while in their mother’s arms, their baby sibling slept soundly. Nights like these were spent offering woven bracelets to tourists or simply extending tiny hands in hopes of receiving a few coins.

Life never gave Reni the chance to choose. All she knew was to walk, to survive, and to stay silent.

But one night, those small steps caught the attention of a woman named Ibu Putu Etiartini, the founder of YKPA Foundation. She didn’t just see… she felt. Something touched her heart when she looked at quiet little Reni. From that moment, she would often come with ice cream, wrapped rice meals, or simply an unjudging smile. Gently, she would ask in Balinese who Reni was and where her father had gone. The answer was simple, yet heartbreaking: their father had passed away when they were very young. Their mother, a strong woman, kept fighting on her own, even after remarrying… carrying the weight of a large extended family that never seemed to shrink.

When YKPA opened a free school in Denpasar for street children, Reni and Made were picked up from Kuta. Among dozens of children, Reni stood out the most. Her silence held an incredible eagerness to learn. But not long after, it was discovered that both Reni and Made had hearing difficulties. Untreated childhood infections had left holes in their eardrums. Only after receiving proper medical care and treatment did the once-quiet world begin to open up, and slowly, their smiles began to bloom.

Feeling called, Ibu Putu asked their mother for permission to care for Reni and Made at the YKPA children’s home. There, they didn’t just find shelter, they were given something they had never truly had before: a full, meaningful name. On the streets, they had only been referred to by rough nicknames like “Bitter” or “Sweet.” Now, Ibu Putu gave them official, complete names documented in birth certificates. With that, a new hope was born: Reni Puspitasari and Made Ana Puspa Yoga.

Years passed. Reni grew into a 17-year-old girl…. sweet, smart, and full of dreams. She wants to become an entrepreneur and dreams of studying and working abroad, perhaps in Australia. Made, her brother, graduated high school in 2025 and now works at a hotel in Bali while continuing his studies at an open university. Both of them have grown with soft hearts and strong minds.

But beyond the walls of the YKPA home, their mother’s life remained a struggle. She kept giving birth… child number 10, then 11. Her other children were still brought to the streets to beg. Her current husband, a widower from a village with three children from a previous marriage, merged two large families into one small home. Now, more than a dozen children… some biological, some step-siblings, live in poverty, not due to lack of love, but due to circumstances beyond control.

Seeing this reality, Ibu Putu stepped in once again. She spoke with the whole family, respectfully and with love… suggesting that their mother undergo a medical procedure to stop further pregnancies, a loving step to protect the children already born. With the help of a dedicated volunteer, Kadek Yuli, they found a doctor willing to help. The surgery, which cost four million rupiah, was generously covered by a kind donor named “ Mr. Ian,” who now continues to sponsor Reni’s education and has become a light in her life.

Now, Reni and Made live surrounded by warmth, education, and new hope at YKPA. They are no longer the forgotten children on the corners of Kuta’s streets, they are symbols of what can happen when someone cares enough to stop and truly see.

 Reni Now 17 year Old