Michael Pate’s journey of service and compassion spans decades and continents. In 2003, after his children had grown, Michael left his home in San Diego, where he had worked for many years as a Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and earned a Master’s in Public Health. Driven by a desire to help those most in need, he began volunteering with Doctors Without Borders in Angola, Africa. This experience ignited a lifelong commitment to global humanitarian work, taking him to some of the poorest and most underdeveloped regions of the world, rarely returning to the United States. Michael is also a veteran of the United States Army and Afghanistan and Vietnam war experience.
In 2006, Michael arrived in Bali, Indonesia, where fate would change his life. While volunteering on a sailboat providing medical aid, he met Ni Pande Putu Etiartini. Putu had dedicated herself to helping the street children of Denpasar, and together they began seeking out and supporting the most disadvantaged children. With little money and no formal plans, Michael and Putu followed these children through the streets, day and night, providing help wherever they could. Slowly, they gained the children’s trust and learned about their lives, struggles, and dreams.
The children’s primary wish was simple: to go to school. Michael and Putu started Saturday afternoon classes on the beach. Many children attended weekly, learning to read, while Michael and Putu also provided access to medical care, surgeries, clothing, and food. One night, several nine-year-old children asked if they could stay at Michael and Putu’s private home, which is now Denpasar Children’s Home. They agreed, giving the children a safer place to sleep—on basic mattresses, but far better than sleeping on the streets. Over time, more children came to stay, and Michael and Putu found ways to provide them with a home, food, beds, medical care, schooling, and emotional support.
What began as a simple effort to help children access education and safe shelter grew into a fully licensed nonprofit organization: Yayasan Kasih Peduli Anak (YKPA), officially licensed in 2007 and known as the Bali Street Kids Project. Today, YKPA provides a safe home for 45 children and continues to grow. Over the years, since 2009, nearly 500 children have been supported, including not only former street children but also disabled children, orphans, abandoned children, girls seeking education, women and their children in need of protection, and children traveling from far away for medical care. The organization also runs extracurricular activities, self-esteem programs, and classes taught by local teachers and international volunteers.
Michael and Putu’s work extends beyond their homes. They manage transportation to school and activities with cars and motorbikes, provide medical care and surgeries, and constantly maintain their buildings. They also run an informal school for street children in Kuta called the Bambu School, provide food to street children, and have started training programs for mothers to earn income through making dolls known as Bali Dolls. Michael and Putu regularly travel to remote villages, delivering food, clothing, and necessities, and helping children in critical situations.
Michael and Putu are also involved in emergency response. When a volcano in Bali threatened thousands of people, including children, Putu repeatedly drove into danger zones to evacuate children at the request of their parents. Currently, they temporarily host 70 children, in addition to the children who reside at YKPA, ensuring continued education and care during crises. Michael also has experience from a similar situation in Yogyakarta in 2006, when a major volcanic earthquake caused significant loss of life, contributing to the organization’s emergency preparedness.
Throughout their journey, Michael and Putu rely on small donations from visitors to Bali, local expats, and supporters worldwide. YKPA also generates income through the sale of local handmade crafts to help pay staff salaries. Despite the scale of their work, neither Michael nor Putu take a salary, living simply on-site from donor contributions to be fully present for the children.
Their partnership strengthens the organization, as they manage daily operations, fundraising, and community engagement. Michael provides IT support, medical assistance, and building maintenance, while Putu fulfills multiple roles: founder, manager, fundraiser, caregiver, designer, contractor, and the creative force behind YKPA’s programs.
Putu’s dedication also extends internationally. She has represented YKPA at fundraisers and events in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Australia, performed Balinese dance, and worked as an international aid worker in Nepal following the 2015 earthquake. She has climbed the highest volcanoes in Bali and Lombok several times to raise funds and awareness for YKPA, while continuing to oversee operations even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, Michael returned to San Diego for urology surgery, with Putu assisting in his recovery. During this time, Michael petitioned for her Adjustment of Status, supporting her ambition to pursue a CNA degree to work and learn to serve the elderly. They continue to expand YKPA’s impact, supporting children and women in Bali, providing education, medical care, shelter, and a brighter future for those most in need.
Michael Pate’s life is a testament to the power of compassion, resilience, and global citizenship. From the streets of Denpasar to remote villages across Indonesia, his story shows what can be achieved when dedication meets love, partnership, and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need. Today, Michael has returned to full-time work in his medical profession and, together with Putu, is building a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States called Join With Us International
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