Iwayan Astawan
Bali is known world wide for its creative people and culture. Often the locals are poor in the sense they have little money. Iwayan Isatawan is from a small village in The Klung Kung District of Bali.
He had several jobs, one in the artistic town of Ubud as a caretaker for small rooms for tourists, another time he had a job is a gallery and also worked as a bartender.
By looking at pictures he learn to paint.
Then he moved to village near Ubud and learnt how to make wooden handicrafts such as masks, jerderdoos, boomerangs, and rain stick all of an aboriginal style. As thedfe were many orders for these products after a year he decided to make his own business at his home in Klung Kung.
He found workers near his hometown village, and eventually got orders from art shops in Ubud. Soon his staff of five could not keep up with the orders from the Ubud shops, so he got more workers from Java and he then applied for government money from his village. They gave sponsors which was free exhibition space, ect in Jakarta, included room hotel for a week, and money for expenses.
But thee was only a a few orders the first time in Jakarta, about $250 worth.
This was good experience but the next year the government did not offer sponsser and he had to pay for after that.
The 2nd time in Jakarta he got an order from Arab customer from Saudi Arabia for about $1200.
Wayan maked about 350 $ profit on this as he offered the Arab as special primatial deal.
He continually gets other orders from Ubud as well as looking for more business. Once again he went to Jakarta, the third visit but he did did not get any business. But still had a little business from art shops in Ubud.
On his 4th visit to Jakarta he got some orders from an America customer who ordered $1,200 of products with a deposit of 50%.
Wayan made everything and sent to the products to the United States making about a $450 profit.
The American placed another order for about $2300 which went alright and consequently he ordered a third time for the amount of $2800 with a 30% deposit.
Wayan sent the order but because the American paid late the balance three months prevosuely Iwayan delayed the order, bu
The American made another order about $7000 depositing about 10% but because he was late paying last time Iwayan was nervous about the deal and made the order late, about one week. Meanwhile he had borrowed $3400 from the bank.
The American then came to Bali and set up a meeting with Wayan at a restraunt. He explained to Wayan that he lost customer and was angry as the shipment arrived late. He then refused to pay the balance owed and told Wayan to leave the restaurant.
Wayan never since received money and then owed money to the bank and consequently his business fell apart.
In last one and half years he has been coming to the port village of Pandagbai where I met him selling jewelry on the beach to tourist. Iwayan while on beach thought about making boxes for shipping and desighned a saw. For cutting logs. Cousin works in this field and coopied the design. He made it for about $200 using second had things.
