TENTANG KAMI
Perjalanan Kami
Cerita kami dimulai di sebuah taman dekat Sungai Ayung di Bali, tempat mata air suci muncul dari tanah, dan penduduk desa menelusuri garis keturunan mereka ke tiga orang bijak, atau Begawantha, yang mendirikan ashram di dalam hutan. Debora dan Bradley T. Gardner pertama kali menemukan tempat yang memikat ini saat piknik pada tahun 1980-an.
Secara bertahap, keluarga Gardner mengakuisisi delapan hektar tanah di perbukitan Desa Begawan. Selama beberapa tahun, mereka merancang taman air, membangun kebun sayur dan kolam ikan, menanam ribuan pohon, dan membangun peristirahatan kelas dunia. Sejak pembukaannya pada tahun 1999, Begawan Giri Estate menjadi tolok ukur baru untuk kemewahan tropis dan keramahan di Bali.
Properti
The Estate was composed of five individual residences. Each was created with a unique architectural style and landscaping, and inspired by one of five elements found in Balinese Hinduism.
The Gardners were involved with every aspect of the construction and design of the residences and their interiors, together with Malaysian architect Cheong Yew Kuan.
The first of the residences built was Bayugita, completed in 1995. Bayugita, meaning ‘Wind Song’, was built of a local stone called paras pila. The inspiration and design of both wood and stone carvings came from Nusa Penida.
Tirta Ening, meaning ‘Clear Water’, was inspired by Japan. At the entrance were lily ponds. The living and dining area was surrounded by a fish-filled water garden, and the master bedroom opened to its own waterfall and gardens.
Tejasuara, ‘Sound of Fire’, was inspired by the island of Sumba, from where 1,200 tons of stone were shipped to build the residence. This took ten months, and fifty trucks waited at the port to transport the stone to Begawan Giri Estate.
Wanakasa, ‘Forest in the Mist’, was designed to resemble a tree house. The residence was constructed around a group of holy trees where offerings were placed daily, and featured nine-metre tall Binkerei poles from Kalimantan.
Umabona, ‘House of the Earth Son’, was inspired by Indonesia’s Majapahit dynasty, which ruled in the 13th and 14th centuries. It featured an internal swimming pool overflowing to a 20 metre pool below.
The Kudus House, one of two restaurants in the Estate, was a finely carved Javanese structure dating to the 1880s, which the Gardners purchased in Kudus in Java. The restaurant, with views of the Ayung River, served traditional Indonesian dishes.
Begawan Biji was the Estate's restaurant, with a view down across the vegetable gardens to the Ayung Valley. Guests could sit at the counter of the open kitchen and watch dishes being prepared.
Tirta Empul, a holy spring flowing from the hillside, became the source for the Water Gardens, which were constructed over three years to create natural swimming pools, surrounded by fern palms, along with 2500 hardwood trees planted throughout the gardens.
At the Estate’s Spa, The Source, guests explored healing rituals from Indonesia, in garden ‘bales’ near a waterfall, each with an outside bath and shower.
In addition to eight hectares of completely private hillside, gardens, and forest, the Gardners preserved the Estate’s breathtaking views for guests by leasing 3.5 hectares of surrounding farmland.
Hanya tiga tahun setelah pembukaannya, pada tahun 2002 Begawan Giri Estate dinobatkan sebagai No. 1 di Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards Top 100 “Best of the Best”. The Source juga dianugerahi “Best Overseas Hotel Spa of the Year” pada tahun yang sama.
Jauh sebelum kesuksesan ini diraih, keluarga Gardner telah memulai upaya pengembangan komunitas yang kelak menjadi warisan mereka.
Yayasan
Yayasan Begawan didirikan pada tahun 2001 dengan visi untuk melayani kebutuhan masyarakat di Bali, khususnya di Kecamatan Melinggih Kelod, melalui pendidikan, konservasi, dan layanan kesehatan. Keluarga Gardner memanfaatkan kawasan tersebut sebagai pusat kegiatan awal Yayasan, mempelopori program penangkaran Jalak Bali yang terancam punah, dan membuka taman kanak-kanak di mana anak-anak setempat dapat mengikuti pelajaran gratis dalam bahasa Inggris, kerajinan, kesehatan, berkebun, dan keterampilan rumah tangga. Pada tahun 2004, keluarga Gardner memutuskan untuk meninggalkan pengelolaan kawasan tersebut dan fokus sepenuhnya pada Yayasan Begawan.
PENDIDIKAN
Pada awal 1990-an, Debora dan Bradley bertemu dengan Prof. Dr. Jurgen Zimmer, Profesor Emeritus di bidang Pendidikan dari Universitas Freie di Berlin. Pertemuan ini memicu diskusi mengenai reformasi pendidikan.
Pendekatan ‘Situational Approach’ dan teori ‘Educational and Entrepreneurial Success’ dari Dr. Zimmer sangat beresonansi dengan Bradley, yang telah merasakan kegagalan sistem sekolah konvensional secara langsung. Setelah putus sekolah pada usia 14 tahun, ia membentuk jalannya sendiri menuju kesuksesan finansial. Kolaborasi pun dimulai untuk mengembangkan model alternatif pendidikan progresif yang memungkinkan siswa dari berbagai latar belakang memutus rantai kemiskinan dan mewujudkan potensi mereka.
Bradley and Dr. Zimmer's vision for an Open Learning Village was discussed at length in 1997 with Indonesia’s then-Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Wardiman Djojonegoro, who expressed his strong support for the project.
In 2000, the Gardners opened a kindergarten on Begawan Giri Estate. The kindergarten welcomed 50 children from nearby villages who joined experiential educational activities.
Community development through education was a cornerstone of Begawan's approach. The Foundation invested in meaningful education, environmental awareness, and healthcare services.
Begawan’s 10-week course on conservation was delivered for the first time in 2014. Staff of the Foundation spent one hour per week with students in the course, deepening the children’s understanding of the Bali Starling’s plight, and fostering awareness for conservation.
In 2016, Begawan launched the Bali Starling Ambassadors Fun Club. On Friday and Saturday afternoons, students joined in conservation-related activities at the breeding centre in Sibang and assisted birdkeepers with caring for the birds.
In 2017, the Bali Starling Eco Warriors was born, composed of students from Melinggih Kelod. These children attended after-school activities in Klub Lingkungan (community club) adjacent to the Foundation’s new office.
The Klub Lingkungan taught science, mathematics, geography, history and English through interactive games, and offered English lessons in exchange for plastic waste.
In 2018, the Foundation decided to open a spacious new facility, Begawan Learning Centre, to accommodate the growing number of students and offer a wider array of subjects and activities.
Selama pandemi, saat siswa menerima pelajaran virtual di rumah, Yayasan Begawan bekerja sama dengan pengembang teknologi pendidikan internasional, Zaprendo, untuk mengembangkan dan menyesuaikan kurikulumnya. Ketika dibuka kembali pada tahun 2021, Begawan Learning Centre memperkenalkan kurikulum baru dengan program tematik holistik dan interdisipliner yang disesuaikan untuk anak-anak di Bali.
Sejak 2018 hingga 2025, Begawan Learning Centre menyediakan kegiatan harian dan pelajaran pendidikan progresif bagi anak-anak Melinggih Kelod. Pusat ini ditutup pada 21 April 2025, dengan hari perayaan terakhir bagi seluruh siswa untuk merayakan perjalanan 25 tahun.
Konservasi
Inisiatif konservasi Begawan dimulai pada tahun 1999, ketika keluarga Gardner membawa dua pasang Burung Jalak Bali dari Inggris ke Bali. Jalak Bali, burung dengan kicau yang menakjubkan dan endemik di pulau ini, telah diburu hingga hampir punah. Pada tahun 1990, diperkirakan kurang dari 16 burung langka ini yang masih hidup di alam liar di Bali. Menyadari urgensi situasi tersebut, Yayasan memulai upaya selama beberapa dekade untuk membalikkan penurunan populasi Jalak Bali.
The first breeding pairs were housed in purpose-built enclosures designed by one of Indonesia’s top ornithologists. The Foundation took a professional approach to its breeding program, creating excellent facilities and hiring expert birdkeepers.