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Praises “Outstanding” Robin Lim
CNN Hero of the Year Bali, Indonesia
text: Shervin Boloorian/balispiritfestival.com

Midwife and founder of a Bali birthing clinic, Robin Lim, was awarded the top honor of “CNN Hero of the Year” at a Shrine Auditorium's gala awards ceremony in California today. Lim, a mother of 8 and resident of Ubud, expressed that “every mother counts and healthcare is a human right” in her acceptance speech. She was selected as one of ten finalists for the award from a pool of 10,000 candidates from 100 countries. “Robin's honor is well deserved and I, for one, am very proud of her exemplary work and outstanding achievement,” said Meghan Pappenheim, Cofounder of the BaliSpirit Group and personal friend of Lim's, “The entire island of Bali was rooting for her!” The BaliSpirit Group has supported Lim's clinic and midwifery education center, Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Earth), over the years by hosting various fundraisers and providing other benefits, whilst also backing efforts to promote and collect votes on her behalf for the contest. This month, BaliSpirit's own outreach program, AYO! Kita Bicara HIV/AIDS, also teamed up with Bumi Sehat to promote free AIDS/HIV testing services, and a local Yoga studio, The Yoga Barn, participated in a joint fundraiser for both charities in September, 2011. "I've known Ibu Robin since 1995 or so.



She birthed my son and the babies of many of my extended friends and family,” Pappenheim went on to say, “Bumi Sehat Clinic is the only midwifery center in Bali that I recommend to my Balinese friends because I know, in earnest, that Ibu Robin has mother nature's interest at heart." Thousands of children have been birthed naturally and for free thanks to Bumi Sehat, which is the only clinic of its kind in the area. Local Balinese resident, Komang Adi Putra, last Wednesday celebrated the birth of his first child, Putu, at Bumi Sehat. Overjoyed to receive word of Lim's victory, Putra believes the prize went to the best candidate. “I think this is the best news for Bali,” said Putra, “Throughout the pregnancy, my wife and I went to Bumi Sehat 10-12 times. I checked, and nowhere else would these services be provided for free. The clinic is such a blessing to my family.” Bumi Sehat will receive a $250,000 prize as part of Lim's award, enabling construction of a new healthcare clinic, just up the street from the original facility in Nyuh Kuning. The new clinic will allow Bumi Sehat to continue to provide free and safe healthcare in Indonesia. In a heartwarming facebook post to her son, Noel Flava, prior to winning her prestigious award, Lim showed that motherhood was still her primary consideration on her big day, “I am here on the RED CARPET @ the Shrine in LA @ the CNN Heroes Live Show... sending you Love Forever... Thank YOU... MOM”