BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR — Dozens of journalists from the Bali Journalists’ Solidarity (SJB) took to the streets on Saturday (August 22, 2026) to raise funds for victims of the devastating earthquake in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The humanitarian fundraising drive was held at the intersection of street Dewi Sri and Jalan Nakula in Kuta, Badung, starting at around 4 p.m. local time and lasting approximately 90 minutes.

Carrying donation boxes and displaying banners calling for solidarity with earthquake victims, the journalists appealed to passing motorists, including motorcycle and car drivers, to contribute to the relief effort.

The campaign was organized by Jurnalis Pena NTT, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Denpasar, the Online Journalists Association (IWO), and university students who joined the Bali Journalists’ Solidarity movement.

Coordinator of the Bali Journalists’ Solidarity fundraising campaign for Flores, Marsellus N. Pampur, said the initiative collected Rp5,787,000 in donations during the first campaign.

“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who took the time and effort to participate in this humanitarian action. Let’s remain united,” Marsellus said.

He said the response from the public was encouraging, with donations coming not only from journalists but also from people from various walks of life who happened to pass through the area.

Among those who contributed were motorcycle taxi drivers, truck drivers, workers and foreign tourists. One foreign tourist even donated money in U.S. dollars.

“It turns out that the people of Bali have great concern for this tragedy. The support came from many different groups, including motorcycle taxi drivers, truck drivers, workers and several tourists who happened to pass by,” he said.

Several motorists were seen voluntarily stopping to hand over donations before continuing their journeys.

Marsellus expressed hope that the funds collected would help ease the burden faced by communities affected by the earthquake in Flores.

“We hope the donations from the people of Bali can help ease the burden being experienced by the people of Flores, NTT,” he said.

The humanitarian campaign will continue on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the Car Free Day (CFD) area in Renon, Denpasar.

The next fundraising drive will target residents and visitors attending or passing through the CFD area. The event will also feature a live music performance by Balinese musician Joni Agung.

The organizers hope the event will provide another opportunity for the public to express their solidarity and contribute to relief efforts for earthquake victims in Flores.

For the participating journalists, the campaign represents an expression of empathy beyond their daily work in the media. Usually working behind cameras, microphones, notebooks and news screens to inform the public, they have now taken to the streets to directly encourage people to help those affected by the disaster.

The campaign demonstrates how humanitarian solidarity can emerge from different sections of society and be expressed through simple but meaningful actions. Donations collected from individuals are expected to provide tangible support to communities facing difficult circumstances in the aftermath of the earthquake.