Dewa Putra

“My name is I Dewa Gede Putra. I was born in a small village in Gianyar, Bali called Lebih Beten Kelod in 1977. I am the oldest son in my family, and my father was a skillful woodcarver who produced many great sculptures. I live in Gianyar where many artists live. When I was a small kid, I was impressed by the skill of the woodcarvers here. As a kid I loved playing on the beach with my friends, or going fishing.

“Like other children in Gianyar, I finished my education in Gianyar until senior high school. Then I worked for a shipment company, but then I quit and started my own business. I started to sell oil warmers, candleholders and incense stick holders. I was interested in these products, because as a Balinese, I used incense sticks every day. So, I thought it would be nice if the incense stick holders could be in various shapes.

“I am married now, and we have been blessed with one daughter and one son. I love my wife and my children. As a human I think my life is complete--I have a wife, one son, and one daughter. I give thanks to God every day for my life. That I can be in this position is a blessing for me. There were times when I struggled with my last job, where I had to carry heavy weights almost every day. But now I have my own business, and I can provide for my family. Many foreigners have bought my products, and said that they were happy to find such good products.

“With my business, I can now hire other people to help me, and on the other hand it also helps them. I am happy that I can help others to get a decent income or even to teach them. I have four male helpers and five female helpers. Luckily for me, during this hard time I found Novica. My brother, who has been a Novica artisan for a long time, told me that Novica could help me. And now that I have joined I hope they can help to sell my products, and I hope that you love my products. In this way, I can still maintain my helpers so they can also have income for their families.”