Samara Welbourne (18, Minyama, Queensland, Australia) is a social entrepreneur who partnered with Tyas Latra, to build a library in Bungaya, Bali, where Tyas is from. Indonesia has a high literacy rate with 95% of the general population literate. However, access to a free, quality library is limited, particularly in more rural regions of the country (UNESCO).  Samara lived in Bungaya for two years, while her mother volunteered in the region with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and came to know the area well, learning from Tyas and other friends about the need for a library in the village. The closest library or bookstore to Bungaya is in the capital of Bali, Denpasar, that is about a two hour drive away. The average income in Bungaya is less than $17 USD per week and leaves little leftover funds for buying books or traveling to the capital city to visit a library.  

Samara, the author of the children’s craft book, How To Make Fairy Houses, used her book proceeds to support the construction of the library. While Samara’s proceeds have funded a large majority of the project, many individuals have contributed to the project. The American architectural organization Journeyman International designed the library, Tyas and Samara have partnered with many organizations from Bali such as the Rotary Club, and teenagers from Bali, Australia, and different European countries have helped with the fundraising and construction of the library. The construction of the library is now fully funded, so Samara and Tyas are working on raising funds to purchase books.