The Founders

Aprile Denise

Founder and Literacy Consultant

A New Zealander by birth, Aprile has lived and worked in Indonesia for more than thirty years, dedicating her career to the fundamentals of education as a teacher, administrator and literacy specialist. Aprile works with Indonesian teacher trainers to develop training workshops, and with writers, illustrators and editors developing children’s picture story books for Indonesia.

During the period 2008-2015, when she was Principal at SD Dyatmika Sekar Buwana, a bilingual school in Bali, Aprile recognised a need to develop stronger reading programs to support Indonesian literacy in early grades. This awareness spearheaded the initial launch of the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Project, which in 2014 was then established by Aprile and her team as the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Foundation. Over the ensuing years, Aprile has continued to advise YLAI on all aspects of the early grade literacy and library programs that have been initiated. Her hope remains the same – to see the love of reading come to life for children in Indonesia.

Ni Ketut Ayu Sugati

The Founders

Ayu has extensive experience as an educator with her accepting her first teaching position in 1996 at SD Dyatmika Sekar Buwana in Bali. In 2008, Ayu was appointed as the principal of the Dyatmika National Kindergarten and Primary School. During this period she pioneered innovative literacy practices at Dyatmika School through the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Project. She worked closely with the Indonesian teachers to improve early grade literacy approaches in the school.

Ayu then co-founded the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Foundation in 2014 to support the ongoing spread of best practices in early grade literacy in Indonesia. For Ayu, who is also a writer, “Literacy for a better world” is a clear and anticipated target.

Nyoman Sri Utami

The Founders

Utami was an integral member of the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Project team and pioneered the LAI teacher training and early grade reading program. Throughout the period 2010-2014, as a teacher at SD Dyatmika Utami fully participated in the development of the leveled reading book program for this project at Dyatmika School. It was out of this project that the work started to gain recognition throughout many districts and schools, and the Indonesian Children’s Literacy Foundation was formed. The stories in its leveled reading books have continued to inspire thousands of students throughout Indonesia to this day.

Board of the Foundation

YLAI is overseen by a voluntary Foundation Board. Each member on the Board contributes through their professional expertise, from education to management, and finance. The Foundation Board oversees the organization’s performance to ensure that leadership, resources, and finances align with YLAI’s vision.