Prisoners in Bali's Kerobokan jail are petrified they will be abandoned by the world after their mentors and advocates Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are killed this month.

While the art, computer, bible and cooking classes co-ordinated by Sukumaran and Chan are well documented, few on the outside are aware of the advocacy role the men have played in the prison over many years.

The two Australians use their extensive network of supporters to source food, medical supplies, money and other goods for fellow prisoners.

"One of the Iranian lads had asthma – they were able to help with just a simple thing like getting him a ventilator," says Jocelyn Johinke, an Australian who has taught reflexology in the jail for four years.

"A girl had a tooth problem and was in severe pain and they were able to get her a dentist."

Inmates cried and hugged when they learnt on Friday that Chan and Sukumaran would be executed this month over their role attempting to export 8.2 kilograms of heroin to Australia.

"The girls were devastated, the guards were devastated, everyone was in tears. The girls thought they were going to be abandoned," Ms Johinke said.

"One of the girls said yesterday, and it makes you cry, 'Myuran is like my brother, my father and my uncle, all welded into one'."

When Ms Johinke proposed teaching reflexology at the jail, Chan and Sukumaran put out feelers to gauge interest.

Prior to the Australians' arrival there had been few activities available for women.

It was Sukumaran who persuaded former prison governor Siswanto to allow the first co-ed art class – provided there were guards watching to ensure there was no "jiggy-jiggy".

Ms Johinke said between four and 15 women attended the reflexology class and it had been a pleasure watching the talent emerge.

"One of the girls wrote me a beautiful letter about how through what she had learnt she was able to support her child through school. She was able to do head and shoulder massages - I even saw her doing one of the guards."

Rahol, an Iranian prisoner in Kerobokan jail, said about 30 prisoners worked for Sukumaran. A T-shirt printing project, which combines the skills prisoners learnt in sewing and computer graphics classes, helped to self-fund the programs.

"They get food and sometimes if we have problem about money he helping us," Rahol said in a letter to Indonesian president Joko Widodo.

"But one thing he doesn't like is drug. But I see he give work [to] some people [who] use drugs, just want to help to stop drug… If you want to execute him 30 people lose work, 30 people can't get food … maybe they all going to drug."

Lizzie Love, who teaches art at the prison, on Friday emerged with two paintings donated by Sukumaran to help cover the medical costs of Filipino prisoner Maria Cecilia Lopez.

Lopez was diagnosed with uteri myoma, a benign tumour in the uterus, while pregnant.

"That is why I bring drugs here in Indonesia. I thought that is the easiest way to help myself to support my health problem and the baby," Lopez said. "After a month I was detained in prison I lost the baby."

The myoma is now the size of a four-month-old baby. Ms Love said Sukumaran was trying to raise $4000 to cover Lopez's medical bills so she can have the operation before he and Chan are executed.

Sukumaran's paintings, one of Lopez and the other a self-portrait, have been purchased by expat Australians Aki and Samantha Kotzamichalis, the face of upmarket Seminyak bar Ku de Ta.

Ms Love said the couple were looking for suggestions on where the paintings could be exhibited - such as a Melbourne gallery - to reveal what the men had accomplished.

Meanwhile, Ms Johinke said she had promised the female prisoners they would not be left "high and dry".

"It's just difficult without a contact."