Spinning the wheels of change in Bali

With Bali’s Mount Batur looming in the distance, a car comes to a stop in front of a house in a village in Kintamani. “We are here,” says I Wayan Karmen as he clambered onto his wheelchair. 

Karmen is here to meet a fellow wheelchair user as part of Yayasan Cahaya Mutiara Ubud’s (CMU) outreach, a foundation established by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to help other PWDs. “We usually go visit them to see what their conditions are like,” says Karmen, who is Secretary of CMU. “Because of their physical condition, they're shy and feel inferior compared to others. We want to build confidence in each PWD.”

An estimated nine per cent of Indonesia’s population have some form of disability. PWDs continue to face challenges in accessing basic services such as education, social protection including health insurance, and have trouble finding employment. In Bali, one of the main obstacles faced by PWDs is a lack of accessibility, with few ramps and other mobility aids in public spaces like schools and hospitals. Discrimination is also a huge challenge. “A PWD was told by her teacher in school that, as she could not attend Physical Education Classes, she was not allowed to study there anymore,” said Karmen. “Every person has equal opportunity and rights. The lack of access for PWDs will hinder our ability to develop to our full potential.”

Such obstacles prompted CMU to start a dormitory, which aims to be a self-sustaining community where PWDs can support each other in acquiring the skills and resilience to lead independent lives. Here volunteer teachers host free classes for CMU’s 42 members, ranging from languages to sports. “I am taking English and computer lessons every week,'' says I Komang Sukatriadnyana, a recent addition to the CMU family. “More importantly I can meet people and not feel embarrassed in front of them.”

“The most important part of co-living is that we can learn from each other, share stories and experiences,” says Karmen. “We want to create an environment where every member of CMU can live an independent life.”

CMU’s model of encouragement and inclusion has not just created a safe space where PWDs feel included, it has also allowed its residents to be empowered. One of its members is presently employed by a Japanese wig company. “When she joined us she made a 180-degree transformation, joined a school equivalency program, and almost every activity we arranged,” recalls Karmen. “With her income she now has her own vehicle and all of us are very proud of her!” 

As other members try to forge their own paths, Karmen is happy with the optimistic atmosphere permeating through CMU. “I feel that when I'm here, I have the power to face life’s problems,” says Karmen. “There's so many friends and activities, we forget about our disabilities and are grateful for what we have.”

ABOUT CAHAYA MUTIARA UBUD

Cahaya Mutiara Ubud(CMU) is a Balinese foundation founded by persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help other PWDs become productive members of society. Besides establishing a residence where PWDs can have an inclusive living space, CMU actively looks out for opportunities to help their members to fulfil their full potential.

Komentar

Posting Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

Mengapa Fosil Dinosaurus Tidak Ditemukan di Indonesia?

Gambar
Ilustrasi/pixabay.com Kita sering membaca berita penemuan fosil-fosil dinosaurus di banyak negara, tapi kita belum pernah menemukan berita tentang penemuan fosil dinosaurus di Indonesia. Nyatanya, dari dulu sampai sekarang, belum pernah ada fosil dinosaurus yang ditemukan di Indonesia. Mengapa? Karena dinosaurus hidup di masa mesozoik. Pada masa tersebut, benua-benua yang ada sekarang masih menyatu dalam satu daratan superbenua yang disebut Pangea. Kepulauan Indonesia, sebagaimana yang kita kenal sekarang, pada masa itu belum terbentuk. Karenanya kita tidak menemukan fosil dinosaurus di Indonesia. Dinosaurus punah pada masa sekitar 65 juta tahun yang lalu. Sementara daratan Indonesia baru berumur sekitar 30 juta tahun.  Fosil hewan yang mungkin ditemukan di Indonesia hanyalah hewan-hewan purba berumur 10 sampai 20 juta tahun lalu, seperti gajah purba, mamalia purba, atau manusia purba yang ditemukan di Sangiran. Tapi usia fosil manusia purba tentu masih lebih muda dibandingkan yang lai
Baca selengkapnya

Our better lives and environment

Gambar
  "Tourism in Ulu Geroh started in the late 90s, when some researchers from Malaysia Nature Society visited us and explained that the presence of the Rafflesia flower could turn Ulu Geroh into a tourism attraction and provide an additional source of income. We villagers had a meeting and subsequently formed SEMAI. The acronym is not only the name of our tribe; its meaning reflects our eco-friendly lifestyle and philosophy. In the early 2000s, I got involved in eco-tourism activities as a guide. Ulu Geroh has one of the highest concentrations of Rafflesia in the world, as well as the Rajah Brooke birdwing butterfly, so these are our top two tourism products.  When we have big groups, I bring in guides from other villages to help out. The biggest group we’ve handled so far consisted of 130 people from China – I had to hire 30 guides to take them on the trails! Daytrippers usually come just to see the Rafflesia flower, but we started offering homestays after a corporate sponsor funde
Baca selengkapnya