I went to training on Disability, Gender and development in Bangkok on March 8- 21, 2010. The training was held in APCD (Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability) building, it was supported by APCD and JICA. I was representing GEMPITA (as SEHJIRA’s partner) and also as a sign language interpreter for my friend Angkie Yudistia from SEHJIRA Foundation.

The participants of the training were representative of self-help organizations of persons with disabilities from countries of South East Asia, including Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia, the union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, The Socialist of Vietnam, and The Kingdom of Thailand. The objective of this training is to empower persons with disabilities as agents of change and to promote an inclusive, barrier-free and rights based society for all. From Indonesia, Sehjira Foundation and HWPCI Ternate-Maluku were selected as representatives from Indonesia.

Since the first day of the training, I was so amazed with the condition of the building which is being used to conduct the trainings and also as our accommodation. It is so accessible in every aspects for all types of disability, kindly refer to the pictures as I am so speechless to describe it in words.

They were so many positive things that I got during the training. One of it is how we perceive disability itself. There are two different points of views or models: Medical model and Social Model. Medical model sees that disability is your family and your own personal problem; it means that as a person with disability (PWD) you have to be treated as a patient, go to rehabilitation center. And if you are not succeeded to get a “cure”, it will be means that you are dysfunction as a person.

On the contrary, social model sees disability as social problem. It becomes a social problems because it is related to accessibility. Accessibility creates opportunities that enable all persons to have access to enhance their life with their own capacity. Accessibility in all areas included but not limited to access of information, access of employment, access to equal education, access to participate in development, etc. The main objective of social model is to create inclusive right based society without any discrimination.

I can’t deny that my early concern on disability issue is because of my late-Hearing disability-brother influence but now I realize that disability movement is supposed to be our movement not only for PWDs but also for non-PWDs.

In my opinion, every one of us has a great risk to become PWDs or our parents will become PWDs in the future. If we see wheelchair user in malls, we will see that the majority is elderly people. If it wasn’t because of disability movement, I am sure, many buildings and malls wouldn’t be as accessible as it is right now.   It is only a small example, how our PWDs friends act help us and our beloved ones.

So I would like to say thank you and give a high appreciation to our PWDs friends who are willing to fight in reducing barrier and promote equal access in society.

Other than that, my PWDs Friends personally inspired me, especially in time management and for not be ignorance to others. How wisely they manage their time in their daily life, although they have so many roles in life, which also important to be fulfilled, but for them it doesn’t means that they have to neglected their role in the society.

Like many of us, they have to become a good employee, a brilliant student, a caring mother, etc.  They realize these roles, give their best, and still they are trying to give positive contribution to human life. They become an agent of changes and role models in community, as their heritage for better future not only for themselves but others.

Like Angkie Yudistia(Hearing disability) an employee of an International company in Indonesia, a National Model, a Master candidate, and also a Public Relation of Sehjira Foundation.

Like Rahmitha Harahap,  (Hearing disability), Lecturer in a private university in Indonesia, a caring mother from a very cute daughter named Nabila, and also a president of Sehjira Foundation.

Like Nandar, (Cerebral palsy), my friend from Myanmar, an Entrepreneur, a Doctoral Candidate majoring in math and also a member of a board management of her self help group organization

Like Kyu-kyu, (movement disability), my Myanmar friend, a board member of her organization and also an employee who has to struggle to get into a crowded bus every time she goes to her office.

Like Hamida, (Movement disability), my friend from Malaysia, who is a government employee for department of social welfare, a wonderful mother for 2 incredible children.

Like Pharadee, (Hearing disability), my funny friend from Thailand, a sweet mother, a food entrepreneur, and also a president of deaf club in Thailand.

Like Ms Huong (Visual Disabilty), my clever friend from Hanoi association for visual disability in Vietnam, who will be graduated soon from her bachelor degree program, have a great passion to become a teacher and I am sure she will be a very good teacher in the near future.

Like Jaka (Visual disability), my informal teacher and resources person who has a great voice when singing, who is also active in many organizations inside and outside Indonesia.  Going east and going west but going home is always the best?  Am I correct Bro?

and Like Mom Geraldine Ruiz (Movement disability), a wonderful and smart resource person from Philippine, who willingly gave up her career in international advertising firm and chooses to enlighten people around the world. “It will be lonely up there if we fight by our own” i totally agree with you Mom.

And like more than one hundred other PWDs, who I can’t mention one by one..

With all their incredible role in family and society

I am begin to wondering and ask question to myself..

Hey you, who are you?

What have you done so far for others?

Dedicated : as Birthday gift For Patria “Budhi” Nababan-My major influencer and role model.

Mungkin suara bagi kita sama artinya seperti: ………………. serangkaian titik yang tidak kita mengerti atau suara adalah serangkaian kode seperti @*&%568$#@#*_)*654….975+=)*( kumpulan-kumpulan makna yang kita tidak akan pernah memahaminya..

Ketika 1 + 1 harus jadi 2 di dalam dunia kita, maka suara yang kita dengar = bunyi yang kita keluarkan.

Jadi, ketika telinga kita tuna rungu (tidak bisa mendengar) maka akan otomatis kita menjadi tuna wicara. Namun tidak berlaku sebaliknya…

“I cursed the fact i had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet” Persian proverb

taken from Robin Shamra’s book.

Kebetulan itulah yang saya alami beberapa minggu yang lalu. Jadi ceritanya, saya beruntung mewakili GEMPITA  berkunjung ke yayasan SEHJIRA (yayasan tuna rungu sehat jiwa dan raga). Banyak makna yang bisa dipelajari. Terutama, Saya SALUT sama pengurus-pengurus yayasan, hampir semua dari mereka tuna rungu dan mereka berusaha untuk memperjuangkan agar hak-hak mereka dalam pekerjaan, pendidikan dan masyarakat sejajar dengan orang-orang yang lain. HEBAT. Selain itu yang tak kalah hebat adalah para relawan, yang tidak tuna rungu dan mau saling berbagi pengetahuan.Seperti relawan guru mengaji ini :

Satu poster disitu juga menarik perhatian saya, tulisannya Please sign to me…sign disini maksudnya adalah bahasa isyarat.

Bukan berarti teman tuna rungu kita tidak bisa berkomunikasi dengan cara kita ,mereka bisa dengan membaca gerakan bibir dan mencoba mengartikannya. Nah, dari kata-kata di poster itu, saya jadi mikir, kok kita yang bisa dibilang lebih beruntung daripada mereka malah lebih egois ya?Mereka mempelajari bahasa yang kita gunakan, sementara kita?? Kalo komunikasi artinya adalah menciptakan pengertian, kayaknya giliran kita yang harus lebih banyak belajar.

Di yayasan itu, selain belajar mengaji teman-teman disitu jg belajar komputer, menjahit, bahasa isyarat, dan lain-lain..

Kesempatan berharga itu, tidak mungkin saya dapatkan bila tidak ada bantuan dari teman-teman PPI Lubeck. Oleh karena itu, Saya atas nama teman-teman di GEMPITA ingin menyampaikan terimakasih yang sebesar-besarnya dan apresiasi yang mendalam kepada  PPI  (Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia) Lubeck Jerman, yang telah memberikan bantuan kepada teman-teman kita di SEHJIRA dan juga karena telah memberikan kepercayaan kepada kami untuk menyalurkan bantuannya. Sehingga kami bisa mendapatkan kesempatan melihat sisi lain kehidupan serta  mencoba melihatnya dari kacamata pengertian.

Di Sisi kita, ada 250 lumba-lumba terdampar..Beratus-ratus lahan terbakar…

Berjuta-juta anak kelaparan…

Pilihlah dimana hatimu diletakkan

dan tunjukkanlah sedikit kepedulian..