Edy Cahyono, Empowering People with Disabilities

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

EDY CAHYONO

Edy Cahyono, 39, and several friends set aside time to help those with special needs. The hope is that people with disabilities can become more productive and independent. This was proven when dozens of “foster children” in Resapombo village, Doko district, Blitar regency, East Java, began to gain self-confidence and income.

Edy has been aiding people with disabilities since 2016 when he revived the Community-Based Rehabilitation Group in Blitar. A year later, he and several friends and the local administration initiated the establishment of a workshop or shelter in the form of the Disability Care Center in Resapombo village.

Resapombo is amon villages located at the highest point of the southwest slope of Mount Kawi. As an agricultural area, the majority of the population earns money by farming. Although it has similarities with other villages, one interesting thing is that in this village, there are 55 people with disabilities, most of whom have intellectual disabilities.

The number of people attending senior high school is limited, fewer than 10. Meanwhile, most of the people stay at home. Sometimes they help their parents work perfunctorily because they come from families with mediocre economic conditions.

Through this Disability Care Center, six days a week the residents with special needs in that village get assistance. Edy and his colleagues who are members of the Harapan Mulia Self-Help Group (KSM) teach a number of skills, ranging from processing food to handicrafts.

The food products did not receive warm welcome from the market. On the contrary, their handicraft skills in the form of batik have developed. Every month, more than 100 pieces of batik cloth with abstract motifs are sold in the market. They are not only marketed in Blitar but also outside the region. A number of offices within the Blitar regency administration also wear batik uniforms produced by persons with disabilities from Resapombo.

People with disabilities are not only taught but also directly involved in the process. They follow the process step by step, starting from making batik motifs, coloring, dyeing, to becoming finished products.

“Now, besides batik products, their self-confidence begins to grow even though they still have to be guided. Likewise, from the social side, they are no longer insecure and embarrassed to interact with others. Another advantage is that they get R. 500,000 per month from selling batik,” Edy said, Thursday (Jan. 31, 2019).

So far, only 27 people with disabilities in Resapombo have received assistance. Not all of them have participated because the level of disability is different from one another.

According to Edy, it takes perseverance and patience to accompany them. Besides that, it also requires its own techniques. For example, in batik, everyone will only learn to handle the process. They cannot be involved in all stages from the beginning to the end.

Overwhelmed

The involvement of the father of three in accompanying disabled people has gone on for three years. Based on the intention to unite those with special needs, Edy and the social affairs agency of Blitar regency established a Community-Based Rehabilitation Group (RBM).

He also became chairman of the RBM with 10 members. Its members are leaders of each community of persons with disabilities.

“At that time, we conducted data collection and mapping of persons with

disabilities in Blitar. Together with the local administration, we collect and refer them to social institutions both in Blitar and outside the region. Because it is not sufficient, we then replicate the workshop program from the Center for Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Temanggung, Central Java,” he said.

The effort was supported by the local administration and the Center for Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. In addition to training, the institution routinely provides assistance periodically to date.

On Dec. 11, 2017 the Resapombo was designated as a Disability Care Village and was launched directly by Blitar Regent Rijanto. Then, the Harapan Mulia KSM was formed by Edy and five colleagues, namely Rita Sukirni Panca Rianik, Endri Untari, Khoirun Nisak, Sri Ningsih and Eny Hariyanti.

Rita and Endri are locals who have experience in dealing with people with disabilities. Khoirun Nisak is an extraordinary school teacher in Blitar. They then work together to provide self-help.

“After it was set up, the number of volunteers reached dozens. However, many of them resigned. After all we are voluntary, not paid. Government funding is only for training. For daily assistance, we conduct it independently,” said the man who was once a Disaster Preparedness Cadet.

The start of mentoring activities was carried out at the local village hall. Activities there lasted five to six months before they rented one of the residents\' houses. They paid the rent with money from the sales of batik after costs were deducted for the purchase of raw materials, batik supplies and fees for students.

According to Edy, the first time selling batik produced by children with special needs was indeed not easy. To convince consumers, he made a shirt from the batik cloth for him to wear. “That was a sample. It looked good and we finally gained confidence to say that the batik was the work of disabled children from Resapombo,” he said.

In its progress, the market response was quite good and, even, they tend to be overwhelmed by many orders. The marketing activity is also assisted by the regency’s industry and trade offices.

“Because we were overwhelmed, now batik production is assisted by friends with disabilities in Soso village, Gandusari district. There are 10 people in Soso who are now involved and getting assistance. So, there are a total of 37 people with disabilities in Resapombo and Soso that we supervise,” he said.

Edy who is an entrepreneur -- runs a food stall -- claims to be willing to set aside time to assist persons with disabilities for humanitarian reasons. He and his colleagues were concerned that they could actually be productive but did not do anything because of their limitations.

In the future, Edy and his friends hope that not only people with disabilities in Resapombo and Soso will get assistance but also those from other villages. He wants a Disability Care Village to be established in every district.

Edy Cahyono

Born: Blitar, Aug. 9, 1980 Wife: Yuliana

Children:

- Muhammad Dian Faroqi - Muhammad Azril Aizar - Amira Cahyono Putri

Education:

- SD Siraman IV

- SMPN 1 Kesamben

- SMK Pemuda 1 Kesamben

- Darul Ulum University of Jombang