Redirecting the Budget for Building Renovation, Minister of Social Affairs Focuses on Persons with Disabilities Aid

Yogyakarta (August 12^th, 2023) – Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini explained five types of aid for persons with disabilities innovated by the Ministry of Social Affairs staff. The aid creation is aimed at encouraging their independence.

The message is conveyed by Minister of Social Affairs in National Work Meeting (Rakernas) of Social Welfare Coach Assembly (MPKS) of Muhammadiyah Central Couching (PP Muhammadiyah) in Yogyakarta on Friday, August 11^th.

“We’ve created five types of aid for persons with disabilities. I proposed the idea, the staff made it happen. We even involve persons with disabilities in the assembly process because we need to strive for them to be independent, at least in their environment,” Minister of Social Affairs said in Yogyakarta on Friday, August 11^th.

Even though the aid is handmade, the aid which the Minister initiates is full of innovation. The aid consists of an adaptive cane for persons with a visual disability, an adaptive wheelchair for persons suffering from Cerebral Palsy, a three-wheeled motorcycle for persons with physical disability, a bracelet for persons with speech and hearing disabilities (Gruwi), and a bracelet for persons with intellectual disability (Grita).

Since she was entrusted as Minister of Social Affairs, Risma says that aid procurement has become one of her priorities.

To actualize the program, instead of using the budget for building renovation, the Minister redirects the budget to help persons with disabilities in Indonesia by creating aid for them.

Risma provides an example of the aid she created for persons with visual disabilities. Having features to read water, fire, and poison gas sensors, the cane, which is called the adaptive guiding cane, will make a sound as a danger signal whenever it picks up signals from these objects.

"This cane is also equipped with GPS which allows them to be easily found if they get lost and a solar cell which allows them to be charged directly from sunlight when used. So, there is no need to use electricity to charge them," the Minister of Social Affairs said.

Apart from adaptive canes, Risma also came up with the idea of an adaptive wheelchair for persons suffering from cerebral palsy.

"So far, they can only sit. I want them to be able to stand. Finally, we create a tool that can help them stand with some modifications. Thank God, the aid can be actualized," she says.

Furthermore, Risma expresses her desire to see persons with disabilities empowered, so she created a three-wheeled motorcycle aid for persons with disabilities to work.

"We create aid for them. We modify the three-wheeled motorcycle according to the needs of persons with physical disabilities to help them work. They may have disabilities, but they should be able to try, too,” she said.

The most recent one, Minister of Social Affairs launched two innovative bracelets for persons with speech and hearing disabilities (Gruwi) and persons with intellectual disabilities (Grita). Both function as a response and early warning system for vulnerable situations that may threaten the safety of the user.

However, the Minister of Social Affairs reveals that her efforts to encourage independence sometimes are not supported by the desires of persons with disabilities themselves.

"However, not everyone wants to use a cane. Not everyone wants to use a three-wheeled motorcycle. Sometimes, I even persuade them. So, their mindset must be changed first, so they don't depend on other people," she said.

She also said that the aid has also been distributed to various regions to accelerate persons with disability’s independence, including adaptive canes which are handed over by Minister of Social Affairs to nine persons with visual disability assisted by MPKS PP Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

One of the person with a visual disability from Yogyakarta, Novi Titi Purwani (32), admits that she has just learned that there is a cane that could make a warning sound, like an adaptive cane from Minister Risma.

"I just found out that there is a cane that can make sounds like this. I've tried it, it works, this tool can warn us if objects are blocking the front," she said.

Previously, the woman who sought his daily fortune from singing on the crossroads of Yogyakarta only relied on a reflector cane. Now, she is assisted more and doesn't need to depend too much on other people's help.