CIAMIS (February 1st, 2024) – Nurhasanah (33), a person with a speech and mental disability, who has been viral on social media is now stocks free. The effort was made by Ministry of Social Affairs through Phalamartha Center in Sukabumi and the Directorate of Social Empowerment of Remote Indigenous Community on January 27th, 2024. The liberation from stocks was done after the news about Nurhasanah being kept in a room with iron bars went viral.

“Nurhasanah is now under the service of Phalamartha Center in Sukabumi with family’s permission. After being freed from stocks she is taken into the center,” the Head of Phalamartha Center in Sukabumi Cup Santo said.

The resident of Bunisari Village, Cipaku District, Ciamis Regency suffered from hearing and speech disabilities since she was a child. In 2011, Nurhasanah started to show signs of mental disorder. She often got angry and threw things at her house.

The last of five children has been taken to hospital several times. Based on doctor’s diagnosis, Nurhasanah is diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, since she didn’t consume medication regularly, Nurhasanah went berserk again. Therefore, in 2022, Nurhasanah was locked up in a room with iron bars.

On the other hand, Nurhasanah family’s financial condition is worrying. Nurhasanah lives with her mother, Diah who suffers from visual disability due to glaucoma. Her first brother Maman also lives there. He becomes a person with a visual disability due to a work accident. Nurhasanah’s father passed away in 2018. So far, Nurhasanah's fourth brother Herman who lives in Bogor helps to meet the daily needs of Nurhasanah, her mother, and her brother.

The team from Phalamartha Center in Sukabumi and Directorate of Remote Indigenous Community Empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship responded to Nurhasanah and family’s case. The center took Nurhasanah and her family to do general check-ups in the public health center.

After having checked up, Ministry of Social Affairs and the village apparatus and family released Nurhasanah from the shackle and took her to Phalamartha Center in Sukabumi.

Now, Nurhasanah is in Phalamartha Center to go through social rehabilitation. A bracelet for a person with hearing and speech disability (GRUWI) is given to Nurhasanah for it will respond whenever there’s a threat she faces. Nurhasanah also underwent a routine check-up by a psychiatrist at Phalamartha Center.

“We restore her health first by consuming medication regularly. Now, she can communicate. She’s quite calm,” Risna Ristiana, a first-level social worker at Phalamartha Center in Sukabumi said.

In the future, Nurhasanah will be invited to join a skill class to find out her interests and talents.

Not only Nurhasanah, Ministry of Social Affairs also provides food assistance for Diah and Maman twice a day and cooperates with a community group of Cipaku District, Ciamis.

Considering Diah’s legs are weak due to her age, Ministry of Social Affairs gives her a single-legged cane for Diah. The ministry also assists in decent life fulfillment such as basic food, sanitary supplies, nutrition, and clothes.