Looking at Darma now, he is a changed man – with a positive perspective, loving family and now his own motorbike so he can truly have independence and more choices.
It is in stark contrast to six years ago, when Darma lay paralysed on his bed as well as living in destitute conditions in Karangasem, after falling out of a jackfruit tree and injuring his spinal cord.
He lived that way for three-and-a-half years and couldn’t access healthcare or other support. He also had to look after his young children, as his wife had left him after the accident.
Sadly, there are many other people like Darma in Bali and Indonesia, who were born or later in life developed a disability, and feeling shunned by society, they become trapped inside their homes without any means of support.
These are the people that PUSPADI Bali are determined to find, as they too deserve an equal chance at a happy and productive life.
Karangasem, (where Darma lives), is one of the poorest areas of Bali, with many of its people living below the poverty line. For those with a disability, life is especially hard as poor families can’t afford the treatment or rehabilitation they need and many languish in destitute conditions.
Fortunately, PUSPADI Bali field workers later discovered Darma in his home and organised immediate rehabilitation for him (including a fitted wheelchair). Then through the help of local Rotary groups and supporters, Darma was also able to receive further treatment, mattresses, and a TV to make his life more comfortable. At that point, Darma’s life started to take a turn for the better.
Seeing that Darma needed a way to move around his village, Australian teenager Samara Welbourne (daughter of Cherrell Picton, former AVI volunteer at PUSPADI Bali) began generously fundraising through her fairy house making business, until she had raised enough money to buy him a motorbike.
PAR 5 members were also moved by Darma’s story and donated money to modify the motorbike so he could easily move his wheelchair on to a side compartment and in to the driver’s seat. “I’m so happy as I can now use the bike to take my son to school and it will really help with my business (of selling gasoline and phone credit), as well as allowing me to buy fruit and vegetables to sell to my neighbours in the village,” Darma said.
Through the generous financial support of Samara and PAR 5, Darma now feels his life has regained normalcy.
“The smile on his face says it all as here is a man with a very unfortunate accident and we’ve been able to make his life a little easier,” Tony Lorenzo, PAR 5 President said.
“It is great to see that he will be able to run his kids to school, get groceries and actually I think it is going to make him feel better as a person, as he will be able to do things that he wasn’t able to do before for his kids.”
The power of giving shows how it has dramatically changed a person like Darma’s life, so that he can be a part of society again instead of excluded from it.
You can donate to PUSPADI Bali or sponsor a prosthetic leg of one of the incredible people that we support http://www.puspadibali.org/donate or http://www.puspadibali.org/id/donasi. You can also contact us info@puspadibali.org. or 0812-399-0701.
