PUSPADI Bali is calling on its supporters to stand with people with a disability this holiday season, by sponsoring a prosthetic of a person who needs it most.
As there’s no exact data on the number of people living with a disability in Indonesia, consequently, many go undetected and isolated from any meaningful support. Yet PUSPADI Bali staff are determined to find those who are living on the margins of society, and through our field work we have seen many people with various conditions who are either living in extreme poverty, feel shunned from their communities or have no real support network. Yet we reach out to these people because we believe they deserve a chance at a better life and communities are enriched from their valuable contributions.
From their first visit, our staff readily provide prosthetics, orthotics, mobility aids or wheelchairs with the people who need our long-term support. We regularly replace their prosthetic or mobility aid when needed and be there for the person as they develop in to strong, confident individuals despite their problems with rampant discrimination. It’s so people like 2-year-old Bintang from Tabanan in Bali can grow up believing his goals in life can become a reality and not stymied by widespread beliefs that his life is limited by his disability. Previously, Bintang couldn’t walk due to inverted feet and it was only after receiving AFOs (Ankle Foot Orthotics) from PUSPADI Bali, that he learnt to walk. Bintang’s mother and grandmother give him a lot of love and support as well as work hard so that he can feel safe in his home environment. They shield him from the persistent discrimination the family endures because they have a child with a disability. “We find people in our community can be judgmental…..and all we want is Bintang to be a success in the future and give the best things that we can for him.”
By sponsoring a prosthetic, you are giving the ultimate gift to a person with a disability that we support. It reduces the anxiety they may have about how they’ll properly manage their rehabilitation because you are supporting them on their journey. Donations are also appreciated and they directly go to the people that need our vital services. “Our sponsors and donors really do make a big difference in the lives of people with a disability by enabling them to become happy, productive and fulfilled citizens in their communities,” Nengah Latra, PUSPADI Bali’s Director said. “We provide free prosthetics to the poor who live locally but a sponsor allows a person’s basic healthcare needs to be continually met – and that means a lot for those who are not only dealing with a disability but living in extreme destitution.
We want disability rights at the top of the national and international agendas – and while the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which include reducing inequalities for people with a disability and other targets are a great and promising start – we all need to take collective action.
“Nothing with us, without us” – join us in our fight to make the rights real for local people with a disability. Contact us to become a sponsor or donor at PUSPADI Bali (+62) 812-399-071 or info@puspadibali.org.