Disasters
inevitably hit vulnerable people the hardest. The elderly, the
sick, the poor, the disabled – people who only have a
limited capacity to handle day to day challenges – are
likely to be totally overwhelmed when a disaster strikes.
In the Javanese city of Yogyakarta, this sad truism was
played out time and again in the wake of the 27 May 2006 earthquake.
The “Mandiri” is a community of disabled people
who live and work together on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, fashioning
children’s toys and religious icons out of paper and wood.
The name "Mandiri" means freedom from others.
The cooperative’s members have a range of disabilities
and get around in wheelchairs and on crutches. One man is able
to hold a wooden nativity figure with his foot as he carves
with his hand. Around them their youngsters, free from disability,
help and play among the toys. Before the earthquake, business
was really thriving, with export markets in Malaysia, Australia
and Canada.
But the quake destroyed the co-operative’s workshops and
their accommodation nearby, turning their business into a pile
of rubble. Tragically, one of their 15 members, a 31 year old
man, was killed in the disaster.
“I lost my friend and also we thought the earthquake would
completely finish the business,” says Tarjono Slamet,
the group’s coordinator, who lost his leg and had his
hand deformed after he was electrocuted in a work accident.
“Then we would lose our independence again.”
But the unwavering commitment of the Mandiri community, and
support from agencies such as the International Federation,
means that independence has become a possibility again.
With their accommodation destroyed, the cooperative members
initially moved into tents and temporary shelters that were
set up on the grounds of the ruined workshop.
The workshop was rebuilt by an NGO, and in recent months, the
Netherlands Red Cross has stepped up to fund its refurbishment.
“They’d reached a certain stage before the earthquake
with national and international customers, but lost them because
they couldn’t fulfill the supply chain,” says Paul
Van Der Laan from Netherlands Red Cross.
Because of their positive attitude and mental strength, he says,
the cooperative only needs some material support to help them
get back to where they were before the earthquake.
“All they need is assistance with shelter, machinery and
raw materials for three months,” explains Van Der Laan.
“This won’t be a long intervention.”
The community’s thoughts are already turning to the future,
an optimism that was perhaps unthinkable in the weeks and months
immediately following the earthquake. Eventually Pak Slamet
and the Mandiri hope that disabled people from other parts of
Java will come and join them.
“Now we can allow a little bit of smile,” says Pak
Slamet, “because the Red Cross helps us.”
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The
“Mandiri” is a community of disabled people
who live and work together on the outskirts of Yogyakarta,
fashioning children’s toys and religious icons out
of paper and wood. Before the earthquake business was
really thriving, with export markets in Malaysia, Australia
and Canada. (p15764)
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The
Mandiri’s workshop and accommodation were decimated
in the 27 May 2006 earthquake. But their unwavering commitment,
and some support from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI),
the International Federation and the Netherlands Red Cross,
means that the community is well on its way to recovery.
(p15763)
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