JAKARTA —Entering the humanitarian month agenda, Dompet Dhuafa hosted a Sign Language Workshop at the Philanthropy Building in South Jakarta on Friday (8/12/2023). The sign language demonstration was guided by the Batir Isyarat Banjoemas community for Dompet Dhuafa members and volunteers. Among the attendees was Kak Ica, a female graduate from UIN Purwokerto, majoring in Quran and Hadith studies.
The event also introduced Dompet Dhuafa’s Humanesia program, an end-of-year agenda focusing on humanitarian issues. The series of events were presented in a discussion format by Kamaluddin, the Chairperson of Humanesia 2023, and Titi Ngudiati, the Head of the Free Healthcare Service (LKC) in Central Java.
Kamal explained that the five pillars of Dompet Dhuafa are encompassed in this year’s Humanesia agenda. Additionally, the agenda is reinforced by inclusivity issues, particularly concerning the disability community. This is why the Humanesia 2023 kickoff included a Sign Language Workshop. The aim is for Dompet Dhuafa members to familiarize themselves with common sign language codes, enabling more interactions with those who use them.
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The overarching theme for all Humanesia 2023 activities is “Nurturing Kindness,” focusing not only on disasters and humanitarian conflicts but also on the disability community. There are five main programs under the Humanesia 2023 interventions: “Indonesia Looks to the World,” “Rebuilding Damaged Schools,” “Philanthrocoffee,” “Waqf for Mothers,” and “Caring for Stunting in Indonesian Children.”
“In education, we invite everyone to contribute to building schools in remote areas. In health, there are programs to address stunting and nutrition cases. The economy features the Philanthrocoffee program. It’s not just about helping farmers but also providing them with empowerment access, including for people with disabilities. Then there’s the ‘Waqf for Mothers’ program as our tribute to our mothers,” Kamal detailed.
According to Titi, inclusivity for the deaf can be achieved by raising deaf awareness among all communities. Those who can undergo rehabilitation need support with hearing aids, speech therapy, and psychosocial assistance. LKC Dompet Dhuafa Central Java has consistently provided support for parents and their children with special needs.
“The earlier a child’s special needs are identified, the better the assistance with supportive devices. The most important thing in helping them is to boost their confidence,” Titi explained.
As experienced by LKC Dompet Dhuafa, the current challenges in inclusivity programs for people with disabilities include uncertain data. Moreover, the involvement of people in caring for and interacting with them is still very minimal. (Dompet Dhuafa/Dhika Prabowo/Muthohar)