UNS — Joining a volunteering program is one of the positive social activities to be done. various positive activities can be performed under the program. This is performed by one of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta students who participate as a volunteer in Gerakan Peduli Indonesia Inklusi (Gapai) Surakarta (a movement for inclusiveness in Indonesia).
The UNS student is Ari Prastyanto, a student from Health and Company Hygiene and Work Safety Program (K3) UNS. In an exclusive interview with uns.ac.id team, Ari who is currently in his 7th semester admitted that he knew Gapai foundation since his early semester. Ari is interested to participate in the foundation because he is interested in social activities and wants to know more about people with disability. When working as a volunteer, the student referred to as Ari, stated that he obtained positive values. “We play with our friends with disabilities in a program to teach school materials, but honestly they are the one who teaches us to not complain and to stop being ungrateful. Inclusively, everybody has the same right as long as they do not violate norms and regulations. Such as education, work, university degree, achievement, competence, people with disabilities have the same rights,” Ari explained, Wednesday (28/10/2020).
Ari added that people with disabilities are capable, but they achieve certain stuff in their own way. He also stated that learned about social sensitivity and to share wholeheartedly. He mentioned that there are several activities in Gapai volunteering such as Pijar, which is a program to visit and learn together to the dorm of the student with disabilities in Solo. There is also iftar or collective breakfasting during Ramadhan. The volunteer program in partnership with Dompet Dhuafa and BAZNAS, also provide Gapai Scholarship, which is a scholarship for students with disabilities who want to continue studying to the university level. The main target of Gapai programs are schools and dorms in Surakarta, however, since 2019, the program has been expanded to other regions in Indonesia.
The Chief of Ilmu Qur’an (IQ) (Qur’an Study) Organization UNS also shared the story on his study, the K3 Program connection with the disability world. He said that disability for K3 is like a forest; untouched, but exists. Some regulations require a company to hire a certain number of employees with disabilities and to prepare a disability-friendly work installation. A good company generally have access and facilities for all walks of life, including people with disabilities. The K3 Program class of 2017 also held a social project in collaboration with Gapai in form of sharing a clean and healthy lifestyle, which is conducted in SLB (Special School) A Anugerah Colomadu.
Despite the positive lessons he learned from the program, Ari conveyed that there are the down parts of the activities, though it cannot outweigh the happiness he felt during his volunteering. Ari’s activity supports UNS as an inclusive campus that is disability-friendly. He goes directly to the field shares kindness and love, also grow the attitude to always care for people with disabilities. This can inspire other UNS students to keep sharing kindness with everybody. Humas UNS
Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
