New Strategy in CBR: A Response to the Economic Crisis

Handojo Tjandrakusuma
Director, CBR DTC, Solo, Indonesia

Abstract There is no doubt that the economic crisis has had a devastating effect of many people in South East Asia. Drastic decline of economic activities in Indonesia occurs. This adverse economic situation, causes a major increase of unemployment and poverty of the people which causes problems in community life. In response to this socio economic problems, the government has implemented Social Safety Net program. This paper tries to state this program and a program monitored by the CBR DTC to alleviate the present economic crisis in Indonesia.

Introduction

There is no doubt that the economic crisis has had a devastating effect of many people in South East Asia. Indonesia, a country of 200 million people has been the hardest hit. Drastic decline of economic activities occurs. Prior to the crisis, Indonesia enjoys 7 percent of economic growth yearly. Due to the crisis, in 1998 Indonesia has a negative economic growth of minus 13 percent. Besides, the value of rupiah (the Indonesian currency) to the US dollar drops. The present of value of rupiah is only a quarter of its value before the crisis. This adverse economic situation, causes a major increase of unemployment and poverty of the people which causes problems in community life such as increasing number of street children, school drop outs, and in some area there are food shortages.

In response to this major socio economic problems, the government has implemented Social Safety Net (S.S.N.) program. The main programs of the S.S.N. are:

1. food subsidy

2. social support in health and education

3. creating employment opportunities by retraining program and providing some capital for self employment.

In Indonesia, even in the time of favorable economic situation, job opportunity for people with disability is still limited. During this crisis, where there are many employees being laid off, most of the time the disabled persons will be laid off at the first opportunity.

The disability organization, basically is a charity organization. The funding of the organization depends on donation from individuals and business enterprises.

In this economic crisis, business enterprises face problems and many of them are collapsing. Due to this situation, the disability organizations will have difficulties in raising funds.

The CBR DTC has a unique experience in implementing a disability program based on the funding which is targeted toward alleviating the problem of the present economic crisis i.e. the Social Safety Net program.

CBR DTC and the Social Safety Net Program

The understanding of the CBR varies from one organization to the other. The CBR DTC understand the CBR as changing community behavior (attitude, knowledge and skill) in disability issues, through community development strategy. In this approach community will be the main responsible agent in the implementation of the program.

In general, the community support this approach because the community accept the idea that the people with disabilities are the most marginalized group in the community. This situation change with the present economic crisis. Other marginalized group arises and became more prominent issue in the community. Those are the very poor, the unemployed, school drop outs, street children, etc. This situation causes a "competition of priority" toward disability issues.

In response to the above situation, the CBR DTC is trying out a new strategy based on the following concept:

"CBR is community development program for the marginalized group in the community included the people with disabilities.

The benefit of this approach at the present situation are:

a. More acceptance by the community because the program is targeted toward the marginalized group in general which is an important issue for the community

b. Relevant to the present government policy and international agencies program dealing with the present economic crisis. It means that resources targeted toward the marginalized group in general could be utilized and will give benefit for the PWD in the community.

The Ministry of Manpower implement a Social Safety Net project i.e. income generating project for the unemployed.

The CBR DTC approach the Ministry that manage the program. We were very much surprised with the answer of the official of the Ministry that Social Safety Net (S.S.N.) project is targeted for the unemployed due to the crisis and not for the disabled persons. This response is based on the understanding, which is commonly accepted by the community and government officials, that disability program is a specific program which is separate and different from the non-disability program.

After some explanation by the CBR DTC staff that the disabled are also became unemployed because of the economic crisis, the officers could understand and accept the idea that the unemployed disabled persons may join the program.

The above case study proves that to put the disability issues as part of other issues of the marginalized group is beneficial especially in the present economic crisis where government and international agencies concentrated their support to program which relate to the marginalized group in general.

An Social Safety Net Project in Income Generating

Description of the Project

1. Implementor of the project:
   The CBR Development and Training Center (CBR DTC)

2. Objective
   Income generating program for the unemployed by
   a. Skill training
   b. Provision of equipment for production and working capital

3. Trainee
   a. 10 trainees are women with disabilities
   b. 10 trainees are non disabled women

4. Training program
   Four months training program in hand-weaving
   The curriculum of the training includes:

   a. The production of hand-woven handicraft

   (1) Use of the equipment

   (2) Design

   (3) Coloring

   (4) Product finishing

   b. Management

   (1) Management of small scale business

   (2) Marketing

   (3) Simple bookkeeping

5. Post Training Package
   Each trainee will be provided with some production equipment and working capital.

6. Funding
   Government Social Safety Net Program through the Ministry of Manpower

7. Follow-up program
   The CBR-DTC will be responsible for the follow up program in the form of:
   a. Consultation
   b. Non-local marketing of the product

Conclusion

By using development focus which will benefit the community in general, in this time of economic crisis, it is beneficial if the need of PWD is embedded in the needs of the marginalized groups in general rather than a separate or partitioned issue specific for disability.

Go back to the Contents

Asia and Pacific Journal on Disability
Vol. 2, No. 1, May 1999

Contributed by Mr. Tsuyoshi Takeda, Asahi Shimbum Newspaper

ISSN 1029-4414