Based on Ministry of Social Affairs data, there are 5,000 until 8,000 orphanages in Indonesia, while only 1 percent of them are managed by the government. In order to support its operational finance, there is no other solution except empowering the children in the orphanage to make products or creations to fund themselves. This solution is also implemented by Bina Siwi orphanage for people with special needs at Sendangsari Village in Pajangan, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta.
There are 38 children living in this orphanage, as many as 34 of them are mentally disabled, 2 of them are physically disabled, and 1 of them is blind. They are taken care by 9 volunteers and the volunteers initiated to make various products such as batik, hotel slipper, dolls, and other creations. Unfortunately, they still have difficulties to handle managerial aspect and products marketing.
It was Anita Rahmawati, Bagas Sabda Dewantara, Ghonoyah Indah Mutiara, Norma Yuniar, and Thariq Surya Gumelar who joined the Student Creativity Programme on Community Service sector to look for a solution to realize financial self-sufficiency in the orphanage. Those students make a design of a system in the form of collaborative education to manage the orphanage.
These students initiate an educative programme, namely EMANSIPASI, which is financial self-sufficiency education for Bina Siwi Orphanage. The programme consists of public relations education which is needed by the manager for servicing the visitors and packaging education for choosing the best packaging to increase the sale value of their products.
Anita Rahmawati said the establishment of EMANSIPASI programme was started by their experience during community service in several orphanages in Yogyakarta and Central Java. They found there were many orphanages still in poor condition, both from their facilities and financial aspect.
Several of those orphanages complained about financial difficulties because they did not have a regular donor, while the government only gave donation once a year. On the other hand, they had to fulfill the children’s necessities every day.
“These facts have encouraged us to create an education program, namely EMANSIPASI – financial self-sufficiency education for Bina Siwi Orphanage for People with Special Needs,” said Anita.
Under the supervision of UGM lecturer, Ammik Krisriyani, S.Psi., M.A., EMANSIPASI team performed a simulation based on module and education video which are compiled to make it easier to deliver. The program’s target is the orphanage manager with the hope the EMANSIPASI system can be sustainable and passed on towards the children.
Thariq Surya Gumelar said the manager gave positive response to the education programme from the team. Moreover, the orphanage said the education material would help solve their problems.
“We hope this educational programme can be implemented in many orphanages, not only Bina Siwi, and we hope the system, module, and educative video can be implemented in many orphanages and help their manager realize a financial self-sufficiency orphanage,” said Thariq.