Community Development Program

Elderly and Homeless

Not Be Faded By The Time

"There is a saying 'Growing old is a certainty, being mature is an option.' It means that everyone grows older and older, but maturity is not automatically goes along with it. Maturity must be continuously developed as long as age goes", said Trustha Rembaka to begin Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta training on Community Development: Elderly and Homeless. Then, Indah Theresia explained that more and more developed one region will increase its people’s prosperity and life expectancy. Consequently, the number of elderly population will also increase. More advanced region has more expensive land and property price.  What happen with a group of people who are unable to afford their basic needs? What should be done and prepared to face this reality?

The training held on October 16 – 18, 2015 in Sargede Guesthouse and Sumberboyong camping ground, equipped students to understand protection system for elderly and homeless, to build networks, to empower elderly and homeless and to learn how importance designing future independently even since at college. Drs. Suryana, M.Si and Ir. Baried Wibawa, both from Social Department of DIY gave positive appreciation to students who conduct a training on elderly and homeless. Both speakers explained government's roles on empowerment and protection for elderly and homeless, which implemented in regulation and facility that can be accessed by them in a various operational units, such as nursing home, homeless and social rehabilitation.

The exposure session is a field study held in three places. The first place is Hafara, a social institution, located in Gonjen, Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul. It works on community empowerment especially for poor group. First, it focuses to empower homeless child through children shelter; second, an empowerment effort for abandoned children and homeless; third, non-formal education for underprivileged children; fourth, empowerment for poor group and fifth, doing productive economic activities. During exposure session in Hafara, the trainees of Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta did some activities such as dialogue and sharing, making bricks and playing together with children.

The second place is Tresna Wredha Social Institution (PSTW) Budi Luhur, which managed by Social Office of Yogyakarta Province, located in Kasongan, Bantul. Participants had a sharing time with the resident there that reached more than 80 persons. During the dialogue, participants discovered various reasons why they were there, such as inability of the family to care them, no relatives or they were taken from the streets.

The third place is Panti Wredha Hanna in Surokarsan, Yogyakarta. This orphanage is a form of church services for people having entered old age. Nine trainees interact with some residents while some others interact with those having limited communication skills and physical condition. The trainees found some facts that economy is not the only reason to make them there. Sometimes it happens because there is no choice for them where to live since there is no relatives to care. This dialogue made participants to reflect the meaning of family. In addition, participants learned about total nursing when one takes care the residents to spend their old age.

After the exposure session, all participants rushed to Sumberboyong camping ground. This camping aimed to present experiences to live as if as a homeless, living without wall and roof. Although it is located at highlands of water catchment areas, the environmental conditions is quite dry and some plants dying because of water shortage. However, participants were still enthusiastic to build tents and prepare exposure presentation.

The session on Finance Management for Students was delivered by Dr. Murti Lestari, a member of Stube-HEMAT board. Participants welcame the session enthusistically . They asked about management of time between lectures and activities, how to organize incomes, expenses and savings. In addition, participants were encouraged to be independent and have a productive activity.

Enlightenment about elderly, homeless, families and the future perceived by the participants motivated participants to do follow-up activities, such as writing reflections on life, make a short movie about the existence of marginalized people, 'feature' writings on humanity and collect photographs of human life. (TRU).