I recently spent a week and a half on Gunning Kidul on Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This wasn’t a holiday.

It was an eye opening opportunity for me work with DEC (Disability Empowerment Centre) on a community enterprise programme. I found it interesting for a number of reasons.

Firstly, DEC is a cooperative (locally called an association) of cooperatives. It also engages directly in work with its members and the wider community.

Secondly, 98% of the membership has some form of disability.

Furthermore, the membership includes people that completed university through to people that haven’t completed primary school.

This was such an inspiring and eye-opening trip I came back energised and eager to do more to help aspiring social entrepreneurs in Indonesia.

While I was there I had a guided tour of the state capital, Yogyakarta.

The difference was the guide was “disabled” (not that you would know once he was on his motorbike!) and the company Difabike is run by and for disabled people.

This project is supported by the British Council.

Published: May 29, 2019. Categories: News and Robert's Blog.