Suwartoyo - Indonesian Dream

Suwartoyo - Indonesian Dream

Suwartoyo, an International Sports Programming Initiative alumni, works daily to help disabled at the Christian Foundation for Public Health (YAKKUM) Rehabilitation Center in Yogyakarta.  Suwartoyo, who has an amputated hand, creates artificial limbs and leg braces for the disabled to improve the quality of their lives.  Suwartoyo’s role at YAKKUM includes supporting holistic rehabilitation programs and sports recreation programs that focus on activities for the disabled in Indonesia.
 
From July 1st to September 30th 2011, Suwartoyo was invited to the United States of America under a program entitled: “Yogyakarta Empowerment and Potential International Sports Project for Individuals with Disabilities.”  Suwartoyo traveled with nine other Indonesians. Some of the group live with disabilities and some work for programs serving the disabled in Yogyakarta.  The program focused on sharing lessons learned and ideas for advancing the role of people with disabilities in local communities.  The program covered topic like equal opportunities, team building, public facility accessibility, safety measures, ideas for recreational programs, therapeutic programs, and methods for raising public awareness regarding people with disabilities (PwD).
 
“I’ve learned many things from my visit to America – equal rights for the disabled, public facilities which accommodate people with disabilities.  What I admire most is …opportunities for the disabled to work in a community without prejudice, doing the same job as able-bodied people,” said Suwartoyo in his interview with U.S. Embassy staff in December.
 
After the program, participants were encouraged to think of ideas that might work back home in Indonesia.  Suwartoyo came up with several ideas for establishing recreational programs for PwD, including observing public playgrounds to determine accessibility and providing input to the government.  In addition, Suwartoyo works to develop sports programs aimed at nurturing potential athletes with disabilities.
 
“We are moving slowly towards equal opportunities for PwD in Indonesia, but this program has taught me a lot about implementing grassroots efforts and making improvements.  We are hoping to make a contribution to the disabled in the fields of education, wheelchair support, and, most importantly, in capacity-building for PwD,” said Suwartoyo.
 
Between 1983 and 2004, Suwartoyo was active in various sports such as soccer and table tennis. In 1986, he joined the Far East and South Pacific Games (FESPIC) for the Disabled where he won bronze medal for the javelin throw and a gold medal in soccer.  He received another gold medal in the 1989 FESPIC Games in Kobe, Japan.  Suwartoyo ended his international athletic career at the 1994 FESPIC Games and continues to serve as a mentor for athletes competing at the National Paralympics Committee (NPC) Central Java.