JAKARTA - The page of the Ki Hadjar Dewantoro Solo Regional Mental Hospital (RSJD) was suddenly crowded. A number of stands stood in that place, selling various food and handicraft products.
At first glance, there seems to be nothing different from the people's market or other MSME exhibitions. However, it turned out that almost all of the sellers of food products and processed handicrafts were former people with mental disorders (ODGJ) who had been hospitalized last Wednesday, June 15.
For a long time, former ODGJs have been accompanied for economic independence. With the Duminten Dolan program (Friday dinten dodol and meet up/Friday selling and meeting), the former ODGJ can sell and mingle with other general public.
In the context of Pancasila Month and Bung Karno Month, the former ODGJ sold every day in front of the hospital. A number of mentoring activities were also carried out.
“I was treated for a mental disorder since 1999. I have been in the Solo RSJD since 2006, and was given this assistance," said Sri Haryanto, a former ODGJ who was involved in selling in a written statement from the Central Java Provincial Government, Thursday, June 16.
After decades of treatment, Sri's condition has improved. He sells various kinds of food every day. Such as tofu bacem, tempeh bacem, grilled sausage, and others.
“Besides being able to earn money, I can also socialize more with the community. Wherever I am, I try to give my best," he said.
Sri hopes that the public can accept him regardless of whether he is a former ODGJ. Even so, he realized that the negative stigma was still there.
“Whether people want to judge with a bad response, a bad thing, a negative thing, I try to accept only positive things. I accept that I am also from a mental hospital. I try not to hurt them, socialize well with people. Hopefully we can all be useful for parents, families and the nation. I pray for everything to get better," he said.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, appreciated the activities of economic independence for the former ODGJ. He will continue to provide support so that the program continues.
"This is very interesting, yes, so when friends from the hospital treated them all this time, it turned out that it wasn't enough. So they, friends of ODGJ, must be independent. Thank God I was shown their work, I think this is a very good trip so that the function of the hospital is not only to treat us, but also to make them independent," he said.
Ganjar said he would continue to provide assistance. Not just making products and selling, but making their business better.
"Later on, the Cooperatives and UMKM Service can help, we will involve the marketplace and curators, so that the products sold can be better. With the assistance and assistance provided, I hope that their products can last a long time, and their lives will no longer depend on other people," he concluded.
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