By Naufal Taufiq Ammar | Operational Officer
"Empowering Peer Educators in Supporting the Family Economy"
Sharing the benefits is something we must do during the pandemic that not ends yet. The social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt, especially in the lower middle economic class. The same is true for YRS Peer Educator members, most of whom live as day laborers at Badung Market. To increase the role of Peer Educators in supporting the family's economy, especially in dealing with this pandemic situation, an incentive program for PE is carried out by developing catfish cultivation, to support family nutrition and ultimately to help and increase family income. This activity is one of YRS' support for PE in conducting volunteer activities to provide education and distribution of information about women's reproductive health in their environment. To technical and development methods for catfish cultivation was carried out in several stages, which included refresher training on reproductive health. The PEs seemed very enthusiastic and optimistic about the family's economic support activities, through this catfish cultivation.
Currently, this stage has entered the period of spreading catfish seeds into each of the ponds that have been provided from this program support for each participant. The number of catfish seeds distributed is 150 catfish seed for one pond. Each program participant gets 150 catfish and 2 assembled ponds. The number of PE YRS participating in this program is 6 out of 10 PEs, while other PEs are not willing to join this program, due to various reasons such as: not having a room, not getting support from family members, etc. YRS collaborates with the Dinas Perikanan Denpasar for the development of this program, especially in mentoring and marketing aquaculture products. Guidance and monitoring are carried out online through telephone communication, as well as through direct visits to PE homes which were carried out in early July, before the implementation of Emergency PPKM (strict restrictions from the government) due to the drastic increase in Covid 19 cases in Denpasar.
"Proof of PLWHA from Discrimination"
It never occurred to Mrs. Bunga (name withheld) to be a person with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Mrs. Bunga is a housewife who is very loyal to her partner, and all her thoughts and time are devoted to her beloved family, apart from devoting her time and energy to her family, she also worked in a Clinic as a laboratory technician with her daily task of examining samples/ specimens of various potentials disease, including testing specimens for HIV. All her routines are carried out regularly both as a working woman and when she is a housewife at home. Starting mid-2014, Bunga felt changes in her body related to her health, at that time she thought she was tired because her duties at the office and at home were getting tighter. So she just treated it with rest, and took regular vitamins that can be bought at the pharmacy. But his health did not show any improvement, she even had diarrhea and coughs that didn't go away, her weight started to drop drastically. Bunga began to get suspicious and finally she checked herself into a laboratory, including an HIV test. And Reactive test results. Seeing these results, she also immediately checked all his family members for HIV tests, and the results of their family members' HIV tests were all non-reactive (negative). On the one hand, Mrs Bunga is very happy because her family is all healthy, but on the other hand: she is also starting to worry, how she can be infected with HIV, while she is very loyal to her partner. Since then, Mrs. Bunga has been discriminated against by her husband. Feelings of suspicion and disapproval from his family made him abandoned by his husband and children. “I was down, I was confused about what to do. I am currently alone. At that time I did not have a job, I was advised by a friend to come to Yayasan Rama Sesana”. Then Mrs. Bunga came to consult all the problems at YRS.
“Luckily at that time I was met by good people at YRS, I was really cared for and helped, so I had hope again. Now I feel healthy and can do normal activities. I want to prove to everyone who discriminated against me.” Mrs. Bunga intends to get up and wants to help people who have suffered a similar fate to her. Now he is a PE at the Yayasan Rama Sesana. YRS helps clients with HIV by providing nutritional support, access to ARV treatment, routine laboratory monitoring and psychological support. Bunga also voluntarily and enthusiastically joined the YRS Peer Group Program, which gave her a sense of comfort and felt herself accepted and as part of the general public, to share and support other communities, especially in educating the public about health. Support for economic empowerment through catfish farming at home which YRS developed to support PE is a program that really helps the spirit and changes in life that are felt to make Mrs. Bunga more enthusiastic and optimistic in living life. Bunga will continue to help share her experiences with others, especially fellow PLWHA, to get up and get excited again.
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