Batik Brings Color to Disabled People

The different colors and motifs of batik do not only decorate the fabric. At the Kartini Bina Grahita social rehabilitation center in Temanggung regency, Central Java, batik also “decorates” and colors the lives of children with intellectual disabilities that are taking part in the center’s training program.

KOMPAS/REGINA RUKMORINI

Hanung Faris Fahrudin (left), one of the batik instructors at Kartini Bina Grahita Social Rehabilitation Center in Temanggung, Central Java, teaches Adin Arfianto to color a motif in batik. At the social rehabilitation center, batik-making is one of the skills taught to people with mental disabilities. Besides providing opportunities to earn income, batik-making is also expected to help foster confidence in people with mental disabilities so that they can more easily integrate with the community.

Young people with intellectual disabilities are able to develop through batik. They have even been asked to train others. This has fostered self-confidence and independence.

The different colors and motifs of batik do not only decorate the fabric. At the Kartini Bina Grahita social rehabilitation center (BBRSBG) in Temanggung regency, Central Java, batik also “decorates” and colors the lives of children with intellectual disabilities that are taking part in the center’s training program.