UNAIR NEWS – The assumption that children with special needs (ABK) are burdens of the family and with no ability or potential, is trying to be changed by students at Universitas Airlangga PSDKU Banyuwangi in their community service in SLB ABCD PGRI Kalipuro, Bulusan village, Kalipuro subdistrict, Banyuwangi.
After sufficient dissemination to various parties, including program planning and licensing, five students carrying out the community service by teaching the ABK students in the SLB. The lessons taught included improving environmental and waste related knowledge, utilizing environmental potentials, training of waste processing, and planting 100 green trees.
The five students are Inriza Yuliandari (team leader / 2015), Nahda Ruce Triyanti (2015), Yuniar Faraizka Amalia (2015), Aulia Ivana Romli (2015), and Ikhya ‘Ulumuddin (2014). The purpose of this community service is to know how to optimize the potential and knowledge of the ABK students in the SLB.
In fact, during the planting of 100 reforestation trees, the children did it with their parents, supervisors, Kalipuro village officials, Bengkel Kreasi NGO Banyuwangi, representatives of other related agencies, in Waru Doyong Beach, Bulusan Village, Kalipuro sub-district, Banyuwangi.
“We adjusted the theme of this event with the curriculum in SLB ABCD PGRI Kalipuro. Because in the curriculum there is no form of implementation of the activity, so we try to give something new, various training, “said Inriza Yuliandari, leader of this team from UNAIR Banyuwangi.
This activity is then written as a proposal for Community Service Student Creativity Program (PKMM) with the title “Optimization of GEN PEKUNG (Care to Environment Generation) for Students with Special Needs at SLB ABCD PGRI Kalipuro Banyuwangi.”
“We’re grateful as our proposal assessed by Dikti passed the selection and was entitled to get research fund from Kemenristekdikti in 2016-2017 PKM program,” added Inriza Yuliandari.
With the qualifying PKMM proposal, this team’s innovation becomes more vibrant, interestingly packaged, with empowerment activities in education and field practice to improve the spirit and self-confidence of ABK students.
Explained by Inriza, Kalipuro Village in Banyuwangi is one of the areas located quite far from the city center (11 km). There is SLB ABCD PGRI Kalipuro, a special school for children with disabilities. There are six students with mental illness, 15 autistic students, three Cerebral Palsy (CP) students , 3 children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD), and 4 children with Learning Difficulties category (AKB) And Down Syndrome(DS).
According to Bulusan village chief , most of the people here tend to think that ABK is just a family burden and does not have the ability or potential that can be optimized or developed as a special skill. People also do not know what to do with the special children.
“From this explanation, UNAIR students in PSDKU Banyuwangi want to do something which is educative,” said Inriza ended his explanation. (*)
Editor: Bambang Bes
