Understanding the Silence of the Deaf
Having encountered deaf people since her teenage years made Sister Crescentiana Tutut Wahyuningrum, PMY curious. She was friendly to deaf people in the workforce. Crescentiana serves and delves into their lives at the Dena Upakara Foundation and PT Protecda Kreasi Prima in Wonosobo, Central Java.
"When I attended SMA Bhaktitama senior high school, I lived in a dormitory. We were often taken by our physical education teacher to Dena Upakara for volleyball matches with our deaf friends. I started to gain interest and wondered how those kids were able to defeat us with so much confidence. They earned my respect," Crescentiana said at the Putri Maria Yosep (PMY) monastery in Wonosobo, Central Java, on Saturday (8/6/2019).
The Dena Upakara Foundation, which has been active since 1938 in Wonosobo, houses dormitories and special schools for children with hearing impairments, ranging from pre-school to junior high school. More than 1,000 deaf children were raised, nurtured and educated in the place run by the PMY monastery.
The dormitory and schools have become an educational institution and provides skills in cooking, sewing and cosmetology. PT Protecda (Productivity Training & Education for The Deaf Alumni) Kreasi Prima, which was established in 2016, is a place where deaf people can work and live independently.
PT Protecda, with its business units, namely salons, cafe, mechanical and garment companies, have become a place for graduates to work. The silent or mute area building on Jl. T Soerjohadikoesumo No 21A, Wonosobo, has also become a place for deaf people to work in cafes and salons. The mute area salon even has 250 customers.
Crescentiana began her monastery life in 1998. She became a monk in 2001. To support her work, Crescentiana was educated in the Extraordinary Education Study Program at the School of Teacher Training, Yogyakarta State University. During her time in Yogyakarta, she also accompanied the blind and deaf children at SLB Helen Keller Indonesia school. Upon her return to Wonosobo, she jumped directly to the Dena Upakara Foundation.
There, Crescentiana had various assignments, ranging from teaching religion, becoming a class coordinator and the head of a dormitory. Since 2012, she has been the secretary of the Dena Upakara Foundation and managing director of PT Protecda Kreasi Prima since 2016.
"Dena Upakara comes from an ancient Javanese language. Dena is dina or poor. Upakara is taking care of. Poor in what? Poor in language, poor in communication. Not poor in economy, but rather poor in language and communication. The deaf children are poor in language, poor in communication. Well, that\'s what we have to do or care for," said the fifth daughter in a family of six children.
Crescentiana said children became deaf on account of various factors. Some were born deaf due to illness while still in the womb. In addition, children may suffer from high fevers that can cause nerve damage.
Teaching to be independent
With confidence, Crescentiana teaches the deaf children to be more independent. She worked together with fellow teachers and 16 dormitory caregivers, guiding the children since they were 4 years old. In the dormitory, they are taught to accept and be grateful for every gift in each of them.
"I told the children they must be grateful for being deaf. So, this is something that doesn\'t make them hurt. In fact, I also invited them to see this is not their mother\'s fault, not their father\'s fault, not God\'s fault. This does not need to be lamented, but grateful. Now, they have to do things with their condition," she said.
Crescentiana asked the children in grade IV to send a letter asking their parents why they had lost their hearing. The parents must be more open and provide explanations to their children. Acceptance of these conditions affects the growth and development of the children.
"What’s important is fostering the child\'s confidence. The parents usually keep quiet. In my opinion, the children need to know why he or she is deaf and parents must be able to explain it well so that children do not blame anyone," she said.
Meanwhile to the parents, Crescentiana said these children need education. "What is important is to provide these children with education first. Because this will make them more confident. Through education, they are taught communication skills, which will open language and everything. If you can\'t speak, you can\'t communicate, then the world will be very narrow," she said.
Certainly it is not an easy thing for parents to let their children stay in a dormitory, especially from a young age. However, this is the first step to equip and nurture them. Children with hearing impairments are trained to practice eating and to reduce the habit of bedwetting.
"Children here must eat rice and vegetables. Sometimes they refuse when they are asked to eat. This eating exercise is important. If eating exercises are not successful, speaking exercises will also be difficult. Because to get good motor skills you have to eat hard foods," she said.
Children must feel valuable, \'I am valuable, I can do something, I can produce something, and it makes money.\' They must have a view of themselves that \'I can do something for others or at least for themselves.
According to Crescentiana, their self-confidence grows and develops when they find their talent so they can learn independently. "Children must feel valuable, \'I am valuable, I can do something, I can produce something, and it makes money.\' They must have a view of themselves that \'I can do something for others or at least for themselves\'," she said.
Crescentiana said these deaf children were able to study in public schools, even universities, to work and live independently. Some Dena Upakara alumni have become dentists, civil servants and teachers at the SLB. In fact, there are also those who have beauty salons in big cities like Semarang and Yogyakarta.
During the service, Crescentiana actually learned that everyone must move forward, not be stagnant and continue to overcome their limitations. "I learned how they could overcome their limitations. They needed someone to give encouragement, support, then I studied their muted world. Their world is muted, but they can work well. "They can make things noisy. In their silence they can find many things that can be made useful for many people," she said.
Crescentiana tries not to pity the deaf children but tries to be compassionate. "Pity only leads to charity but compassion will drive action. It\'s like not giving fish, but a hook to get the fish," he said.
Suster Crescentiana Tutut Wahyuningrum, PMY
Born: Wonosobo, Central Java, 11 July 1978
Father: Noorbertus Puspowijoyo
Mother: (late) Christina Mulatsih
Education:
- SDN 1 Reco, Wonosobo
- SMP N 2 Kertek, Wonosobo
- SMU Bhaktitama, Wonosobo
- Enrolled at PMY Monastery in 1998, declaring to be a sister in 2001
- Yogyakarta State University, majoring Extraordinary Learning 2002-2007
Jobs:
- Religion teacher, class coordinator and Indonesian language teacher at SLB Dena Upakara (2006-2012)
- Secretary of Dena Upakara Foundation (2012-present)
- Magistra Novis PMY, (2012-present)
- President Director at PT Protecda Kreasi Prima (2016-present)