Have you ever watched ‘Steven Schachter’s Door to Door movie? It is a touching true story of Bill Porter, a cerebral palsy patient who struggled for a job. Because of the cerebral palsy, Bill Porter almost cannot move his right hand. Medical researcher assumed that he suffers mental retardation, and suggested his parents to put him into mental hospital. His parents refused it and decided to support Bill to be independent until he had finished high school. After the graduation, Bill entered the new world. He had to get a job. Bill got many times refusal as an applicant. Bill has never passed more than 7 days on working and it made him cannot be employed. Bill insisted that he did not want to receive government allowance. Finally, Bill had chance to work in Watkins-US Company after he convinced the director. Bill started selling Watkin’s product by door to door selling on the area that almost no one wanted to buy his product. He decided that selling product was his career. Bill’s persistence on working at Watkins Company showed us that disability was not an obstacle. He gave in that area, he got customers. He worked there until he was 70 years old and people called him as “The Watskin Man”, he has ever got chance selling Watkin’s product for fundraising of United Cerebral Palsy.
The same with Bill Porter, Sutrisno is a beneficiary of KARINAKAS who lives in disability. As a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), he must sit all the time on wheel chair. He did not give up, a lot of things he did to survive. Many others underestimate him because of his disability. Sutrisno tells his story to KARINAKAS, since the first time as an SCI up to his persistence and inspirational struggles that move other people.
Living in Disability
Sutrisno (27) usually called Trimex, was born in Klaten. Trimex had been trying as a salesman since he was young. He sold toys for kindergarten in Jakarta. He lived like others normal people, earned money to support himself. However, no one knew his life change after Yogyakarta’s earthquake on May 2006. The walls collapsed upon him and made him live in a wheelchair forever. Trimex had never known how to live as a Spinal Cord Injured (SCI), misery and desperation came over and over in his mind.
Nobody Wants to Look at Me
As disabled people, Trimex lived as a displaced person. In the middle of his effort to face the fact, nobody wants to look at him. Even he got many refusals from girlfriends. They did not want to have a relationship with someone who was different. “None trust me that I can afford daily needs.” Sometimes people irritated him by giving me coins when he was selling product. His product parked outside the shop when he was offering product to the shop’s owner. “I gave the coins back to them. I was sad and irritated, why are they underestimated disable people? Don’t blame that disable people only can begging for money. Many disabled people succeed and I belong to it, I have worked hard to be a salesman.”
Getting to know KARINAKAS
KARINAKAS conducted assessment to Ortopeics Prof. DR. RSoeharso Hospital on Solo. At the first time, Trimex did not want to join because of inferiority feeling on his mind. Five months became an SCI or disabled person, Trimex was not able to be independent to do daily activity. Taking bath, relieving, eating and drinking was served and help by his grandmother. During two years of being an SCI, he was paralyzed. On 2008, he learned to ride accessible motorbike for the first time. Then, he is motivated to have his own accessible motorbike to earn money.
Obstacle on Bussiness
Ups and downs are part of his life.,Trimex succeeded breaking new rules as a professional salesman who can overcome obstacles.. When he wanted to sell his product, he had to pass many difficult accesses.Sometimes he must pass through a huge gate before he entered an office. It is always difficult since the wheelchair cannot pass it. “I had ever lied to security officer; I wanted to get hospitality as others got. I lied that someone asked me to sent money to the staff on that office. I did it in order to get hospitality; it was also good for the security officer, he should learn how to greet a guest.” He said and laughed. Now, Trimex learnt how to write offering business letter to offices in order to get permanent customer.
Enthusiastic
Trimex became enthusiastic; many businesses had been done, such as opening variety store and Play Station rental. But, his business went bankrupt and it was out from his expectation. He decided to sell household product with 100 thousands rupiahs as capital. He had only few products to be sold.Broom and feather duster are things he could sell by using his partner’s bicycle. As time went by, Trimex became dependent with his partner’s bike. , He wondered why he could not have his own accessible motorbike modified by “Bangkit” shop? Thus he could sell more of his products himself.
After his motorbike has been done, Trimex became enthusiastic to bought and sell the household product. Trimex started to develop his business by getting loan from “Karya Bakti Difabel Cooperative”. He made name card and promoted his product to shops, company, and schools around Sukoharjo and Klaten area. The income increased significantly and many distributors wanted to work with him. Now, his product became various. Business under the name of DWI KARYA grows faster. He has a dream to become a professional salesman. “I have courage to compete with other salesmen. Sometimes I gave discount and took a little profit. I will glad to tell the quality of the product to the customer and recommend product that has good quality. Honesty is my basic investment.” He said confidently. Although shops, schools, and company refused his product at the first time, Trimex is always optimistic.“Among the words of ‘No, No and No’, it will come a word of “Yes”, if we have courage.”
A motivator for difabel
Role of society for disabled people become important to give positive reinforcement. Trimex has a friend who is policeman. He always motivates supports and treats Trimex as a normal person. “He always introduces me to some girls so that I won’t feel desperate. Then I realized that if we expect others to receive the presence of disabled people, we should open to any relationship. We should not be ashamed of having relationship with disabled people.” Trimex said proudly. “I hope that other people like me can have a better life too, be a successfulperson. ” I have proofed it and my dreams come true. Now people look at me as a disabled people who can change the world.” Trimex finishes his story.
