My dreams are to share experiences and insights, improve the financial ability of the disabled people, help people to help themselves, strive for better living standards of all disabled people, and as long as there’re people still suffering, I’ll never stop fighting.

- Rusidah Badawi

Life photography stirs Indonesia
Currently, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Purworejo Disabilities Association (IDP) of Indonesia, Rusidah Badawi was born with no arms. Despite being armless, she has never bowed to her fate. After graduating from high school, she actively studied photography, and now, she is a “freelance photographer” to help people to help themselves. 

She also won the recognition and invitation from the then Indonesian First Lady Ani Yudhoyono in 2011 to participate in the Indonesian National Gallery of Art. Her alternative lively photography works have stirred Indonesia and touched Southeast Asia.
Rusidah was born without arms.
However, she has not been knocked down.
In 1989, after graduating from high school in Purworejo, Central Java, she went to a rehabilitation center for the disabled in Thoreau to continue her studies, where she learned how to take pictures.

Gives back to the folks with photography
After leaving the rehabilitation center, Rusidah chose to return to her hometown in Purworejo and become a freelance photographer to give back to the people.
Rusidah uses a specially modified camera with a screw on the shutter button, which makes her more convenient to operate.
Rusidah is often invited to take photos at weddings and government events.
She said: “At the beginning, she could only show her works to one customer after another looking for buyers. She was suspected of how possibly a disabled person could take photos.”
However, all of these did not extinguish her love for taking photos. In the end, she used the actual photos taken by her to convince everyone.
Started from her hometown, Rusidah becomes known to all parts of Indonesia and gradually gained popularity. In 2011, she was recognized and invited by the then First Lady Ani Yudhoyono to participate in the Indonesian National Gallery of Art in Jakarta.
Also, she is often invited to appear on the cover of magazines or shared her life experiences on TV talk shows.

Photographing with love for 30 years
Although people have already used to take pictures with their mobile phones now, there are still many customers waiting for her to have their photos taken.
Now she is full of gratitude.
Once when Rusidah needed to print, she found that the printer broke down. She just smiled and said: “Thank God because He has given her a lot of things.”
Whereby, Rusidah Badawi never gives up and has been snapping photos with love for 30 years, using photography to help people to help themselves, but also leading the disabled people to come out to learn a skill, and encouraging the street children to be self-reliant. She says to everyone she meets: “You need to strive 99% on your own to success and rely 1% on others to help.” Since then, she has reversed her life, snapping beautiful photos. She deserves to be praised as an “Armless Photographer,” and stood out among 2,723 recommended candidates from all over the world and earned her the “22nd Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2019” from Taiwan’s Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation.

The Foundation welcomes all walks of life around the world at any time to recommend candidates of life warriors who possess the contexts of endeavors, love, braveness, and achievement.
 
The Fervent Global Love of Lives Medal - Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation, Taiwan
Recommended hotline: 886-2-29178770
Fax: 886-2-29178768
Address: 3F, No. 52, Mingde Road, Xindien District, New Taipei City 231, Taiwan
Website: http://www.ta.org.tw
Email: ta88ms17@gmail.com

Born without arms
On August 3, 1968, Rusidah was born in a remote village in Purworejo district of ​​Central Java, Indonesia. She was born without arms. Since childhood, her parents let her leave Java. She lived with her father’s brother, played around in the village and did not go to school until eight years old.
Although she has no arms, she has never been discouraged and quit. She wanted to live independently, kept on trying and praying and only wishing that she could be like other friends who are physically perfect.
Although she is a disabled person, she has many friends. As she grows older, she thinks she must keep up with her friends and not to lag. At least, she can live like a normal person.
When she saw her friends going to school every day, she also wanted to join. Fearing of her physical conditions, her family did not let her go to school.
She lived in the village. Even though both her hands could not move conveniently, she still helped the family graze 10 goats every day, and also went with friends to collect firewood at a place one kilometer away.
After finding the twigs, she piggybacked them with a scarf and took them home for cooking. That was her daily work activity then.

Writing on banana leaves
One day, she went to look for firewood with a dropout student.
While looking for firewood, exhausted, they rested in a small house in the garden. She asked her friend to teach her writing.
They used ready-made tools to learn writing, scribing on the ground with a small bamboo stick every day.
They also learned to write on banana leaves. After knowing how to write her name and address, her desire to study got higher and higher.
When she was nearly nine years old, she went to school with her friends. After her friend had registered, she did not register because she had not got the consent from her family. Two days had passed, the elementary school class was about to start, and yet she had not registered.
Finally, she went to school alone to register courageously.

Dialogue that has reversed her life
Rusidah: “Sorry, good morning, sir...”
Teacher: “Good morning, please come in. Can I help you?”
Rusidah: (Although afraid) “I want to attend school, sir.”
Teacher: “You want to attend school? Can you write?”
Rusidah: “I can...”
Teacher: “Write and see.”
Rusidah: “Yes, sir... I wrote my name and address.”
Teacher: “Wow... you can write well. Yes, you can attend school here. Be my student but don’t be shy...”
Rusidah: “Yes... .sir…. thank you (excited)”
Teacher: “On Monday tomorrow, you can start schooling...”
Rusidah: “Yes, sir...”

In the teacher’s office, she started to run excitedly. After returning home, she went to see her friends and told them that Bringin Elementary School had accepted her.
Tomorrow (Monday), they could go to school together.
When she got home, she told her family, but her family did not take notice and did not respond.
Even if her family did not support, she was not discouraged at all and excited to go to school the next day.
At that time, she could only wear simple clothes and woke up early to go to school.
A few days later, she got the uniform given by her friend. Even though it was an old uniform, she was still very grateful.
At nine years old then, she should have study 2^nd grade of elementary school. The teacher agreed and believed that she could keep up.

She attended a regular elementary school. The only problem was that she has disabled arms and could only write with both arms, but she was confident that she would not lag behind other students, and she wrote as well as they were.
She tried to deal with her daily life as much as possible and did not depend on others.
As she lived in the village and planted crops for a living, she grew cassava, corn, bananas, and vegetables such as spinach, long beans, etc. on a small plot of land.
At the time of harvest, she sold them to neighbors and on the market. She lived on her own, clearing the weeds, spreading fertilizer, and doing other gardening chores all by herself.
Although her income was little, she was happy. Besides farming, she was also fond of cooking.

Top of the list in class
She had a sewing machine at home, but unfortunately no one taught her how to sew.
While learning to sew, she often snapped the sewing needles, but she continued to learn without despair. At 3^rd grade then, she still did not have a uniform.
Thank God, her brother provided her with clothes for the school uniform. As the family did not care about her, she must be independent and not dependent on others.
Originally thought of asking the tailor shop to sew the uniform, but she had no money. So she tried her best to make the uniform.
As she could not cut the cloth with the scissors then and the scissors were very blunt. Without anyone teaching her, she marked the fabric and then cut the fabric with a knife slowly, following the pattern of the garment.

Then, she sewed up the clothes with confidence, perseverance, and patience. Finally, she finished sewing her red and white school uniform. Later, she showed the uniform to her friends and told them she could sew uniform, and was asked to sew everyone’s uniform.
There were two classes in the 4^th grade (SD), namely class 4A and class 4B. She attended class 4B. There were a total of 60 students in Bringin Elementary School.
Her school works are often hung on the classroom walls.
To her surprise, even though she had graduated from elementary school, her works were still hanging there to allow everyone to envy.
She did not have textbooks when she was in elementary school, but a notebook to write all the subjects. If she wanted to review her homework, she would get confused because all the notes of different courses were mixed up.
Although she has a problematic physical condition as a normal person, poor financial status, and had no stationery items in school, she still took the exam and ranked 4^th place in class.
After graduating from elementary school in 1983, she attended Bayan Purworejo Junior High School. She still did not get support from her family, but she insisted on going to school. At that time, she passed the exam and entered public high school. 

Thank God, her exam result ranked the 10^th place among 120 students.
Being the 1^st session student of Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School then, the school was officially opened by the Minister of Education and Culture, Nugroho Notosusanto.
In preparing for the opening ceremony of Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School, the teacher assigned her to draw a puppet (wayang kulit) and a car toy made of cardboard, and her friend was responsible for painting and planning the work.
During the school’s opening ceremony, she was given a task to symbolically hand the puppet to the Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture, Mr. Nugroho Notosusanto.
She was still short then and had short arms, but the puppet frame was wide and long (60cm x 1m). Finally, the teacher helped her handing over to the Minister. In that instant, the Minister was stunned and looked at her in surprise.

The Minister of Education and Culture thought why a disabled student could attend the Bayang  Purworejo Public Junior High School, and she was asked to write. She immediately wrote in front of the Minister, witnessed by the County Magistrate of Purworejo, staff members, and the teachers. She wrote: “I hope the school can help me.”
The Minister of Education and Culture responded on the spot and ordered the County Magistrate of Purworejo, the head of the Social Services Bureau, the head of Purworejo Education and Culture, and the school principal to discuss her situation.
They wanted to transfer her to a special school - Rehabilitas Centrum (RC) Junior High School. She would be moved when she was in the 2^nd year of Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School.
In Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School, she had many friends, and the teachers liked her very much.
Even if she is disabled, she could also get the same homework as the other students without being discriminated.
She was proud of her friends and teachers, and her friends did not reject to guide her. Her teachers also did not hesitate to give her tasks to do.

Served as the Vice Chairman of the orphanage
She also participated in a task to raise the national flag and read the 1945 Basic Constitution (UUD).
She was brave enough to read out loud and full of confidence and responsibility. She was proud of her teachers for motivating her, letting her face with many people without fear.
Also, she was assigned to serve as a ceremonial commander, which has made her stronger and passionate about dealing with the crowd.
In the 1^st semester of Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School (mid-year school exam), she ranked 12^th place out of 120 students. In the 2^nd semester (final exam), she ranked 19^th place out of 120 students.
In the process of preparing for the 2^nd year of Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School, the head of the Social Services Bureau, the head of Purworejo Education and Culture, and the teachers asked her again if she would like to be transferred to RC Junior High School. She replied: “I don’t want to.” She only wanted to attend the public school in Purworejo area.

Based on her wish, she was transferred from Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School to Purworejo National Junior High School by the former school Principal. Her tuition fees from the 2^nd year of junior high school until senior high school graduation were all funded by the government, but she must stay in Purworejo Wiloso Muda Mudi (PAWMM) Orphanage.
In 1984, Rusidah went to Purworejo PAWMM Orphanage. Her transference from Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School to Purworejo National Junior High School was arranged by Ms. Sri Hartati, President of Bayan Purworejo Public Junior High School.
While staying in PAWMM Orphanage, she made new friends and had a new residence there. She was able to adapt quickly. Being the only disabled person in the orphanage, she was not discouraged. Her main goal was to continue her schooling.
She stayed in PAWMM Orphanage for 5 years. At that time, Mr. Muji, the head of the Social Services Department of Purworejo and Mr. Ngadimun, the caretaker of the orphanage were very friendly, responsible and very enthusiastic towards her, letting her live in the orphanage happily.

Even though she is disabled, she was not discriminated against and did the same job as her friends. She was very grateful and able to finish the works handed over top her without complaint. She also participated in the management positions at PAWMM Orphanage, such as serving as the Vice Chairman, Religious Cadre, etc.
She had a total of 125 friends at PAWMM Orphanage, ranging from young children to high school students. At that time, the orphanage nurses asked her to take care of abandoned children. One girl was only a month old, and everyone named her Ida. Another boy had just learned to walk. Even though they were children then, everyone was happy and responsible and took care of them in good faith.
She and her friends act like sisters and the mothers of the babies. The children grew up in good health, beautiful, obedient, very happy, very cute, and fun.
At PAWMM, she was assigned a task to buy snacks for 125 friends ranging from elementary school to high school, and she was the only disabled person. Wanting to live independently without relying on others, she needs to struggle all the time.

Her first step in photography
After graduating from high school, she wanted to be a teacher. But was it feasible? She remembered that when she was in high school, she attended a sewing skills course and it has become her favorite subject since then.
After graduating from high school, she was confused about where she would work due to her disability.
Under a confusing circumstance, she thought of going to the Purworejo Social Services Bureau and asked how she would walk through her life.
The Social Services Bureau finally advised her to go to the Solo vocational school, also known as the Soeharso Surakarta Rehabilitation Center (RC) in Solo.
Then, she registered at RC Soeharso Surakarta vocational school and admitted six months later.

She would have been sent there by the Social Services Bureau, but she was told to go there on her own. It was a test from God again, but she did not complain but hurriedly set off on her own.
After reaching RC, she accepted the entrance exam and interview. She chose a sewing course and received three months of guidance in sewing.
During the training, she saw a handless disabled friend who could take pictures. He has become a freelance photographer and able to earn a living.
She began to get interested in photography, hoping to become a photographer and make money immediately. She thought it was high time for her to learn more relevant knowledge.
She knew that she could not have only one sewing skill, but took the opportunity to have two abilities.
Later, she began to learn photography skills. There were two photography skill classes, namely Class A and Class B. The two classes had 60 disabled students from all regions of Indonesia.
All the students in both classes were males, and she was the only female.

The teacher was very fond of her as she often asked questions. In the class of photography skills, most of the students have disabled legs or hands, or single-handed. She was the only person without both hands.
From the 1991-1992 academic year, the students in RC Soeharso Surakarta vocational school rose to 300, with students coming from all regions of Indonesia. She studied for a year in RC Solo. Not only did she study photography skills and knowledge, but also a variety of other knowledge.
In 1992, she completed the photography skill training course and returned home with a skillful photographer certificate. From the day she learned to take pictures until she went home, she did not have a camera.
She had only a firm belief that God would help.
Her photography teacher, Mr. Meurtulus, gave her a task to shoot a grand and bustling wedding. He gave her the Fuji/Konica negatives and told to snap four rolls of films.
While shooting photos for the first time at the wedding ceremony, she sweated profoundly but did not complain then. Finally, she was not afraid of taking photos in front of many people. At that time, she still did not have her own camera. She borrowed a camera from a teacher of Bayan National High School to learn and increase her income.

At first, she took photos of her friends and nephews. After shooting, she placed them in an album as samples. Her teacher taught her to let the children wear police and military uniform to attract the housewives to have their children photos taken.
Although cameras were still using negative films then, it was still rare to see people owning the cameras.
She went around taking photos with a camera along with the police uniform. She let the mothers look at the photos she had made. After seeing them, they were willing to allow their children photos taken in military or police uniform.
The price of one shot (photo size 3R) was Rp.1,000, and she promised to deliver the photos to their houses in three days. If they were not satisfied with the photos, they did not need to pay. She also allowed reshooting. She used to travel long distances to take photos of many beautiful dancers in dance art performances.
One day, she showed them the photos she had taken; they were very interested and would like to buy those photos.

As a freelance photographer, she still did not have her own camera even after a few years later. Finally, she took the courage to ask for a camera funding subsidy from Dharma Wanita and PKK Women’s Club in Purworejo County.
She was grateful that her request was granted and used the subsidy to purchase Pentax K1000. Since then she has gained recognition and become a photographer for the Dharma Wanita and PKK Women’s Association events in Purworejo County.
At first, she took women photos of Dharma Wanita and PKK in Purworejo County.
Later, she took photos of PKK work conferences in Purworejo County and all Dharma Wanita and PKK competition events. Since then, she has been invited to snap photos at wedding ceremonies, office events, kindergarten birthdays, children birthday parties, and other events.

Conveying love with a digital camera
The digital camera started to appear in 2005, and the technology has been advancing e rapidly since then, but she did not own a digital camera. Her photographer friends have turned to use digital cameras. She was very grateful for what she already has then and believed that God would help.
One day, she was requested to take photos of a wedding ceremony and still using the film camera. While doing her makeup, the bride was surprised to see that she took photos with a film camera.
During the wedding ceremony, she was asked to replace the film camera with a digital one within five minutes. The bride’s beautician seemed unhappy and questioned why she did not use a digital camera. She replied that she did not own a digital camera and hoped she would have a digital camera in the future.
One day, the English journalist Adi Nugroho of the Jakarta Post visited her and published the footage on the cover of Jakarta Post magazine.
The English publication is most read by big bosses. During that visit, she proposed to own a digital camera that she had not been unable to purchase. After the magazine was released, someone sympathized with her and realized her unfulfilled dreams, which included:
1. 2010: Interviewed by SCTV reporter.
2. 2010: Asked by Permata Bank to take photos.
3. 2010: Donated with D550 camera from the Indonesia International Bank (BII).
4. 2010: Interviewed by Kick Andy Show in Metro TV.
5. 2010: Interviewed by program host Dedy Corbuzer in Hitam Putih Show on Trans7.
6. 2011: Her family was interviewed by the program host Tukul Arwana in TransTV Bukan Empat Mata Show.
7. 2011: Interviewed by transTV.
8. 2018: Posted in SariNet (Youtube).
9. 2016: Took documentary photos in SI Jakarta.
10. 2010: Often invited to attend Ms. Mery Harun’s Canon Marathon program, with Canon providing the photographic equipment.
11. Donated with D400 camera by Mr. Iwan Kusworo.
12. As a member of the Agenda Committee, she becomes a record photographer for the agenda.
1) She stayed in Kempishi Hotel for a week for the weekly agenda event in Jakarta.
2) As a photographer, she participated in the program with great significance. Representatives of the disabled people from the ASEAN countries participated in the event. Indonesia, as a host country, invited several organizations, such as IFES, PPUA, JPRR, PPCI to take part in the event.
3) She was the only person invited to the 2^nd Bali Disability Conference. Never been to Bali before, she courageously got on and off the plane alone. The purposes of her trip to Bali were: (1) to perform the photographing task; and (2) to participate in a learning trip and enjoy the beauty, tranquility, and uniqueness of Bali with an abundance of food everywhere. She received friendly services at the hotel and other tourist resorts.
4) She was commissioned by the committee to conduct a photo shooting mission during a mayor election at Cangkringan Village of Sleman, Yogyakarta, giving evidence that the disabled person with voting rights had voted. 16. 2010: She was invited to attend the Kick Andy Show on Metro TV. Guests invited to the show included herself, as well as the armless Aceng from Wonosobo, the single-legged expertise climber, Sabar from Sol, and the professional artist, Aam from Jepara. In that event, she was not only known by the Indonesian but recognized internationally as well. She is very grateful to God for giving happiness and opportunity to her family.
  Despite of these, she kept on praying while passing through the river, graveyard, and rice fields on her way home.
  After months and years of photographing experience, she knows she is more and more widely known, and the community believes her ability to shoot, and does not dislike her disability. Finally, whenever there is an event in the community she will be hired to work, shooting in wedding ceremonies, birthdays, inaugurations, and other activities.
  Less than 40 days after the child was born, she was invited by someone to take photos of a bride.
  Many people express sympathy for her enthusiasm and determination, especially the students from BSI in Jakarta. They produced a 20-minute documentary which is deeply respected by the Indonesian circles.
  To her surprise, she was invited to the YPE Sawunggalih Kutoarjo vocational high school on April 21, 2018, and praised as a modern Kartini (heroine).

Before this, she was invited to participate in a photo book release of Ms. Ani Yudhoyono (First Lady) at Hotel Istana Ratu in Jakarta. The content of this book is the work of Ms. Ani Yudhoyono, who is also a hobby of photography. Ms. Ani Yudhoyono is the daughter of Mr. Sarwo Edi Wibowo (hero) of Purworejo.

At that event, many well-known Indonesian photographers were invited, including the oldest photographer in Jakarta, as well as the youngest photographer from Bali, and a female photographer from Purworejo.

When she stepped inside the gallery of the presidential palace, she was so glad, stunned, moved, and proud. What on earth could a girl from the country step in the presidential palace? After the event, she was able to take photos with Ms. Ani and the former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Everyone was happy.

Finally, she and her friend established the IDP (Purworejo Disability Association). They participated in activities in Purworejo districts to promote their organization, such as the August Carnival, the Indonesian Independence Day on August 17, and other activities. In 2014, they registered with a notarial certificate, and she was elected as the Chairman of the founding board.
  5. The new economic empowerment has reached 15%

Her dream is to improve her financial ability and strive for the standard of living for disabled people. She is always ready to share her experiences and knowledge because she believes what Mr. Muhammadiyah Said Tuhulele said: “As long as there’re people still suffering, we’ll never stop fighting.”

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