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Disabilities in Bali
Bali has long been envisaged as a tropical paradise, rich with culture, heritage, idyllic landscapes and a generous and welcoming local community. While for the most part this picture of Bali is an accurate representation, often people do not realise the small island of Bali is also home to hundreds of thousands of people living in abject poverty, with no access to water, sanitation, electricity and schools, let alone health facilities and medication. Living under these conditions puts an incredible strain on the lives of healthy human beings, but even more so on the thousands of people who have never left their home due to an incapacitating physical disability.
There are tens of thousands of people, spread over 8 Regencies and 1 Municipality, in Bali currently living with a physical disability. Of all these people, very few have received any medical care or have been given the opportunity to integrate into society. Many people in Bali believe in karma and therefore children born with disabilities are being punished for sins in a past life. For this reason, having a child with disabilities is often a disgrace to a Balinese family. Very few families are aware of the needs of people with disabilities and will treat disabled people as equals with other family members.
A further challenge for disabled people in Bali is an infrastructure that does not support the needs of people with restricted mobility. Roads full of potholes and a lack of footpaths, mean that even those who have access to mobility aides cannot travel anywhere unassisted. While support from the Indonesian government remains limited, assistance from Non Government Organisations, such as Yayasan Peduli Kemanusiaan Bali, is crucial in order for disabled people in Bali to integrate into society and live fulfilling lives.
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