They may be blind, but they are keen to make a decent living without resorting to begging.
HELPING HIMSELF: Steven Imbiri, who is blind, waits for customers in front of Saga Mall in Abepura, Papua. He makes brooms and doormats from sugar palm fronds and then sells the products to shoppers and housewives in the town. (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)
No one would care or disapprove if Steven Imbiri, 35, were to seek a living by panhandling. And he would receive a lot of pity considering his condition. However, he refuses to do so as he intends to make a living for his family without depending on other people's sympathy.
"I have to help myself before seeking help from others," he said.
Steven is one of the 15 family heads staying at the Humania Foundation shelter in Polimak, Jayapura.
The two-story house is divided in partitions according to the number of families, including the families of two counselors at the shelter.
The shelter only provides lodging, while the occupants provide their own meals and clothing and pay their electricity and water bills.
Steven's and the other families eke out a living by selling mats, brooms, plastic flowers and at times receiving charity.
He and his colleagues produce mats and brooms made of palm fiber and coconut leave ribs every morning. They spread out to every corner of Jayapura to sell their wares in the afternoon.
Steven and Nelson Romsumbre, 36, sell their merchandise at Saga Mall in Abepura.
After having lunch each day, Steven and Nelson take an ojek, or motorcycle taxi, to the Saga Mall with their wares. "We pay our regular ojek drivers Rp 15,000 (US$1.60) each from our home to get here," he said.
Like usual, that afternoon Steven and Nelson sold their wares at the entrance to the Saga Mall, while Steven's daughters, Karolina Imbiri, 6, and Yeni Imbiri, 5, tagged along.
"Dad, I want to buy some candy," Karolina whined to her father while clinging to his arm. Steven took out a Rp 20,000 banknote from his black sling bag.
"Here, take your sister along," Steven said while handing over the money. The two girls jumped with joy and sped off.
"Karolina is a first grader at Polimak elementary school, while her younger sister does not yet attend school," said Steven, as the two girls vanished into the crowd.
Karolina and Yeni are not blind like their parents, Steven and Korina Ater, 26.
Like Steven, Korina also sells mats and brooms, but in Jayapura city.
They sell a mat for Rp 35,000, a palm fiber broom for Rp 15,000 and a coconut leaf rib broom for Rp 20,000 each. Steven can sometimes earn Rp 1 million a month from sales. "We enjoy brisk business during the first days of the month," he said.
He saves part of the monthly earning and spends the rest for food and bills.
"I have to save at least Rp 200,000 each month. The monthly water and electricity bills amount to between Rp 10,000 and Rp 30,000 respectively which we chip in together among the 16 family heads," said Steven.
The savings, said Steven, are to pay for his children's education.
"Our children cannot go to school if we don't save. I want my children to pursue their studies until university, not like me and their mother who only finished junior high school," Steven said.
A housewife asked about the plastic flowers Steven sells.
"Did you make it yourself?" Eni said.
"No, I bought them for Rp 20,000 and sell them for Rp 30,000," Steven said.
The woman then handed over a Rp 50,000 banknote. "Keep the change," Eni said. "Thank you, madam," he replied while placing the money in his bag.
"I salute these men. They are blind yet they strive to lead an independent life," Eni said.
Steven and his colleagues learned how to make the mats and brooms in Biak Numfor in 1999 when the local social office provided special training for the blind.
In 2001, Steven moved to Jayapura from Biak Numfor in the hope of seeking a better life.
"My life is better compared when I was still in Biak," he said.
Although he is blind, he can still communicate by using a cell phone. "How do I contact people? I memorize the positions of the key pads, for example number 1 to 0, and likewise with the letters," he said, adding it took the counselor at the shelter a week to teach him to use the phone.
Another activity of theirs is singing. Every Sunday, they go to a church in Jayapura to sing.
"We sing every morning, while making the mats and brooms. We also taught ourselves to play the guitar," Steven added.
"We don't depend on anyone, just Jesus to lean on," go the lyrics to one of the songs Steven and his friends sing at the church.
