Made Dwara Abhysma, 23, has always loved music. Abhy is in a band called I’m a Star and plays the keyboard and the saxophone. His band is unique because all of its four members have autism spectrum disorder.

Indriani Astuti, a former therapist who assisted Abhy for 10 years, said Abhy had high-functioning autism. This means that he is capable of progressing in life and developing communication and interaction skills.

Indri said talents, such as Abhy’s musical abilities, in high-functioning autistic individuals were crucial for their development, giving them pride, especially in adulthood.

Abhy and his band have won an international award in Hong Kong and performed their music on national television, at the State Palace and the ASEAN Secretariat building.

However, after Abhy graduated from Jakarta State Polytechnic in 2016, his mother Dewi Semarabhawa wondered what job her son could have as an adult. That is why she and her two friends, Unun Musthofa and Indah Prabowo, founded a workhouse in Bintaro named I’m a Star House, where children with special needs like Abhy can work.

“Because we want them to have pride in knowing that they’re the same as other kids,” Dewi explained. Although their jobs involve simple tasks, they can make the most of their time and have a community through which they can meet friends.

The idea of the workhouse came when I’m a Star went to Hong Kong, where there was a small factory where around 150 adults with developmental disorders worked.

“They clearly looked confident and happy. And they felt proud that they worked and got paid,” she said. “We wanted the same thing in Indonesia too.”

Diah Setia, the former director of the Mental Health Care department at the Health Ministry, said in 2013 that the estimated number of Indonesian autistic children aged 5 to 19 years old was 112,000, with 1.68 in every 1,000 children under 15 years old diagnosed with autism.

Despite receiving no funding from the government, I’m a Star House still tries to advocate for the employment rights of autistic individuals.

“At least give them some faith with work orders,” Dewi said.

I’m a Star House now has 10 members, all in productive ages from 18 to 31 years old. It has taught its members skills, such as how to pack food parcels and stamp white pillow sheets.

The products are sold to their families, friends and schools, and even big companies. Recently, the workhouse gained Rp 65 million (US$4,660) in revenue for selling Idul Fitri food packages.

Some people with autism act in an aggressive manner that is misunderstood. But Indri says all the autistic people she knows have “the heart of an angel”.

Tina Gayatri, the mother of Lintang Lazuardi Rais aka Ais, 20, said the list of positive attributes associated with Ais was endless.

“He never skips school for being lazy or sick,” Tina said. And the list goes on: He never forgets to put things in their place, never litters and never cheats.

“He always does his assignments even though he is very anxious, panicking and all,” Tina added.

Ais went to graphic design school at an autism education institution, the London School Beyond Academy, founded by the London School of Public Relations in Jakarta.

After school, the academy provides an optional one-year training program for screen printing on garment.

Tina said Ais initially showed an interest in Quran recital, but as finding an Islamic boarding school was hard for them, graphic design was seen as a fair alternative.

“It’s not like designing graphics is his true passion,” Tina said. “But he doesn’t protest. He wants to study there.”

Ais and his parents have no post-graduation plans.

“But if Ais is given options about what kind of business he’d like to start, he will definitely choose to start a bakery business,” Tina said.

“I want to sell snacks and T-shirts that I’ve printed,” Ais said. (stu)

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