Yes, I Can! : Beauty Salon for a Better Life

2/13/2020 12:00:00 AM

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(left-right) Evi Sukmaningrum, Elisabeth Rukmini (Vice-Rector for Research and Collaboration), Arybumi Kartini, 

Siska Dewi Noya (Project Manager Voice Indonesia), Titin dan Yohanes Eko (Head of LPPM)

on Grand Opening Sang Ratu Salon, Wednesday (12/2)

 

Jakarta - HIV AIDS Research Center (Pusat Penelitian HIV AIDS/PPH) in Atma Jaya launched Salon Sang Satu, a beauty salon, which managed by and served by transgender women at Semanggi Campus on Tuesday (12/2). Though you might be wondering about the purpose of a beauty salon in a University grounds, yet it serves a greater good rather than fixing hair or to do makeup.

 

Salon Sang Ratu is one of the results of Yes, I Can! program, a community empowerment program focused on helping the marginalized group in which are street children, transwomen, and sex workers conducted by PPH.

 

Grand Opening Sang Ratu Salon, Wednesday (12/2)

 

"These three categories from the marginal groups are often neglect by the government‘s attention," said Arybumi Kartini, Project Officer Yes, I can!

 

PPH believes the program may help these socially excluded groups to have an opportunity for a have a better quality of life from their past life; for instance, the transwomen partnered with PPH previously worked as buskers or sex workers.

 

Since 2017 PPH collaborates with SWARA or Sanggar Waria Remaja, a community dedicated to helping young transwomen with an age range under 35 years old, to reach out to those who want to get an opportunity to increase their capacity in the Yes! I can. SWARA formed to provide advocacy for young transwomen who often experienced violence and unfair treatment.

 

Titin, SWARA Coordinator, Wednesday (12/2)

 

SWARA coordinator, Titin, said to reach out for young transwomen who wanted to get a reflective training. The training seeks to explore the needs and interests of the transwomen, what are their possible desires to get further development. Out of more than 80 participants, selected ten participants who agreed to open a beauty salon and had the opportunity to receive professional training and internships at the Puspita Martha Tilaar.

 

"This is your chance to prove to the public that you a wider opportunity and can do more than busking or sex work," she wants to prove that everyone has the same opportunity.

 

Erroneous paradigm and stigma are always surrounding event the tiny endeavor made by the marginalized group. Society tends to bully them for choosing the opposite way of life, which is considered peculiar. Marginality issues are about difficulties faced by the community to access equal opportunity and to express their views.

 

Evi Sukmaningrum, Head of AID HIV Research Center (PPH), Wednesday (12/2)

 

Head of AID HIV Research Center (PPH), Evi Sukmaningrum, explained that partiality means contributing to breaking stigma and discrimination towards marginal people. That is so they can get access to education and decent employment. Evi said this gesture is in line with the value of Care in KUPP.

 

Evi hopes that other universities can emulate this partiality gesture as an act of inclusiveness that does not impoverish one status group, "Atma Jaya Catholic University must be a good model for other campuses for partiality, not only in the level of knowledge but also in behavior and emotions," said Evi. (HCR)