{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1908953,
        "msgid": "creative-spaces-open-economic-opportunities-for-people-with-disabilities-1786265489",
        "date": "2026-08-09 15:12:25",
        "title": "Creative Spaces Open Economic Opportunities for People with Disabilities",
        "author": "Satria K Yudha",
        "source": "REPUBLIKA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social",
        "summary": "A foundation in Indonesia is creating economic opportunities for people with disabilities by integrating their artwork into commercial fashion products. The programme provides free art classes and facilities, with a portion of sales revenue reinvested to support the participants. The initiative addresses the low workforce participation rate among the country's disabled population, which stood at just over 20 per cent in 2025.",
        "content": "<p>Access to employment for people with disabilities remains limited.\nData from the Ministry of Manpower recorded that the labour force\nparticipation rate among approximately 17 million working-age people\nwith disabilities reached only 20.14 per cent in 2025. This situation\nhas spurred the development of creative spaces that can connect the\nabilities of people with disabilities with economic opportunities. One\nsuch effort is being made through the fashion sector by incorporating\ntheir artwork into commercial products. This approach is being developed\nby Dama Kara through the Dama Kara Foundation, which was established in\n2024. Its programme includes drawing classes with one-on-one guidance\nfrom art facilitators, after which participants\u2019 works are developed\nthrough workshops, exhibitions, and fashion products. Dama Kara founder\nand CEO of the Dama Kara Foundation, Nurdini Prihastiti, said the\nprogramme was built to open up space for people with disabilities to\ndevelop their abilities and produce work. \u201cI am committed to making Dama\nKara a platform for people with disabilities to create and to embrace\nthem. We believe that creating truly knows no limitations,\u201d she said.\nParticipants\u2019 artwork is then combined with traditional Indonesian\ntextiles and applied to products such as kebaya, outerwear, and skirts.\nDama Kara products have been marketed to Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan,\nand South Korea, and exhibited at fashion events in France and South\nKorea. Dini said participants receive free guidance and facilities,\nwhile a portion of the proceeds from collection sales is allocated to\nsupport the disability class programme. \u201cThey are not charged a single\npenny. From the selection process to their creative work, from the art\nfacilitators to the drawing tools, everything is provided by Dama Kara.\nFrom every Dama Kara collection sold, we set aside a portion to support\nthe classes for our friends with special needs,\u201d she explained.\nAccording to Dini, business development involving people with\ndisabilities aims not only to generate profit but also to create\nopportunities for creative work and economic value for participants. \u201cA\nbusiness will continue to exist as long as its impact can be felt\ndirectly by others. Dama Kara is currently continuing to develop and\ngrow because our friends with disabilities are also helping us,\u201d she\nconcluded.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/creative-spaces-open-economic-opportunities-for-people-with-disabilities-1786265489",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}