Abrar's Long Journey to Find Hope at the Job Fair

The voices of job seekers filled the Nyi Ageng Serang Building in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, at the Jakarta Job Fair 2026 on Wednesday (8/7/2026). Among thousands of applicants moving from one booth to another, Abrar (35) walked slowly with a cane in his hand. His visual impairment did not deter him. As a person with a visual disability, Abrar arrived hoping to secure a job opportunity.

The Jakarta Job Fair is not a new experience for him. Since 2016, he has attended nearly every job fair that provides opportunities for people with disabilities. Year after year has passed, but his enthusiasm for finding work has never waned.

Abrar is a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Science from a university in Tangerang. This educational background makes him confident that he is capable of working and competing professionally if given equal opportunities. For Abrar, employment is not merely a source of income. It is a form of recognition that people with disabilities have the ability, competence, and equal rights to contribute in the workplace.

At this year’s event, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government provided 3,299 job vacancies, including a number of positions open to people with disabilities. Abrar hopes that more companies, both government-owned and private, will open inclusive recruitment processes so that people with disabilities no longer face difficulties in finding work.

Abrar’s hopes align with the challenges still faced by people with disabilities in Indonesia. Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) shows that in 2024, the number of workers with disabilities was approximately 932,435 people, or only 0.64 percent of the total national workforce of more than 140 million people. This figure indicates that access to the workforce for people with disabilities remains very limited.

Amidst fierce competition, Abrar chooses to keep trying. He moved from one booth to another, conversing with company representatives and seeking information about positions that match his skills and educational background. For him, every job fair always brings new hope.

Abrar hopes that more companies will realise that equal employment opportunities are not merely about fulfilling an obligation, but also about providing space for everyone to demonstrate their best abilities. As long as the opportunity exists, he says he will keep coming, keep applying, and keep believing that one day his struggle will yield results.