Payangan, Ubud Bali – Twelve physically
challenged youth faced vigorous yet
inspiring physical and mental undertaking in
a 2-day Outward Bound “Leadership and
Motivation” program on November 7 – 8, 2007
at Outward Bound Indonesia’s Center in
Payangan, Ubud Bali.
The deserving men and women were given this
opportunity by Rotary Club and Outward Bound
Indonesia (OBI) because of their
achievements, leadership credentials and
service in community. The objective of this
Outward Bound program is to promote a can-do
attitude, self-confidence, self-worth,
service to community, leadership and
motivation. The scholarship recipients were
exposed to physical and mental challenges
they never encountered before. The
activities’ level of difficulty was not by
any means compromised, in fact the
participants jumped aboard on all
physically-packed activities typically
offered to physically able people. Some of
the activities were Abseiling where they
repelled down a 20-meter-high rock with a
rope, Confident Jump “Pamper Pole” where
they climbed up a 7-meter-high pole and
jumped off it as one tries to hit a hanging
ball in front of him/her while sounding
his/her commitment aloud.
Every one has a story
Tete, whose full name is V.R Maria De
Sousa Mariano is one of the male
participants. He was born on April 18, 1983,
with no right arm and a short left arm with
three imperfect fingers. Despite his modest
posture of barely 140 cm tall, right off the
bat you will sense his oozing confidence,
high-spirit, big heart and great compassion
and inspiration for others. “People don’t
see pass my disability. It’s unfortunate
that people pass the chance to get to know
me to see that I’m a good person just
because I don’t have an arm. I hoped through
this experience I was able to prove myself
and others that I’m so much more than meets
the eye,” said Tete who currently lives in
Jogja and works in multi-level marketing.
After completing the Confident Jump
activity, this poet who aspires to be a
politician said, “I felt a little scared at
first. But when I reached the top, moments
before I jumped, I told myself that I could
do it. And I did.” He added,” My fear as I
was climbing the pole is analogous to my
fear of meeting people and being judged or
ridiculed. But this experience has proven
that I can do the things that normal people
are able to do. This experience has changed
my life because it has empowered me to
realize my potentials, strengths and what
I’m capable of and put my purpose in life in
perspective.” Despite his disability, Tete’s
agility and enthusiasm was evident. At
airborne Tete made a commitment of service
and being an inspiration for others who are
physically challenged after the program.
Eleven other scholarship recipients come
from different backgrounds. I Ketut Gede
Nesa Jatiana, 23, comes from Bali and had
his left knee amputated due to mistreatment
from a traffic accident. A few others
suffered from polio at a very young age and
endured dysfunctional legs. Some others have
to wear prosthetic legs. One other, Asroel
is a painter, a young man born in 1979
without a left leg nor arm, however has a
right arm but without a hand. He remarkably
does everything with his right leg, walk,
eat, paint, write, etc.
Djoko Kusumowidagdo, Founder and CEO of
Outward Bound Indonesia said, “We primarily
wanted to work on the participants’
self-esteem because it is the most critical
problem physically challenged people deal
with. When you have a good self-perception,
you will be happy with yourself and
everything else will fall into place.”
Outward Bound®
Indonesia A Member of Outward Bound
International
