by Hendy Matahelemual
Amid Philadelphia’s hustle and bustle, an extraordinary initiative has emerged that aims to be an information and support hub for families with children with disabilities. This project, known as the Indonesia Cares for Children with Special Needs (PIPA) Project, was initiated by three inspiring women: Britannia Worotikan, Ernie Budy, and Lusiana Soegianto. They unite their strength and passion to provide support for Indonesian immigrant families with children with disabilities living in Philadelphia.
The PIPA project is rooted in Britannia Worotikan’s personal experience. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Britannia taught in a preschool that had children with disabilities. She has a certificate in teaching special education. From that experience, Britannia realized that access to resources and support for children with disabilities is abundant in Philadelphia. After consulting with Pastor Aldo Siahaan (Philadelphia [PA] Praise Center [PPC]), Britannia took the initiative to form a community that could provide support for Indonesian immigrant families in Philadelphia.
During her journey, Britannia met Lusiana Soegianto and Ernie Budy, two women who have experience and a deep understanding of the needs of children with disabilities. Not only do they have personal experience as parents, Ernie and Lusiana have also worked at Elwyn, an early intervention organization for children with autism, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Although the pandemic delayed their plans, PIPA persisted. They launched PIPA with their first meeting in March 2023. They meet every month, covering topics according to the needs of the group, such as education, legal issues, benefits, transition to adulthood, and preparation for college.
One of the obstacles faced by immigrant families with children with disabilities is language barriers. Many have difficulty accessing information or getting support from the city government. PIPA seeks to remove those barriers by providing support, liaising between families, and teaching that children with disabilities are not taboo or shameful.
Apart from their monthly meetings, PIPA also provides a WhatsApp group which offers 24/7 support, and a Facebook group to promote communication and connection. With support from PPC, PIPA is open to anyone, with an approach that is more community-oriented than faith-based.
PIPA’s existence at PPC means that more families with children with disabilities feel comfortable bringing their children to Sunday school. This increases disability awareness within the PPC community.
When asked about PIPA’s vision and goals, Worotikan stated, “To educate and increase awareness. There are 13 categories of special needs, and we can share the knowledge we have with each other.”
Budy added, “I hope this group can be sustainable and continue to support each other as needs grow in our community.”
With a strong spirit and determination, PIPA brings hope and enlightenment as a support for families in Philadelphia who have children with disabilities.
“We must give back to the community what we have learned. By sharing knowledge and information in the Indonesian language, we can help each other,” said Soegianto.
Hendy Matahelemual
Hendy Matahelemual is the Associate Minister for Community Engagement for Mosaic Conference. Hendy Matahelemual was born and grew up in the city of Bandung, Indonesia. Hendy lives in Philadelphia with his wife Marina and their three boys, Judah, Levi and Asher.
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.
This post is also available in: Indonesia (Indonesian)
This post is also available in: Indonesia (Indonesian)