JAKARTA: After applying to more than 200 companies and getting rejected by all, a restless Adhika Prakoso texted his childhood friend Putri Santoso early last year.AdvertisementMs Santoso replied in the negative, adding that she had sent her resume to more than 500 companies.Ms Santoso jumped at the proposition and suggested that they rope in a common friend, Mr Tri Erwinsyah Putra, who was facing the same dilemma.
But having been told a few times he would not be a good fit in the workplace due to his inability to engage in “good and fast communication", Mr Prakoso wondered how much of that quota went to the hearing impaired.Kopi Tuli is frequented by both hearing locals and people from the deaf community. Mr Prakoso's uncle, a classic scooter fanatic, even offered his defunct scooter-themed restaurant in Krukut, just south of Jakarta, for them to convert into a cafe.But there was just one problem: none of them knew how to brew a good cup of coffee.
Also, they could not hear the sound their machine made, and had to touch and feel it to know if it was doing its intended tasks.BRIDGE BETWEEN THE DEAF AND THE HEARING “We don’t have a specific sign language for ‘cappuccino’ or ‘americano’, so customers can order by signing the corresponding letters,” he said.Kopi Tuli was so successful that the three co-founders opened a second outlet just months later in October in a new office and commercial complex at Duren Tiga, South Jakarta.Ever since opening Kopi Tuli, the three co-founders have been invited to speak at universities and corporate events to share their story.
“They gave me a one-year contract, not a full-time employment like other applicants. Once my contract ended, I was unemployed once more,” she said. The ministry said it will continue to push companies to live up to the 1 per cent employment for people with disability quota, as mandated by the law. READ: 'I just see myself like anybody else': 22-year-old Vanessa Chea says her hearing loss doesn't make her differentWhile noting that companies are starting to change since the introduction of the 2016 law, Mdm Rotinsulu said changes are still too slow.
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