Eid served as a moment of reflection, the minister observed in a written statement received here on Wednesday.
She said that ever since she was assigned the leadership of the Social Affairs Ministry, she has been working to use her position to assist people with disabilities.
She said that she will personally oversee the progress of the renovation of facilities and spatial planning for people living with disabilities that fall within her ministry’s purview.
"As an architect, that's my expertise. But as the Social Affairs Minister, I handle many things. Therefore, I must learn," Rismaharini said.
A broadening of horizons is important so that the Social Affairs Ministry can offer much better services, she added.
During her ministership, she met a disabled person who had been unable to walk for 39 years. However, with assistance, the person could walk once more. The minister learned a lot from that experience, she said.
In another instance, she met a 19-year-old disabled person from East Nusa Tenggara. Based on prior experience, she knew that the beneficiary could be provided with a certain therapy so they would not need to depend on aid.
She said she thought to herself that the beneficiary had perhaps never used a wheelchair.
"(I was) right. Turns out that after they were given therapy and training in Solo (Prof. Dr. Soeharso Integrated Center Surakarta), they could walk. Now, they can do many things. It means that I, too, learn," she said.
She once more directed her staff to make use of their time while the opportunity is still present. "A year in which I do not broaden my knowledge is a year wasted," she said.
She also urged them to extend their network to improve their performance.
"Don't just do what's in the routine. Do not let it be that each worker only knows what they have to do. (And) Have no idea who is next to them. We need to establish relations with others so that we can assist each other," she added.
She also reminded all civil servants at the ministry to always learn every day and work on improving themselves.
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Translator: Devi Nindy SR, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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