Empowering Livelihoods of People with Disabilities in Indonesia through Batik Paintings

Forest Interactive partners with Difabel Zone during Batik Day in Indonesia to commemorate batik as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, a designation given by UNESCO in 2009.

Difabel Zone is a creative hub that provides the disabled community in Indonesia with the opportunity to boost their skills, creativity, and self-reliance by selling handmade batik products. The initiatives also empower people with disabilities to play a part in growing the nation’s economy.

Keeping Batik Art Alive

Batik is one of the most developed art forms of Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage, and it is commonly used in rituals, traditions, and celebrations. Featuring ornate geometric patterns, batik is a traditional cloth of Javanese origin made using a wax-resistant dyeing technique, either by drawing dots and lines with a spouted tool called canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called cap.

By understanding and wearing batik properly, people can express their feelings and convey their messages to others through Indonesia’s cultural heritage.

Batik Team Building Workshop

To celebrate Indonesia’s Batik Day and boost employee morale, Forest Interactive held a workshop where talents learned the history and philosophy of batik as well as the importance of preserving it as a form of intangible cultural heritage.

The workshop also aimed to bring talents together as a community and bridge the gap between the abled and the disabled.

“Batik has always been a great artsy escape for many who enjoy creating art,” said Vita Paulina, Marketing and Operations Manager at Forest Interactive. “This art class hosted by Difabel Zone allowed our talents to express themselves by creating their very own batik masterpieces. We got to build memorable experiences together, even virtually!”

Additionally, Forest Interactive purchased handmade products from Difabel Zone, as its commitment to people with disabilities within Difabel Zone’s community. The products were then gifted to two lucky Forest Interactive talents who won them for best batik artwork during the session.