Indonesians in Focus: Almizi ‘Aji Vespa’ Usman

By Barrie | June 21st, 2007 | No Comments

His friends and colleague call him crazy, but Almizi Usman’s care for people with HIV/AIDS in Bandarlampung only gets bigger. One day in 2004, Almizi, who works at Abdoel Moeloek Hospital in Bandarlampung, was told that his cousin had been tested HIV/AIDS positive.

As someone who knew a lot about HIV/AIDS, the 36-year-old nurse counseled his cousin, with whom he set up Bandarlampung’s Saburai Support Group (SSG) in February 2004.

“We invited another person with HIV/AIDS who was also a friend of my cousin to join the support group, which motivates people with HIV/AIDS, assists in their treatment and conducts awareness campaigns among people or groups vulnerable to HIV/AIDS,” said Almizi, who is nicknamed Aji Vespa.

The number of people with HIV/AIDS in Lampung is unknown, but SSG, the first group of its kind in Lampung, is now counseling at least 169 people.

Aji said many people with HIV/AIDS taken to the Abdoel Moeloek Hospital were already beyond help. “Most of them are in a critical condition when taken to the hospital and I really feel terrible imagining how I would react if those dying people were my family members.”

Aji’s genuine care and love, however, sometimes gets a harsh response from family members of people with HIV/AIDS. He recalled how one day the father of three was driven away by the brother of an HIV sufferer, who threw a sandal at him.

“He thought I was his younger brother’s drug addict gang mate who had brought the misery. Only when he noticed me in the hospital did he realize that I was a nurse trying to save his sibling,” said the Tanjungkarang Nursing School alumnus.

Aji said the biggest challenge in helping HIV/AIDS patients was the lack of public knowledge on the dangers of the disease, so many HIV cases are only discovered when they have reached the critical phase.

“There also remain the social stigma of AIDS and discrimination against AIDS sufferers. The disease is still considered a curse so those who are affected must be isolated,” noted Aji.

In his observation, the HIV/AIDS cases discovered in Lampung constitute only the tip of an iceberg, leaving a greater number of cases and unreported deaths beyond hospital detection.

“More tragically, most of them live in villages, including commercial sex workers and under-age victims of human trafficking.”

He said counseling people with HIV/AIDS and raising public awareness were voluntary activities that brought nothing but happiness.

“I get no material gain. In fact, often I have to spend my own money on SSG activities. The support group has never received any funding assistance from the government or foreign agencies,”said Aji.

“Luckily my wife fully understands my activities. In fact, I often engage her and my children in meetings with people with HIV/AIDS,” said the civil servant who once worked for the Indonesian Family Planning Association.

According to the nurse, people with HIV/AIDS are in general very sensitive and unwilling to share their problems to others.

“They have to be convinced that contracting HIV/AIDS is not the end of the world and that they can still do something for themselves and others,” said Aji, who is also a psychology graduate from Lampung’s Muhammadiyah University.

Despite financial constraints, Aji said his support group manage to hold regular meetings with people with HIV/AIDS, give treatment referrals, provide training, harm reduction methods and information service.

Five new units have also been formed for HIV/AIDS patient care and prevention campaigns — Community Care, Metro Care, Sister Club, Bunda Kasih (Loving Mother) and Lampung’s Transvestite Association.

“Love and sincere care for people suffering from HIV/AIDS and their families are our asset. If we were only waiting for funds from other institutions, this organization wouldn’t be running. But gradually some other agencies will hopefully be joining this effort,” he said.

To improve their promotion skills, SSG members have undergone trainings run by the Organization of International Migrants and Spiritia Foundation. The provincial office of the public welfare department has also lent support to people with HIV/AIDS in setting up joint business endeavors.

“We’ve received assistance in the form of two fully-equipped beauty salons and four computers. We are now training them (people with HIV/AIDS) so that they can work in the salons and later stand on their own,” said the chairman of the Vespa Owners Club — hence his nickname.

Oyos Saroso