“Since I was little, I have had routine check-ups with an eye doctor because I suffer from congenital cataracts. Seeing how doctors work, a desire arose within me to become a doctor. However, circumstances forced me to bury that dream because my vision continued to decline and at the age of 15, I was completely blind,” said Nur Fauzi Ramadhan while attending the 2023/2024 Even Semester Graduation of Universitas Indonesia (UI) at the Balairung, UI Depok Campus, on Saturday, August 24.
Although his dream of becoming a doctor was dashed, Nur Fauzi did not give up hope of obtaining the best education in this country. He studied legal science related to advocacy, which includes policies, the rights of vulnerable communities such as the disabled, and court cases, in the Undergraduate Program in Law, Faculty of Law (FH) UI. He chose FHUI because according to him, this faculty has produced embryos of jurists, policymakers, or influential figures in the world.
“For me who has a visual disability, having the opportunity to study at FHUI is a very good opportunity. During my education here, I was trained to think critically, be responsible, and be sensitive to the surrounding phenomena, especially those related to law and policy. In addition, fellow students are very cooperative and happy to help me if I have difficulties. The lecturers also provide equal opportunities for me to develop without differentiating disability status,” said Nur Fauzi.
During his studies at FHUI, he admitted that he not only learned about law, but also how to empathize, be sensitive, and be responsible for the surrounding environment, nation, and state. He also experienced dialectics in class, met directly with national figures, and was involved in other activities—such as policy advocacy for people with disabilities—while studying. In addition to academic activities, he was also a selected participant in the 2023 Presidential Staff School by the Executive Office of the President and was the Indonesian delegation for the Asian Blind Youth Summit in Manila, Philippines, in December 2023.
All of these efforts have now paid off. Nur Fauzi was declared to have graduated from UI with cum laude predicate and a Cumulative Achievement Index of 3.65. He said, “I feel proud and honored to be one of the FHUI graduates. Hopefully, I can inspire, especially to friends with disabilities who have the ambition to obtain the highest education possible. I also want to thank everyone who helped and prayed for me, starting from my mother and father, family, lecturers, and all my friends.”
In the future, he hopes to become an internationally recognized disability law expert. The movement for equality in the rights of people with disabilities needs attention, especially disability law related to changes in the era, such as the development of transportation and artificial intelligence (AI). To that end, Indonesia needs to build relationships with policymakers, people or institutions of people with disabilities, and national and international figures who are dedicated to fulfilling the rights of people with disabilities.
“I hope UI remains a world-class educational institution that produces the best people in the nation who inspire and bring Indonesia to be better. Hopefully, learning and self-development opportunities for people with disabilities remain open, and UI can become a model campus in both national and international aspects,” said Nur Fauzi.
Nurlailah, Nur Fauzi’s mother who was present to accompany him, expressed her happiness for her son’s achievements. According to her, all of her son’s achievements were the result of a long struggle. “I always tell Fauzi, don’t give up, you have to be able to. Behind every disadvantage, there must be a blessing. Everyone around you can only support you, but the one who determines is yourself,” she said.
The motivation and prayers for her child have now borne sweet fruit. She hopes that Nur Fauzi’s achievements can inspire other disabled people to work and contribute to the nation. “For parents who have disabled children, please, if not us as parents, who will support our children. Hopefully, in the future, disabled people will be given more attention and not looked down on,” said Nurlailah.
