Shelly

Little Shelly proudly showed her scribbles to her mother at that time. It was in that moment that Shelly first became acquainted with the world of art.

Painter

Shelly was born as a normal baby (capable of hearing) in 1992. However, she suffered from a high fever at the age of three months which caused her to lose her hearing. It took a long time until she finally truly understood and could accept this reality. All the efforts from her parents to take Shelly for medical treatments could not restore her hearing.

In the end, time kept moving and Shelly grew up. Shelly attended a renowned private university in Indonesia majoring in interior design. Four years passed. Shelly finally earned her bachelor degree and just like most other graduates she immediately tried to find a job that matched the field she studied during college. After going through several months without any results, Shelly decided to pivot and worked as a finance and tax administrator. Shelly's experience from school to work was quite pleasant. A supportive environment played an important role in Shelly's life. Not to mention thanks to her parents' upbringing, Shelly was always brave enough to ask her teachers or friends if she did not understand something.

Shelly had a dream to become an independent multitalented woman who could still raise her children just like her mother did. But not only multitalented, Shelly also wanted to have her own income. Fortunately, Shelly is highly supported by the family around her. Shelly's husband, parents in law, and her own parents always appreciate and provide the encouragement Shelly needs.

In 2021 during the pandemic, Shelly decided to quit her old job and tried to dig into her long hidden skills. She started taking several painting classes intensively. Not only painting classes, Shelly also took resin craft classes.

"I feel like I was born twice. Born in a normal condition and born in a deaf condition," Shelly said.

Shelly first found out about DCE from her father in law. In June 2024, she met Mrs. Anita at the Sacred Heart of Mary Prayer Garden, PIK 2. It turned out that a year before that, Shelly had met Chris who was guarding the DCE store, but at that time Shelly did not yet understand that DCE was a disability community.

At DCE, Shelly creates painted products in the form of tote bags and pillows. Nowadays, in the midst of her busy schedule taking care of her child, she has also started pursuing knitting. Shelly is happy to be able to meet friends with disabilities at DCE. She feels that any friend with a disability must have felt tired and found it difficult to continue their life, but at DCE, they keep trying to survive because they have their own respective dreams. This has become a source of inspiration for many people and for herself.

The long process that Shelly went through shaped her into a person full of creativity who never gives up. She is no longer seen differently just because she is a person with a disability. Last January, Shelly along with the rest of the DCE team attended the North Jakarta Deanery Pastors Gathering and held a workshop class for the 20 priests in attendance. Armed with her experience all this time, Shelly confidently taught the priests how to paint. Unexpectedly, what she once considered useless turned out to bear fruit in the future.

From Shelly we learn that it is never too late and no dream is too high to reach.