Empowering disadvantaged young people in Indonesia

I am a twenty years old young woman with hope and dreams on my mind….

When I was still a baby, my father passed away. As a single parent, my mother looked after me until I was five years old, then she decided to re-married with a food vendor who sells “fried rice” with a cart kampong to kampong every night, and entrusted me to my grandparents until I was thirteen. I have two younger step siblings now. I returned to live my mother and my step father for three years.

When I was sixteen I can’t continue my education to high school, too expensive for my family and I also had to move to live with my aunt’s family until now. My aunt’s family is also poor, but I have no other option. They can protect me and give a shelter to live in. It wasn’t always easy to live with them though, as I have to share life, foods, shelter with other five family’s member with all limitation. I didn’t know what kind of life that I will have in the future, it seemed so blurred and no hope.

One day, my cousin asked me to accompany her to join the activities at Yayasan Cipta Mandiri (YCM). As she was also had to give up her study at school, both of us decided to join YCM and learn skills at YCM.

I also had a chance to continue my study to high school, so I can obtain my high school certificate. After I received my high school certificate, my aunt and also my mother “forced” me to find any job to help them to support the family.

I decided to quit YCM and at that time I ended up working as a shop assistant and received small amount of wage. I didn’t dare to dream of better life at that time.

Although my family against to my decision of returning to YCM, I decided to return to YCM. While learning, I also have a chance to share my knowledge to the little ones in YCM. When YCM started the internship program, I also have the chance to earn some income through the program. I can help my family, while I also can sharpen my knowledge and skill. I offered myself to assist other programs, administration and organizing events.

What I do in YCM is fruitful, not only the knowledge that I gain more, I also could satisfy my family as I have my own income that I can share with them. I have hope and dare to dream now…

Beginning of this year, I also get a chance to continue my education to the university. I decided to take business administration as my main subject.

There is a hope now.

I am daring to dream big now, to pursue a better life, to change my life.

YCM Changes Our Lives!