MEET 5 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN INDONESIA

A decade ago, there was a noblewoman who encourages every woman in Indonesia to be brave. She taught us how important education was for a girl, the woman called Kartini. After generation from generation, her action has still legendary. Nowadays, a million woman have been inspired by her bravery to contribute more to the society, they’re doing best to break the ceiling and make a good change in the world!

From politicians to social activist, we round up the most inspiring Indonesian women to fire up your New Year’s resolution and makes 2019 more meaningful. Let’s get to know them all, #SASCgirl!

1. Susi Pudjiastuti

Start with this inspiring lady who came into the spotlight since the beginning of her assignment as the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in 2014. Eccentric, authentic and fearless become Mrs. Susi’s leadership style. Her firmness in protecting Indonesia’s water has proven her capabilities. Some of you might be surprised by the fact that Mrs. Susi never finished high school! Nevertheless, she never stops to make a good contribution to the country and gets into the BBC 100 Women List with the most influential and inspirational women around the world in 2017.

2. Susi Susanti

If you love badminton so much, you might know her very well! She is one of the most legendary athletes in Indonesia who presented Indonesia its first gold in the Olympic, World Championship in 1992. Long before her success, she had to struggle a lot to make it happen. She said that “It is impossible to be a badminton world champion if you do not put your heart and mind in your goal.” She teaches us that raw talent is not enough, you need to have a passion, bravery, and goal to make it happen.

3. Anggun C. Sasmi

Authentic, exotic and has a beautiful voice. Anggun is the first Indonesian singer who success in the International music industry. Her single Snow On The Sahara that had been released in 1997 became a worldwide hit. Before the fame, her journey as an International singer was not easy, she had to work really hard writing songs and making demos. Although Anggun got a lot of rejection from the record label in London, it never stopped her. She decided to move from England to France where her fame begins. Through her story, it teaches us that “Rejection is not a failure, it’s a lesson for us to grow.”

4. Butet Manurung

A woman with a gentle heart who knows how important education is for children. Since 1999, Butet has left her comfort zone and gone deep into the jungle to establish “Sekola Rimba,” a school for indigenous children in isolated and remote areas in Indonesia. At school, she teaches them how to read, write, and count while introducing science and literacy. Because of her action, The Man and Biosphere Programme by UNESCO have recognized her work that made her received The Magsaysay Award also known as the Asian Noble Prize.

5. Valencia Mieke Randa

Maybe you never heard her name before, but she is one of the greatest heroines in Indonesia. After experiencing difficulties in finding blood donors for her mother who had to undergo hemodialysis twice a week, she established the Blood4Life online community in 2009. Her mission is simple, to help people easier to find blood donors for their family. In the beginning, she had only 44 donors but now over 100.000 people across Indonesia willing to be a standby donor! She is a true heroine, don’t you think?