UnionAID, with partners the Auckland University of Technology, BaKTI and the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta, is delighted to welcome the fifth cohort of East Indonesia Young Leaders to the INSPIRASI whānau!
Stevie Ninoi Tualaka (Stevie)
Soe, East Nusa Tenggara
Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change
Stevie has been working alongside her organisation, the Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change, in collaboration with Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara and Australian Volunteers International to implement her current research project with young women and female heads of households who make a living as seaweed farmers. The project objective is to work collaboratively with the women farmers to improve and strengthen their seaweed farming businesses. Through education on genetic selection and environmentally-friendly maintenance methods, Stevie hopes to increase seaweed production for seaweed farmers in coastal areas in general, with a particular focus on female seaweed farmers in Savu.
Particular interests: Agricultural development, sustainability of rural communities, and promoting gender inclusion.
Suci Elvira (Suci)
Ternate, North Maluku
Suci Elvira is a historical and sustainable architecture observer [CN1] in Ternate City, dedicated to preserving and honoring the heritage of past architecture while advocating for sustainable design and tourism. With a Master’s degree in architecture, Suci is involved in collaborative projects for the restoration and promotion of historical buildings, integrating sustainability principles that align with environmental conditions and needs. Through writing and seminars, Suci strives to raise awareness about the importance of preserving historical architectural heritage and creating environmentally responsible designs for Ternate and the surrounding areas.
Particular interests: sustainable tourism, heritage architecture, arts for development.
Maria Priska Numberi (Avi)
Jayapura, Papua
EcoDefender
Avi is an active member of EcoDefender – a youth community in Papua which is engaged in forest and ocean conservation, education, and indigenous issues. Having been the former head of Ecodefender, Avi currently volunteers and supports every project in the community through teaching, campaigning, and acting as a resource person. Avi’s focus is on raising awareness among indigenous coastal communities, especially young people, about the impacts of climate change, and the degradation and exploitation of natural resources on the seas and coasts, including the biota that live there.
Particular interests: conservation management of coastal areas, marine environmental sustainability, sustainable development for coastal indigenous peoples, and the protection of turtle species
Selia Narwasti Nangi (Selia)
Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara
Cahaya AnakSumba (CAS)
Selia is a leader of Cahaya AnakSumba (CAS), a center for holistic learning activities, and an advocate for the growth of Sumbanese women through education. In CAS, Selia organises activities to help children how to read and write, basic English, maths, and learning based on the character and values of Pancasila. The target of CAS activities are children and young people aged 5 to 18. Selia currently manages CAS in three locations and mentors young people in two villages of East Sumba. Besides that, Selia acts as a member of several communities engaged in education, social, environmental, and culture in East Sumba.
Particular Interests: Leadership, Quality Education, Children and Youth Empowerment, Sustainable Cities and Communities
Vanessa Claudia Masoleh (Encha)
Ambon, Maluku
Rumah Generasi Foundation
Encha is Head of the Education Division and INKLUSI Program Assistant at the Rumah Generasi Foundation, which focuses on opening access to services for women, children, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups so that no one is left behind. Encha and her organisation set up groups at village level to help connect marginalised people with services provided by the government, as well as coordinate with the government regarding regulations and the needs of marginalized groups. They also teach children and conduct health checks on remote islands in Maluku.
Particular Interests: Leadership, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Gender and Social Inclusion
Gerard Beelt (Gerard)
Tomohon, North Sulawesi
Tombulu Indigenous Community
Gerard is an indigenous youth from Tombulu Indigenous Community, the Minahasa tribe. He leads more than 300 waraney (warriors) across Minahasa hence the title Tumutuzu’ that was entrusted to him. In Minahasa, Gerard initiates and facilitates indigenous education and the restoration of historical sites in order to maintain Minahasan customs, culture, and traditions. In addition, Gerard is working with national and international indigenous NGOs to strengthen conservation and preservation efforts.
Particular Interests: Indigenous people’s movement and advocacy, cultural conservation and preservation, climate change, and environmental issues
Antonius Yoseph Oematan (Toni)
Mollo, East Nusa Tenggara
Lakoat Kujawas
Toni is a program coordinator and volunteer at Lakoat Kujawas, an indigenous community organization. Toni’s role is to assist the Mollo indigenous community in documenting and archiving local knowledge and transforming it into a form of creative economy. His current project involves further developing a cultural school model that already exists in the community to increase young people’s awareness of the importance of culture and tradition, and to encourage their preservation. This cultural school provides contextual education and responds to social issues including the food crisis and climate change.
Particular Interests: Involving young people in collective work in the community and encouraging their interest in learning about their identity through local knowledge.
Hironimus Gesu (Hiro)
Nagakeo, East Nusa Tenggara
Hiro is involved in disaster response and recovery, DRR forum, and is a Program Consultant for humanity resilience and safety schools. He is working to tackle climate issues with rural communities, especially mothers, youth, and children, who are the most vulnerable groups in Eastern Indonesia. He is also involved in WASH, community-based water projects, business support for mothers, and business training for vulnerable groups. He currently works as operations lead at WISE-WASH in Indonesia. In 2021, he founded a creative community house called Keka Neamu to address climate issues through reflection on local culture, people, and nature.
Particular interest: WASH, disaster response, education, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs
Muh. Fajar Pahrir (Fajar)
South Sulawesi
Yayasan Masyarakat Peduli Tuberculosis (Yamali TB)
Fajar works as a case manager DPPM (District Based Public Private Mix) at Yayasan Masyarakat Peduli Tuberculosis (Yamali TB), an NGO that focuses on Tuberculosis elimination by collaborating with wider civil society. He manages drug-sensitive TB cases in public and private health services. This includes coordinating medical and psychosocial support, and assessing patient needs by developing individualised case management through advocacy and partnership at district levels. Fajar is currently the leader of Yamali TB Makassar and would like to enhance the involvement of young people in social health and environmental issues, especially for tuberculosis elimination in 2030.
Particular Interests: health system strengthening (infectious disease prevention and control), environmental health, and youth empowerment
Sahur Ramadhan (Sahur)
Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi
Samparona pine forest
Sahur Ramadan is a manager of the Samparona pine forest, which is an ecotourism destination area. Sahur is responsible for building the capacity of tourism managers through training in the field. In addition, he is a creative team member for tourism development planning. His current project is to increase awareness of protecting and preserving forests through community empowerment in sustainable tourism development. Sahur is committed to working with environmental, educational, and community development organisations.
Particular interests: environment and education.