To All Women, Let’s Learn Together, Let’s Move Forward Together

The importance of cooperation to get more significant results is something that was realized by Siti Yulaikah (45), an assisted member and a Wahid Foundation’s local facilitator from Sidomulyo Village, Batu City, East Java.

Before joining the Wahid Foundation in 2017, Siti Yulaikah had been active in several organizations such as Suara Perempuan Desa (Voices of the Village Women), Karya Bunda Community (The Work of Women Community) and Clean Up River Waste Environmental Community (Komunitas Lingkungan Sapu Bersih Sampah Nyemplung Kali), but being assisted by Wahid made this mother of one child understand the importance of women's empowerment and cooperation among women.

"In the past we had worked individually, had opened our own businesses. With the Wahid Foundation‘s assistance, we opened a joint venture and built cooperation and (find) solutions for each problem so there is always a solution," Siti explained.

The ease of building networks has also been felt by Siti Yulaikah since joining the Wahid Foundation, where the communication that has been established can reach a higher stage, not just towards the village apparatus but also how to lobby, speak in public and mediate in solving problems was obtained by Siti at the Wahid Foundation.

This experience was not only kept by Siti Yulaikah herself, this energetic mother also shares it with other group members. "Often there are some women who are unconfident and say that I am the only one who has advanced, but I say, no, we must learn together and move forward," she explained.

In Sidomulyo Village, there are five women’s groups assisted by the Wahid Foundation and Siti Yulaikah is a member of the Lavender Group. The names of the groups are indeed taken from the name of flowers grown in Sidomulyo Village, which is also a tourism site for preservation and breeding of flower plants.

Although they are separated in different groups, the relationship among the five groups is well-established. If a group is in trouble, the other groups will help find solutions. Every time there is a training session outside the city, the members share their knowledge. The point is that all women feel the empowerment significantly.

"A Woman who moves forward does not mean she steps over her husband, but helps her husband to build a better household together," Siti Yulaikah said and added that she often brought her husband to her activities to give an understanding to her husband.

By: Ester Pandiangan