As part of our 10th Anniversary celebrations, we interviewed a number of individuals from organizations partnering to implement HERproject. This interview is with Butet Nur Akmalia of YBS, a local partner in Indonesia.

Which women have inspired you in your life?

The woman who has most inspired me is my mother! She was a teacher who was liked loved and respected by her students. Not all teachers are liked by their students, but I know why my mother was adored by her students. It was because she taught with her heart. She loved her job, she loved her students. I learned many things from her. The way I carry out my responsibilities as a health educator is greatly inspired by her. I always try to become a teacher who is liked by my students, so that the knowledge which I am sharing is not only remembered but also absorbed into the hearts of my students and can be applied in their daily lives.

What motivates you to work for YBS?

Before I worked at YBS, I worked at a commercial bank, at a hospital, and at a research institution. However, I didn’t enjoy my work because I did not have any direct access to or engagement with the community. I’m the type of person who enjoys meeting and working together with lots of people. With my educational background in health promotion, I am qualified and enjoy engaging directly with the community to talk about health, discuss issues they’re facing, and provide them with education in a fun manner. YBS is an organization that is concerned and cares about the community’s health and environment, which is why I’m happy to be a part of YBS in my role as Health Educator.

This is especially true since YBS not only helps children and women in villages and cities, but also helps provide benefits for women workers in factories. Thousands of women factory workers still have low levels of health knowledge and behaviour, and it makes me very happy and proud to be able to educate a massive amount of women workers at the same time. I’m also able to see changes in these women’s health knowledge and behaviours, from the beginning to the end of the project.

What are you most passionate about in your life?

I am most passionate about being useful to others—when people remember and carry out what I teach. There’s a funny story about this: a woman contacted me and said, “Ms. Butet, every time I see a (water) dipper, it always reminds me of you because you told us that we should wash our hands using running water and soap. So I installed a faucet at my house so we can wash my hands using soap and running water.”

What is your favorite memory or story of working withYBS and HERproject?

My favourite memories are from attending health campaigns which are carried out by factories, and seeing the peer educators (PEs) in action. We’re able to see the “other side” of these women, in addition to their identity as factory workers. I love seeing how the other factory workers and management respond. It feels like confirmation or redemption for all parties, especially in factories which experience initial difficulties accepting or implementing the project. It demonstrates that when women are provided with education, trust, and opportunities, these women will grow in a fantastic manner, beyond our expectations. Seeing women become more empowered are very special moments for me.

What challenges do women continue to face?

The greatest challenge for women workers is time management, because in addition to working, women workers also play a role as mother, wife, daughter, and community member. They often don’t have enough time for themselves: they don’t have time to take care of themselves, pursue hobbies, and sometimes they don’t have a place where they can share their stories. Ideally each factory would provide a platform or a place where workers can express themselves and share their stories, their hopes and dreams.

Hallo! Nama saya Butet Nur Akmalia, saya adalah koordinator kesehatan di Yayasan Balita Sehat (YBS) dan seorang pelatih untuk HERhealth di Indonesia. Saya lahir di Jakarta, dan saya adalah yang termuda dari empat bersaudara.

Perempuan yang paling membuat saya merasa terinsipasi adalah ibu saya! Beliau seorang guru yang disenangi, disayangi dan dihormati oleh murid-muridnya. Tidak semua guru disenangi muridnya, tapi saya tahu mengapa ibu saya disenangi dan disayangi murid-muridnya. Karena beliau mengajar dengan hatinya. Beliau mencintai pekerjaannya, mencintai murid-muridnya. Saya belajar banyak hal darinya. Cara saya bekerja sebagai Health Educator banyak terinspirasi darinya. Saya berusaha menjadi guru yang disukai muridnya, sehingga ilmu yang saya sampaikan tidak hanya bisa diingat, tapi meresap kedalam hati yang menerima dan bisa diteapkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari.

Sebelum saya bekerja di YBS, saya terlebih dahulu bekerja di bank swasta, rumah sakit, dan lembaga penelitian. Namun, saya merasa tidak menikmati pekerjaan saya karena tidak bersentuhan langsung dengan masyarakat. Saya adalah pribadi yang senang bertemu dan bekerjasama dengan banyak orang. Dengan latar belakang pendidikan pendidikan promosi kesehatan, saya suka terjun ke masyarakat untuk membicarakan masalah kesehatan, berdiskusi, dan mengedukasi dengan cara yang menyenangkan. YBS merupakan lembaga yang concern dan peduli terhadap kesehatan masyarakat dan lingkungan, untuk itu saya senang menjadi bagian dari YBS sebagai Health Educator. Apalagi, YBS tidak hanya membantu balita dan perempuan di desa dan kota, tetapi juga memberikan manfaat bagi perempuan pekerja di pabrik. Ribuan perempuan pekerja pabrik masih banyak yang pengetahuan dan perilaku kesehatannya rendah, sehingga saya sangat senang dan bangga bisa mengedukasi perempuan pekerja lebih banyak diwaktu dan tempat yang sama. Saya juga bisa melihat perubahan pengetahuan dan perlikau kesehatan mereka dari awal hingga akhir proyek.

Saat orang mengingat apa yang saya sampaikan dan mempraktekannya. Ada kejadian lucu tentang ini dan saya merasa geli sekaligus terharu. Ada seorang wanita yang menghubungi saya dan berkata “Mba Butet, setiap melihat gayung saya ingat Mba Butet. Karena Mba Butet bilang cuci tangan sebaiknya pakai air mengalir dan pakai sabun. Saya jadi bikin padasan(pancuran) di rumah supaya bisa cuci tangan pakai sabun di air mengalir.”

Saat kami datang ke acara kampanye kesehatan yang diselenggarakan pabrik dan melihat bagaimana PE beraksi, berkarya, melihat sisi lain mereka selain sebagai karyawan pabrik. Melihat bagaimana respon karyawan lain, manajemen, dll. Seperti pembuktian kepada semua pihak, apalagi bagi pabrik-pabrik yang awalnya susah sekali menerima proyek ini. Pembuktian bahwa bila perempuan diberi pendidikan, kepercayaan dan kesempatan untuk berkarya, maka perempuan tersebut akan menjadi luar biasa. Melihat perempuan-perempuan menjadi lebih berdaya itulah momen yang sangat spesial bagi saya.

Pekerjaan kami belum selesai, tentunya. Tantangan terbesar bagi wanita pekerja adalah membagi waktu. Karena selain bekerja, wanita pekerja juga berperan sebagai ibu, istri, anak, dan bagian dari masyarakat. Sehingga seringkali mereka tak punya waktu bagi dirinya sendiri. Tak ada waktu untuk merawat diri, melakukan hobi, dan kadang tidak ada tempat untuk bercerita.