A wonder woman does not have to be a world leader, a feminist icon, or a famous celebrity. A wonder woman can be an elementary school teacher from North Aceh, a housewife from Tuban, or even a regular teenager from Bojonegoro - wonder women are all around us.
“My goal in life is simple, to send my children to university,” said Ibu Marsini, from Katur village, Kayam subdistrict, Bojonegoro
Wonder women are great because they don’t just think about themselves - they think about others as well.
'Wonder women' are making clean energy technology available, and inspiring their families, friends and neighbours to challenge the status quo
There’s a lot riding on the name ‘wonder woman’. When I heard this term, instantly I thought of the superhero character, followed by Hillary Clinton, Evita Peron, Amelia Earhart, and other world-famous figures.
But since joining Kopernik, I have come to a realisation: a wonder woman does not have to be a world leader, a feminist icon, or a famous celebrity. A wonder woman can be an elementary school teacher from North Aceh, a housewife from Tuban, or even a regular teenager from Bojonegoro - wonder women are all around us.
Inspired by these women, we have called our women’s economic empowerment initiative in East Java and Aceh, supported by ExxonMobil Foundation, ‘Wonder Women Western Indonesia’. By becoming our Tech Agents and selling simple technologies, women in North Aceh, Bojonegoro, and Tuban can boost their income, expand access to clean energy technology, and inspire their communities.
This program has introduced me to many real ‘wonder women’ with inspiring stories.
In my opinion, here are a few character traits that make these women ‘wonder women’:
DETERMINATION
“MY GOAL IN LIFE IS SIMPLE, TO SEND MY CHILDREN TO UNIVERSITY - I DON’T WANT THEM TO BE LIKE ME, JUST AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADUATE,” SAID IBU MARSINI, FROM KATUR VILLAGE, KAYAM SUBDISTRICT, BOJONEGORO.
This simple dream motivated Ibu Marsini to open a small coffee shop in the market and to join Kopernik’s Wonder Women program. Her hard work is paying off: her children are now in high school, and one is preparing for university. Beyond supporting her children, Ibu Marsini has become more active in local women’s groups and says she feels more respected in her community.
A similar story comes from Ibu Lasmani, a Kopernik Tech Agent in Glodok village, Palang sub-district, Tuban. In addition to selling solar lights, water filters, and clean cookstoves, she also supports her family by making school uniforms, selling school stationery, and managing a small batik fabric industry. The word ‘tired’ is definitely not in her dictionary.
These women are making every effort to help their family, in addition to cooking, cleaning, and caring for their children.
INDEPENDENCE
The extra income earned from technology sales might not seem that much for some, but there is more to the Wonder Women program than just making money. The training program equips the women with skills and confidence to manage their own businesses.
One independent young woman is Yasmiatun (Atun), a Tech Agent from Manukan village, Gayam sub-district, Bojonegoro. Mature beyond her years, she decided to join the Wonder Women program while still in her teens. While her friends are still relying on their parents, Atun is now contributing to her family with the money she earns from technology sales. She even bought her parents a Nazava water filter!
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Wonder women are great because they don’t just think about themselves - they think about others as well.
I found that most of the women in this program are active members of women’s groups, and are motivated to help other women in their communities.
Ibu Julia for instance, is a successful Tech Agent from Madon village, Kreueng Maneane subdistrict, North Aceh. She helps the women in her community by using her technology sales revenue to lend money to other women, helping them to afford their daily needs.
She might be helping others, but she says she also finds great satisfaction for herself. She feels so happy to be able to help her community grow.
COURAGE
“I HOPE I CAN INSPIRE OTHER WOMEN IN NORTH ACEH TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES,” SAID MAK NI, WHO LIVES IN MEURIA VILLAGE, MATANG KULI SUBDISTRICT, NORTH ACEH.
If you are not familiar with Aceh, let me put Mak Ni’s quote in context. Women in Aceh, a province under sharia law, don’t have the same economic and social freedom that most of us enjoy.
It is not uncommon to see women being positioned as a second class in remote societies. They are still trapped in an old conception that women are weak and cannot do more than clean, cook, and care for their children.
TRANSFORMATION
ONE COMMON THING ALL THESE WOMEN WANT IN THEIR LIVES? CHANGE FOR GOOD. THIS IS WHY THEY JOINED THE WONDER WOMEN PROGRAM IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY WANT TO HELP THEIR FAMILIES ENJOY BETTER LIVES AND BRIGHTER FUTURES.
ON A LARGER SCALE, THESE WOMEN ARE ALSO BRINGING CHANGE TO THE COMMUNITY: BY MAKING CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE, AND BY INSPIRING THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO.
And that’s what I think makes these women true wonder women!
