STORIES
Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh // photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance
Refugee Center Brings Hope4/8/2025 in Indonesia, a young woman becomes her own hero The Republic of Indonesia is made up of 17,000 islands with nearly 280 million residents; it shares land and sea borders with nearly a dozen other nations, and is home to hundreds of ethnic and language groups. Hanifah is a 23 year old Afghan refugee who arrived to this island nation as a teenager, separated from her family, and today is grateful for the care and support of the ASPIRASI Project run by Yayasan Cita Wadah Swadaya (YCWS) with support from Week of Compassion. Aspirasi in Indonesian means ‘aspiration’ or ‘ambition,’ referring to a strong hope or wish for achievement or success. The Aspirasi Project provides assistance and protection for refugee women and girls at risk. The recent freeze of U.S. foreign aid funding has significantly disrupted the refugee program, including protection and services that YCWS provides for many refugees. In the midst of uncertainty, through YCWS programming, Week of Compassion supports unaccompanied and separated children and young adults like Hanifah who have aged out of the system, helping sustain their basic needs (cash assistance, accommodation, access to health services) even as defunding brings other supports to an end. The mission of YCWS is transforming people by means of just and sustainable responses to famine, poverty, refugee, and disasters. Their vision is encapsulated in their name: YAYASAN (foundation), CITA (a just, dignified, and prosperous society), WADAH (collaborative forums and networks), SWADAYA (self-sufficiency).  Hanifah is a powerful example of a woman at risk who survives with support from Week of Compassion. This bright, creative, and proud young woman has come a long way to live the life she leads now. As a young girl living in Afghanistan, she was not allowed to go to public places, forced to keep quiet, discouraged from attending school, and even survived a Taliban kidnapping. Her father, a teacher, wanted her to leave the country, seeing no future for his daughter as Afghan girls and women continue to face difficulties in accessing education and risk being victims of further violence. Through a long and arduous journey, in 2017, at 15 years old, Hanifah finally found herself in Indonesia, carrying with her hopes and dreams for a better life.  Separated from her parents and six siblings, as an unaccompanied child refugee in Indonesia, Hanifah entered YCWS shelters and adapted to her new life. At first, it was difficult to adjust to the different cultures and languages of shelter residents. But with the help of YCWS caseworkers and support from other refugee women living in the shelter, she started to find her footing. She misses her family and has lost contact with them; yet life in the shelter brings solace and comfort, including Zarah, a Somali girl Hanifah’s age, whom she considers a sister.  Before long, Hanifah had started to think of the YCWS shelter as her new home, full of people who respect her and care for her. It was there she was able to start learning more than she’d imagined, including English, Bahasa Indonesian, and computer skills. She also found her passion for the arts, expressing her feelings and emotions through painting, pottery, sewing, and writing stories and poetry.  Hanifah continues exploring her passion and dreams. Living independently in arrangements supported by Week of Compassion funding, Hanifah has been able to work as a caregiver. Having received training and certification, she has found a calling in taking care of others, especially the elderly and people with dementia or Alzheimer’s living in institutional care. Having bonded with this community, she has learned the importance of being patient and understanding emotions. With her newfound passion, she has started taking online nursing classes, with dreams of becoming a nurse. Despite facing many agonies as a young girl, alone and far from home, Hanifah is able to keep her dream alive. Still holding Afghanistan, the home she loves, close to her heart and missing her family dearly, day after day she now believes that love is sometimes made perfect through the pain of experience. She believes that women should never give up, as they can become their own heroes. Now able to proudly direct her own life, she chooses to be strong. Blooming through her art, poetry, and dedication to caring for others, Hanifah strives to create her own future and to achieve her dreams. Our gratitude to Dino Satria of YCWS for the primary story and photos, including Hanifah's artwork. Names were changed and faces blurred by request. Comments are closed.
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