Empowering disadvantaged young people in Indonesia

The year of 2011 was the year when I met Resti for the first time. A lively and vibrant young woman who instantly catched my attention. Resti and her husband Hendi are living in Bali now. She works for an international organization as a project coordinator, while her husband works as a professional video maker and mostly hired by the organization where Resti is working. Both were YCM’s “students” who dream high, work their best, share positive energy and achieved their dreams.

Below is the story of Resti, which may inspire others to change their lives to be the better ones:

My name is Resti. My father passed away when I was born, and my mother raised me by herself. Since I was in primary school until high school, my aunts and uncles helped me to pay my tuition fees. Unlike my mother, most of them were working as civil servants. This made my mother desperately wanted me to become a policewoman, she thought if I am a policewoman, in the future I will earn pension fund when I retire.  My mother earned money by selling foods to our neighbors. I graduated from senior high in 2010 and I had no dream at all as I was forced by my mother for becoming a policewoman. After I failed the test for becoming a police for couple of times, I gave up. Then decided to concentrate my life by learning at YCM. Before I joined YCM in 2011, I worked as a salesgirl for gas regulator, and it only lasted for 2 months. At YCM, then I started to set my vision and dream high for my future.

My life now has totally changed. I am now working as a Project Coordinator for a visual storytelling company in Bali for the last 2 years. We mostly work for International NGOs for creating film about the people who get the impacts from their programs. I travel a lot around Indonesia and some countries in Southeast Asia. And I know, it is a dream come true!

After I worked as a salesgirl for gas regulator company, I wanted to learn English as I know everything needs English proficiency skill. I remembered my friends in my senior high spoke very good English, and they learned it in at YCM for free. I wanted to learn English, but I had no money to go to English course. So, I asked them for the information. My mother supported me to join YCM as it was a good chance for me to learn. I couldn’t continue to university as it cost lots of money, my mother and families couldn’t support me.

YCM isn’t a formal school, so the way of the tutors to share their knowledge to the “students” are totally different. YCM which I thought only a place for us to learn English, surprised me in positive ways. It helps our personal development and of course some skills, not only English. These are important for us as youth to learn, not only theoretical ways. With some volunteers from different countries, we are able to learn how to speak up, be confident, learn the different culture from their countries and practice our English. YCM also encourage us to set our dreams high and try our best to reach them. By meeting so many people from different countries and cultures, I dream to travel around the world. Thanks to YCM, now I have so many friends from different countries. I want to visit them, go to many cities, try the local foods, and see their landmarks. This is something I never dreamed off before I came to YCM. The establishment of YCM is a bless for me, my husband and many young people who join this organization. My husband and I are direct beneficiaries who are so grateful for being able to join and affected positively of YCM. For young people like us, who grew from underprivileged families whom our parents couldn’t afford to support good education and motivate us to dream high, we are lucky to earn them from YCM. We could learn skills and develop our personality without worrying the fees. We were able to meet many inspirative people, from different cultural background and countries. I have earned scholarship to continue my study in a university through YCM. I gained my network also because of YCM. It’s an unreplaceable organization in our heart. Many of my dreams come true as I believe I could reach them and YCM assist us to have and believe them. I always try to do and give my best impression even outside of YCM, so whenever and wherever we are, we are known as YCM’s alumni and give the best traces in the community.
I really hope, many young people can join YCM and learn many things from that valuable place. There are so many opportunities, new friends, more knowledge, and connection they can have at YCM. There are not many places like YCM these days that give free education and develop skills at one place.

YCM is a special place for me, my husband Hendi and many other young people. We are nothing without your support. We won’t be able in our current circumstances without your assistance. YCM has gave us the opportunity to gain our dreams, change our lives and be the better ones and share positive vibes to our surroundings.

We hope YCM will still exist more and more years and the young people like us could have chances for better lives and give positive impacts to others.

Thank you for all donors who assist us and keep supporting YCM. Without you, we are nothing!