Prapti Wahyuningsih, Changing Pain into Good Deeds

Prapti Wahyuningsih emerged as a star among the recipients of Gatra Citra Perempuan Indonesia. She was granted the award alongside the other recipients in recognition for her contribution to community empowerment.

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Prapti Wahyuningsih

Prapti Wahyuningsih, 45, continued to smile as she sat in her wheelchair, fulfilling a request to take a group photograph and replying to a variety of questions.

On Thursday (23/2/2023), Prapti “Ningsih” Wahyuningsih emerged as a star among the recipients of Gatra Citra Perempuan Indonesia, an award for women’s achievements given in cooperation between the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Duta Indonesia Maju Foundation and Gatra Media Group. It could be because of her modest appearance amid the other beautiful and perfumed women.

Ningsih was granted the award alongside the other recipients in recognition for her contribution to community empowerment.

Thirteen years ago on 21 April 2010, Ningsih was awarded with A Tribute to Woman 2010 in recognition for making small changes for the benefit of other people. Throughout her life, she has indeed had many experiences. She has been a worker and activist, and has been involved in a variety of activities advocating for workers. Quitting her job as a worker, she moved about, teaching children. In other areas, she was an environmental activist, encouraging people to manage waste.

She has not changed much today. Ningsih still looks cheerful, although she has been unable to walk for several days. She has even had to drag herself to the bathroom, her feet swollen from a blood sugar level of above 400. “Before, it even reached almost 600,” she said lightly.

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At the Gatra award ceremony, she had actually tried to take a step, despite the strenuous effort it required. Two women from the West Java regional board of the Indonesian Catholic Women’s Organization (WKRI), Sri Hardjanti and Tanti Mariani, kindly allowed her the use of a car and accompanied her in traveling from Bandung to Jakarta. They helped Ningsih get in and out of the car and be seated in the wheelchair.

Today, she is engaged in many more activities. She has continued to maintain her activities in children’s education and waste management. In additional, she owns Sekolah Rempah Nusantara (School of Indonesian spices). She also advocates for organic farming.

After buying land in Pasir Angling village, Lembang, West Java, she has an ambitious plan to build a three-story school. So far, her classes held under tarpaulin roofs have always had to be called off during heavy rain.

Fighter

Abandoned by her parents at birth, she was raised by Sukinem and Sastro Mulyamto, who named her Prapti Wahyuningsih. The date she was found became her birthdate. Ningsih only finished elementary school, but she has no diploma because, as Sukinem put it, “It would be better to spend the money for collecting the diploma on rice.”

To make a living, Ningsih worked from the age of 11. Joining a labor union, she participated in various demonstrations, endured police beatings, and was even imprisoned once. However, after working for years and reaching the highest rank of financial supervisor, she decided to quit.

If the local people need it, they will certainly continue what I had started.

In 1999, when she was 21, she founded Sanggar Budaya Anak Indonesia (Children of Indonesia cultural studio), or Sang Budi. There, she taught the children of poor families near her house reading, arithmetic and singing. “I simply wrote on the ground, acquainting children with letters and figures,” she recalled.

She could not stay long, though, and left Surakarta. “If the local people need it, they will certainly continue what I had started.”

KOMPAS/AGNES ARISTIARINI

Prapti Wahyuningsih

She traveled to Cibenda in Ciampel, Karawang, West Java. That was in 2002, and Karawang was not the city it is today. Although factories had appeared, the residential areas were dark and empty. Forests still surrounded them. Most of the local residents were illiterate and could not to simple calculations. They were deceived by middlemen every harvest season.

After Ningsih had taught their children reading, writing and arithmetic, the children helped their parents confront the middlemen. Ningsih had rocked the establishment. This culminated in the local people finding her unconscious and bloody in the woods after she had been gang-raped.

In 2003, Ningsih moved to Tapos village, Cijeruk district, Bogor regency. Every day she struggled to revive her battered mental and physical condition. “I only begged for God to replace my pain with good deeds for fellow humans,” she said, tearfully.

She again taught children in Tapos, who could speak only fluent Arabic but not Indonesian. As in the previous places, she taught them reading, writing and arithmetic, combined with singing and learning about their motherland.

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She left Tapos to take care of her adiotuve parents in Surakarta, and then from Surakarta, she moved to Bandung in 2007. She joined Walhi, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, and learned about environmental issues. She learned how to recycle plastic waste into toys, wallets, and bags, and encouraged others to join the activity.

She met Sister Irene of the Order of Saint Ursula (OSU) from Bandung’s SMA Santa Angela senior high school and took out a loan to rent a house in Cigending, Ujungberung. There, she started a green school, combining lessons in reading, writing, arithmetic with environmental conservation. Many children joined the school, their mothers willing to manage waste and make recycled products.

She set up green schools in many places. As soon as the local community started making progress, she left for another area. She was once deemed irresponsible because she kept moving from one place to another, but she was convinced that the local people could maintain the schools.

Building schools

She is building a school on her land. Her eyes were radiant as she related her dreams for her school, which is now only one-third finished. “I want an H-shaped building, symbolizing a green school. Later, there will be an auditorium, a canteen and a swimming pool,” she said.

Will it be expensive? “Yes, we are waiting for donors,” Ningsih replied, laughing.

Indeed, there are always people who offer her assistance. Returning from the women’s empowerment ministry last week, several women came to make contributions, placed in envelopes. Before leaving for Jakarta, someone sent her a batik dress to wear to the award ceremony.

In Karangsari, Pasteur subdistrict, she is developing a spice school to introduce Indonesia’s wealth of spices, process and sell them. Every day, she offers red shallots, garlic and a variety of vegetables. Organic produce is available around Lembang.

“One more: I want to build a university of long-lasting life,” she added.

Prapti Wahyuningsih

Born: Surakarta, 26 Jan. 1978

Parents: Sastro Mulyamto, Sukinem

Education: Elementary school

Organizations:

- Founder of Sanggar Budaya Anak Indonesia/Sang Budi ( Indonesian children’s cultural studio), Lestari Green School, Sekolah Rempah Nusantara (School of Indonesian spices)

Awards:

- A Tribute to Woman (2010)

- Gatra Citra Perempuan Indonesia (2023)

This article was translated by Aris Prawira.