Stories

Mama Walde Speaks Up for Women’s Rights in Leosama Village, NTT

Waldetrudis Lin or Mama (Ma’am) Walde is a 45 years old woman who is vigorously voicing women’s rights and aspirations through Constituency Group (KK), a local group which is assisted by MAMPU-BaKTI. She is one of few women who become pioneers of women empowerment in East Nusa Tenggara.

Walde and her family currently live in Leosama village, Kakuluk Mesak district. Walde, who is just an elementary school graduate, could not pursue higher education due to her family’s challenging economic condition. This challenging economic condition also forced Walde and her husband to settle down in coastal area to earn a living.

Other than earning a living, Walde really enjoyed participating in social activities in community meetings. Her active participation made her elected as community healthcare post (posyandu) cadre in 1989. Her low education attainment did not stop her to earn achievement. She was selected as a tutor for early childhood education (PAUD) in Leosama village. These experiences made her think that education is important, hence she decided to pursue education package B and C.

Meeting MAMPU also helped her in unlocking her true potentials. At that moment, MAMPU in collaboration with Eastern Indonesia Knowledge Exchange (BaKTI) Makassar and Socio-Economic Development Committee of Atambua Diocese (PPSE-KA) in initiating a Constituency Group in Leosama village.

Based on a mutual agreement, Mama Walde was elected as a chairman of Laran Ida Constituency Group in Leosama village. Although she did not have a comprehensive understanding of MAMPU five thematic areas in the beginning, she still seriously participated in MAMPU’s and constituency group’s activities. She believed that these activities can broaden her horison. In fact, through Constituency Group’s activities, women in her village have better understanding on women rights.

According to Walde, Constituency Group also helped women in articulating women’s and people in need’s rights in Leosama. Armed with this experience, she encouraged members of the Constituency Group in assisting village government to deliver public services to the residents.

Now, everyone in each village is invited in village deliberation. Furthermore, in one of village development planning meeting (musrenbangdes), Walde was appointed as a representative of women who will participate in district development planning meeting. Other than that, women of Leosama have trumped their doubts and found courage to talk about their rights with Walde and constituency group’s members. Walde and KK always report any finding and alarming case of rights violation to the village chief.

In addition, to support the productive economy, Walde and KK members took an initiative to produce local food products from the sea and agricultural products. The products will be sold on Sunday and Wednesday on public road which is located in front of Leosama church. Thanks to these local food products, members of Constituency Group could earn additional income.

KK team was also expected to assist village government and residents of Leosama in implementing various programs to empower women and increase women involvement in rural development. Walde also added that women do not always have to wait, women should take an initiative to pitch in for community’s sake.

Her long list of achievements did not stop there. In 2016, her term as a chairman of contituency group ended. As the chairman of Laran Ida Constituency Group, she was qualified to be a strong candidate for village chief in Leosama for period 2016 to 2021.  Village consultative body (BPD), village leaders and communities encouraged her to accept her nomination as the chief village. These groups believed that her active participation will certainly help women in voicing their aspirations in Leosama village.

In line with this agenda, former village chief of Leosama asked Walde and Constituency Group’s members to propose and include MAMPU five thematic areas into programs which will be funded by Village Allocation Funds (ADD). The proposal was already submitted and documented in Village Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMDes) in Leosama Village. Hopefully, after being elected Walde could help in developing Laosama village.

Go, Mama Walde!

*This story is taken and rewritten from Most Significant Change Story written by Frida Roman (BaKTI), used as communication and knowledge management products.