Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Success comes to those who work hard and never give up. This quote describes Love's Nurani Hasan (19) in her pursuit of higher education. Her spirit, determination, hard work, and diligence in learning led Love's to be accepted into the Accounting Study Program at the Faculty of Economics and Business at Gadjah Mada University (FEB UGM).

Love's was accepted as a new student at UGM in 2024 without a test through the National Selection Based on Achievement (SNBP) pathway. Moreover, she received a full tuition scholarship, exempting her from education fees until graduation.

Studying in the Accounting program at UGM has been Love's dream since high school. Her desire grew stronger after winning 2nd place in the National Accounting Competition at the Gadjah Mada Accounting Days 2023. She studied hard and excelled in school to achieve this big dream, especially considering her family's financial limitations. "I wanted to go to college since middle school, but at that time, I was doubtful due to my family's economic limitations," she said when contacted on Friday (14/6).

Struggling Amid Limitations

Love's is the youngest of two siblings of Yuli Nur Hasan (53) and Eny Rosida (52). She was born and raised in a small town in Kanigaran Village, Probolinggo Regency, East Java. Her mother is the breadwinner, selling traditional Indonesian peanut sauce known as bumbu pecel and traditional Indonesian snacks made from deep-fried flour batter mixed with peanuts, anchovies, or other ingredients known as peyek. The income was barely enough to meet daily needs. "My family was well-off before, but since 2017, both of my parents had accidents.

Since then, my father has been injured and diagnosed with diabetes, so he could no longer work," she explained. Since then, Love's said there was no longer a breadwinner in the family, causing their economic condition to plummet, with no income at all. Inevitably, the family had to sell their assets to survive. From that point, Love's learned to be independent and support herself while helping her parents.

Since elementary school, she sold bags, stickers, face masks, accessories, and headscarves until the end of high school. In her final year of high school, Love's had to stop selling due to a lack of interest. "I also worked as a sales assistant in a boutique and a live host for an online shop. I told my parents I would also strive to support my college needs. I'm used to fighting, so I will always fight for my dreams," she elaborated.

Achieving Since Elementary School

Despite the limitations, Love's never gave up on her dreams. Amazingly, despite earning money to meet daily needs, she remained consistent in learning and achieving. She consistently ranked at the top of her class from elementary to high school. Love's achieved numerous accolades since elementary school. She even had the highest average score in the National Exam in Probolinggo City at the elementary level. In middle school, Love's achieved several significant accomplishments, including winning 1st place in the Probolinggo City Outstanding Student Competition for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.

Additionally, she won 3rd place in the Probolinggo City Essay Writing Competition and published a novel titled Love Yourself in 2019. Her achievements continued in high school, including 1st place in the Islamic Music Competition, 3rd place in the City Level Economics Olympiad, 1st place in the Sharia Economics Competition, 1st place in the National Accounting Olympiad at Widyagama University, and 2nd place in the National Accounting Competition at Gadjah Mada Accounting Days, among others. "Every time I won a prize from competitions, I always set aside some to buy household necessities," she said.

Seeing Love's impressive academic record, her teachers at SMA Negeri 1 Probolinggo City encouraged her to pursue higher education. They assured her not to fear chasing her dreams. Initially, Love's never dared to express her desire to go to college, fearing it would burden her parents. Eventually, she consulted with the school committee chair, who encouraged her to pursue her dream. Finally, she dared to express her desire to her parents, who fully supported her.

Love's said her mother always motivated her to keep striving amid many discouraging remarks. "Some people underestimated my dreams, saying a poor child can't go to college," she said.

She clearly remembers her mother's efforts in supporting her education and achievements, particularly when she attended a high school olympiad. It was raining heavily, and her family didn't have a raincoat, umbrella, or money for transportation. Her mother ran from neighbor to neighbor, borrowing a raincoat. "In middle school, I often walked 700 meters to school. If it rained, I'd wait at the bus stop. Once, my mom picked me up with a borrowed bicycle and raincoat. My parents' efforts for me were truly extraordinary," she explained.

Rainbow After the Rain

She expressed that studying at UGM was her big dream. When asked where she would go to college, Love's confidently answered UGM. Now that dream has come true. She felt a mix of pride, emotion, and joy beyond words.

"I still can't believe I've reached this point. All the struggles and hardships have paid off now that my dream has come true. It's true what people say, that hard work pays off, and there is always a rainbow after the rain," she said.

She continuously expressed her gratitude for being accepted into FEB UGM without a test and receiving a 100% tuition scholarship, freeing her from education costs. "I was worried about paying tuition, but my family encouraged me to keep striving and trusting Allah. I'm very grateful to UGM for proving that the saying' poor children can't go to college' is utterly wrong," she emphasized.

Love's believes that although living with limitations isn't easy, she never loses heart. She firmly believes everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their dreams, even if it requires extra effort and hard work. "We just need to try our best, believe in our dreams, and always pray and surrender to Allah, and He will always provide help. Don't give up quickly because our struggles will make reaching our goals incredibly rewarding," she advised.

Meanwhile, her mother, Eny Rosida, expressed immense pride and joy at the fact that her daughter was accepted at UGM without any fees. She felt a miracle had turned a mere dream into reality. Despite their modest means, she and her husband fully supported their daughter's education. "No matter how difficult, we will support our daughter in achieving her goals. We hope Love's will succeed, elevate the family's status, and benefit those around her. We hope she will become an inspiring woman who fears and believes in Allah," she concluded.

Reportage: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum 

Sustainable Development Goals