Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Awane Theovilla Yogi, a 2024 Economics graduate from the Faculty of Economics and Business UGM, is more than just an ordinary student. This young Papuan woman has walked a challenging path to achieve her big dreams. Now, she is ready to return to her hometown with a mission to bring change to the land of Papua.

Education as a pathway to change

Awane, from Awabutu, Paniai District, Central Papua Province, was one of the FEB students who graduated during the UGM graduation ceremony on Thursday (21/11/2024). She has proven that she can achieve higher education at one of Indonesia's top universities with solid determination. Her quest for quality education began at an early age. This dream motivated her to pursue primary and secondary education in Java, particularly in Bandung.

After graduating from junior high school, she was awarded the ADEM (Secondary Education Affirmation) scholarship, which took her from Jayapura to SMA Negeri 1 Bojong in Pekalongan. Similarly, she was awarded the ADiK (Higher Education Affirmation) scholarship after graduating high school. These opportunities gave her access to quality education and mentally prepared her to venture far from home and face the wider world.

These scholarships gave her valuable experience and paved the way for a brighter future. As a recipient of ADEM and ADiK, Awane seized every opportunity, hoping to use her knowledge to help develop her hometown.

Struggles During Her Studies

Jonas Yogi and Theresia Gobai's daughter admitted that her first few days at university were not easy. She experienced stress because the university system was very different from high school. She felt overwhelmed knowing that her classmates, such as Olympic champions, were mainly high achievers.

"At first, I doubted if I could keep up. Seeing my friends' backgrounds shocked me and made me feel insecure," she said.

But she was pleasantly surprised by reality. Her peers were incredibly helpful and supportive.

"If there were lessons I didn't understand, I could ask them, and they even allowed me to photocopy their notes. So I didn't feel left out," explained the student from the 2017 cohort.

Nevertheless, her academic journey was interrupted by the widespread racism against Papuan students in 2019. In her second year, she had to return home and take a leave of absence.
"At that time, I considered transferring to another university. But after thinking about my sacrifices to get to this point, it felt too daunting to start over. With my family and friends' support, I could persevere," she said.

Another challenge she faced was her struggle with Econometrics, which she had to resit twice. However, FEB supported her by providing tutoring for senior students. She admitted that adjusting to the rigorous academic environment at FEB UGM took time. At first, she was more relaxed, but the academic atmosphere pushed her to find effective study methods and prepare better, especially for exams.

"It took me until the third semester before I felt comfortable and settled in. But the experience taught me how to maximize my potential in the campus environment," Awane said.

An excellent mission for Awabutu

Awane's hometown, Awabutu, is a region rich in potential that needs to be tapped. With the education she has received, Awane dreams of transforming her area into a prominent destination while improving the community's welfare.

"Awabutu is like Dieng, with fertile land and beautiful lakes. If managed well, it could become an attractive tourist destination and boost the local economy," she said.

She stressed that while her hometown now has several schools, access to education remains challenging, especially for students living in villages across the lake. Her mother, a guidance counselor, even opens her home to accommodate children who need a place to continue their education.

Awane's awareness of the importance of education was reinforced during her studies at FEB UGM. She discovered through her coursework and research that Papua remains Indonesia's province with the highest poverty rate.

"Seeing the challenges of breaking the cycle of poverty, limited access to education, and the economic impact of environmental degradation sparked my interest in poverty and education issues," she explained.

Her thesis evaluated the Special Autonomy Fund-based education programs in Papua. Through this research, she advocated for regular evaluations to improve the program's effectiveness, benefiting her hometown and Papua.

Beyond her focus on her hometown, Awane is an active volunteer in educating marginalized children through GREAT Indonesia. She is also involved in economic empowerment programs such as KUBE (Group Business Ventures) and USEP (Productive Economic Enterprises). These activities have given her a first-hand understanding of the challenges of escaping poverty. Awane firmly believes education and community empowerment are crucial to reducing poverty in Papua.

"FEB UGM has opened my eyes to the fact that change starts with you. I hope to return to Awabutu and contribute to education and the economy there," she concluded.

Awane's story is a testament to the transformative power of education to change lives and communities. Her passion for alleviating poverty and promoting education in Papua inspires Indonesia's youth.

Reportage: Shofi Hawa Anjani
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum

Sustainable Development Goals