“It’s a title that’s never been seen in Indonesia before. Furthermore, my mentor, a Malaysian official, gave me the input that I should use the term ‘public facilitator’ instead of ‘social officer’,” because the latter has a negative connotation,” Tyas said. “Well, they’re not wrong! I’ve always loved to facilitate anyone so that they can get the access that they should get, whether in terms of information access, facility access, education access, or whatever they need! For example, since 2018 I have been facilitating the Regency of Kuningan so that they can have 30 scholarships for their students from the Ministry of Research and Technology, ambulances from various sources, subsidized fertilizer, tree seedlings, 150 points of public street lighting with renewable energy source, 4 garbage collection motorcycles.
Also people from remote parts of the region wanting to meet officials who can listen to them and take care of the needs of the people at the bottom, I facilitate them too. Connecting one with another to generate an inclusive collaboration in order to achieve common goals – because the key to collaboration is the giving and receiving of new ideas, creative solutions, mutual trust, awareness of each other’s duties and functions, as well as conscience to perform these properly. This will allow everyone involved to get their goals faster, and they will also be able to grow together.”
Tyas’s concern for others was established from a young age by her mother. “Since we were little, mother always gave us a strict upbringing. She said that the best thing anyone should cultivate is a strong mentality. We can’t just be sympathetic to people, be sorry for their condition – we need to be empathetic, to really understand and accept their situation, to help if we can – and she really gives us an example with her own conduct,” she said.
Tyas has had many impressive experiences when she helps others: “I once knew a girl whose mother is a laundress for hire, she went to college on foot for great distances and she had GPA of 4. I helped her out using my own money, because I believe that educating a child means that we are building a nation – especially if it’s a girl. They will grow into women, who are the pillars of a country. It is women who build families and educate their children. If women are given better access to every facility, we can only grow better as a nation,” she said. “I truly learn a lot from them.”