Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, was the host for the annual INSPIRASI alumni hui, which was held from 29 May to 2 June 2026. This Hui was attended by 49 alumni from the cohort 2018 to 2025, including 10 participants from the 2026 cohort as new whanau (family) who originally from communities in Eastern Indonesia including West and East Nusa Tenggara, Makassar, Moluccas, and Papua. The participants have been recognized as potential young leaders who have strong commitment to contribute positive action in their communities dealing with issues of indigenous people’s rights, food sovereignty, gender based violence, human trafficking, migration, climate crisis, education, waste management, disability, reproductive health, women and children.
Within the three days, the participants were encouraged to reflect on the theme ‘Growing Leader Across Communities’. In my opinion, a ‘growing leader’ is a lifelong learner—learn to have empathy, integrity, accountability, creativity, critical thinking, a growth mindset, resilience, and be a role model. To develop all the capacities, a growing leader is challenged and shaped by countless failures, problems, obstacles within him/herself and in the community.
Reflecting on this theme, a meaningful reminder came from Laila Harre when she offered her thoughts on the ‘Strategic Leadership’ session as she said that “Leadership is not only about standing in front of many people but also about influencing people to make something happen to bring change in the community”. This gentle reminder offers a clear understanding to the participants anticipating a common thinking which focuses on only one entity. She reminded us that even a small action, yet it can bring change to the community that leadership is. A growing leader must have a sense of this kind of leadership. Second, I hold the view that ‘across communities’ is beyond boundaries (land and island). It not only refers to the original places of the participants but also connects to their synergism facing dynamic situations of economic, social-culture, and politics.
Dani Wahyu Nugroho delivered a session on ‘Servant Leadership’ to challenge young leaders to swap their mindsets from ego-system to eco-system. He stressed that an ego-system which focuses more on the human center needs to be irritated by critical thinking on mapping the pattern and system continously, working collaboratively with effective communication in communities in order to reach the eco-system which is its priority on sustainability of biodiversity. He offered some activities to encourage the participants using the concept of eco-system to design a better future for Indonesia. These practical tools from Laila and Dani I have used to enhance my work in the Hanaf community focusing on issues of human trafficking that mostly facing by domestic workers in Indonesia and migrant workers overseas.
These deep reflections of the theme were supported by actions when the participants visited local organizations. The participants were divided into three groups based on their passion. Nusa Tenggara for Nusantara (NTN) Foundation, Gugah Nurani Indonesia Foundation chapter Lombok (GNI), and Titian Foundation (TF). These three organizations focus on education, women and children’s rights, economic empowerment, community development, and health. I joined the NTN’s group. It was lovely and fun with around 40 kids playing and learning about sexual education especially describing untouchable and touchable area of their body parts. This learning process actually was an early mitigation of sexual abuse mostly facing by vulnerable group (children and women).
At the end, through this alumni hui platform, each participant get benefits such as chance to re-connect with its cohort member and other cohort, BakTI and Union Aid’s team; keep up to date with each participant’s work in community; and build strategic plan to catch upcoming opportunity of applying funding and scholarship as it was shared by alumni and Mike’s sessions. Last but not least, the participants also had a chance to re-connect with nature when visiting Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu Waterfall. Thank you!
*This story was written by Yuliana Magdalena Benu, an alumna of the INSPIRASI 2019 program. She is the founder of the HANAF Community and has dedicated her work to advocating against human trafficking in East Nusa Tenggara. For inquiries, she can be contacted at yulibenu93@gmail.com.