Sovia Hariyani Hane Untung

Sovia, a proud Tetun woman from Atambua on Timor Island, East Nusa Tenggara, carries the strength of her matrilineal heritage and the spirit of her community into everything she does.

A physics graduate from Catholic Parahyangan University in Bandung, Sovia is a passionate environmental and literacy advocate. She co-founded Trash Hero Belu in 2019 to tackle pollution in public spaces, and her journey of activism continues in Flores with Rumah Baca Mustika, promoting literacy in remote schools.

Sovia is deeply moved by persistent social and ecological challenges, including recurring wildfires in her region, which have driven her to build stronger knowledge, resilience, and problem-solving capacity through the Indonesia Young Leaders Programme. Eager to deepen her understanding of the SDGs, participatory engagement, and indigenous knowledge, particularly from the Māori, she hopes to raise her communication skills and collaborate across sectors.

In her free time, Sovia finds joy in exploring nature, journaling, crafting handmade accessories, and reflecting on her surroundings. Through this program, she aspires to develop more inclusive, impactful approaches for community empowerment and nature protection, especially in monitoring, evaluation, and partnership building with local governments.