UM Surabaya Lecturer Wins Inspirational Female Figure Award in East Java Inspiring Women Award 2023

The East Java News awarded UM Surabaya Lecturer Aristiana Prihating Rahayu as an inspirational female figure at the 2023 East Java Inspiring Women Award which was held at the Ballroom of the Whiz Luxe Hotel Surabaya. Aristiana, who is often active in social activities and is a pioneer in education for street children, is considered to represent women's participation in the realm of the nation's higher education.

So what is Aristiana's story about starting to build a place to study for street children, scavenger children to children of the homeless in the Jembatan Merah area of Surabaya?

Active Social Activities since becoming a student

Aristiana admits that since becoming a student she has been active in various social activities such as holding a free bazaar for children, providing assistance in learning the Koran at the TPA, to assisting in reading and writing.

“Initially in 2011 when I was about to go to work in the morning, at that time I saw several street children during school hours they did not attend school. The children work. All the way after passing the children I was nervous, finally I dared to turn around and meet them in person," said Aristiana

When he arrived at the location, apparently the number of children was more than 10 with a vulnerable age of 4-15 years. Then he tried to chat with children and offered to teach him to study for free. After his good intentions were accepted, the next day he brought a board, stationery markers and some books. The first time he taught children by the river by utilizing the parking lot.

Aristiana said that the background of the children's parents was scavengers, some of them were homeless people who did not have a permanent place to live, so they had to live under the bridge to the river bank and carry out their daily lives.

"So many of them don't focus on education, what they think about is how to be able to eat and survive tomorrow, many of the parents encourage their children to work even though they are still young," said Aristiana.

According to her account, that year she sent 7 children at once to enter elementary school (SD) which was included in her family card (KK) with the agreement of her husband. Meanwhile, the learning process that he did continued with the other children.

After walking for several months, he had to rack his brains because the parking lava could not be used for activities, finally he looked for another place, he took advantage of the former mosque which left only the floor. He repaired the mushola with his friend, Mother Cicha. It is in this place that street children, school dropouts and the poor, from early childhood, elementary and junior high school, learn calistung and pray.

After 2 years of running, the place that had been arranged was evicted again, because the riverbanks were not a place for activities. Realizing that there are more and more children under his care, he has to rack his brains so that these children can study in a proper place. After the eviction, he ventured around looking for a place to rent, after asking around he found a decent place with a rental offer of 50 million.

“At that time, I only gave up capital, because there was not that much money either. After the eviction incident, many scavengers were empathetic and helped to find a place to rent. The next morning I received news that there was a businessman named Abah Kadir who was willing to lend his warehouse for free for children's studies," Aristiana recalled with emotion.

In 2014, it officially became the Cahaya Bunda Community

After he moved to a large warehouse facilitated by Abah Kadir, he has more students, not only street children who study, but also children of the poor whose parents can't afford it. In 2014 the target group became a community which he named the Cahaya Bunda Community (KCB). Now there are more than 65 children consisting of PAUD, SD and SMP. According to him, in raising KCB he did not open donations, but there were lots of generous people who reached out, from sending tables, chairs, books to consumption for the learning children.

Now, KCB has 5 teaching volunteers and some of them are students from UM Surabaya from various faculties who volunteer to help teach. According to Aris, the learning schedule was well planned. Sunday and Tuesday are for PAUD and SD while Wednesday is used for learning taklim for mothers.

"In the taklim, mothers learn to pray, recite the Koran, and sometimes also do economic empowerment. Coincidentally, those who filled out the material were Ustadz SD Muhammadiyah 11 Surabaya and the police from the Tanjung Perak Polrestabes. The number who study every Wednesday is 35-40," added Aristiana again.

According to him, the economic empowerment efforts that have been carried out in real terms are jumputan batik and businessrice wrap which is still running until now. So it's not only children who are educated but also parents so that their minds are more developed and open.

Principles in Preaching

In the midst of learning that continues to be given to children, he always inserts the spirit that children must have the courage to dream big. According to him, regardless of the background of a child's life, he has the right to obtain proper knowledge and education. Now some of his students have graduated from high school, and he hopes these children will continue to receive education up to university.

In her life Aristiana has always adhered to the principle that the best human being is one who is always useful for others. He also believes in the principle that "When we think about the fate of others, God willing, Allah will arrange our fate".