Back to Sumba,

to teach and be one pioneer of reading community

Returning to Sumba after spending several years of living in Yogyakarta to study did not make Septi Dadi complacent with all facilities and convenience of the city. Wangga village, Waingapu, East Sumba called her to return home. Having graduated from Department of Mathematics Education at Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa University made her no doubt to return back. Arriving there, she sent application to Junior High School 1 (SMP N 1) Waingapu as teacher and she was accepted. Beside teaching at school, she opened Math private course at her house, trained martial arts for teenage and kids and did online fashion business.

Various activities done by Putry, nickname of Septi Dadi, did not just show up by chance, but the inspiration was found in Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta. "Yes, while I stayed in Yogyakarta I actively took part in Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta. The first training I attended was Global Education training in 2013. I took part in several trainings and found many impressions, but one thing that I liked most was the challenge at the end of each training when the participants were challenged to design follow-up activity based on the training topic. So, when someone joined a training and found new knowledge, he/she was challenged to think critically and creatively in order to design activity as a form of application of new knowledge he/she got before. It is the difference when attending Stube-HEMAT training compared to others", she explained.

Having been in Waingapu with the current activities, Putri said that Stube-HEMAT inspired her and helped her to see the world broader, not just education itself but also how to empower community. Although her study background is also education, she has beneficial resolution to others. "I learned something different at Stube such as, how to manage my time efficiently and be independent in doing things. I also took part in Stube-HEMAT Sumba activities, such as being a training facilitator on online start-up business, journalistic training and writing class for church youth at GKS Praihowar, East Sumba".

There is one new activity that Putri doing now, managing a reading centre. She revealed her dream about a reading group in her house. Her dream came when Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta visited Sanggar Anak Alam where the school children were free to study and read books. She was so concerned about the lack of reading facilities for children there. She wrote her idea in her diary with a hope that it would come true someday. She realized that her efforts were not easy and need partners. In early 2017, she met her teacher, Solvina Malahina. Evidently, her teacher has a same dream to establish reading and learning community. Finally on September 23, 2017 ‘Gracia’ reading community was established and Solvina Malahina became the advisor, and Septi Dadi as the leader. It is located in Tandairotu, Waingapu. Currently, some volunteers join the community to share knowledge and allocate time to guide children who get difficulty in their study. She still has dreams that in the future Gracia reading community produces qualified young generation.

Septi Dadi expressed her wish for young people, especially young Sumbanese who are studying outside the island, "Young Sumbanese who are studying, wherever you are, learn many things, look and think what will you do in your home town. Theory is easy but the implementation is not as easy as written on the paper or spoken words. When you return to Sumba, make all theories you have learned into reality, so that your knowledge and experiences will not be in vain but beneficial to others". (TRU).