Pursuing higher education at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) still feels like a dream to 19-year-old Ristiana Artanti. Given her family’s uncertain financial situation, she had worried that continuing her studies might not be possible. Her father, Rubikan (47), works as a construction laborer, while her mother, Winarni (47), is a homemaker who previously worked as a domestic helper in Yogyakarta.
The young woman from Karangsari, Kulon Progo, chose the Health Information Management Study Program at the UGM Vocational College (SV UGM) because of her interest in healthcare. Fortunately, she was admitted through the National Selection Based on Achievement (SNBP) pathway. In addition to gaining admission without an entrance examination, she also received the Outstanding Education Scholarship with a 100 percent tuition subsidy, allowing her to study at UGM free of charge.
“To be honest, I’m still confused and can hardly believe that God has given me an opportunity I never imagined I would have, to be accepted at Universitas Gadjah Mada,” she said on Thursday (Jun. 11).
In addition to her outstanding academic achievements, Risti was actively involved in the marching band extracurricular program at SMA Negeri 1 Wates, where she won several competitions. Among her accomplishments were two overall championship titles at the regency level and a first-place award at the provincial level.
To balance her commitments, Risti said she always prioritized her academics over extracurricular activities and personal development programs.
“I have always been disciplined in managing my time so that extracurricular activities would not interfere with my studies,” she recalled.
Risti’s parents, Rubikan and Winarni, fully supported their only daughter’s decision to pursue higher education despite their limited financial means. Given Rubikan’s irregular income as a construction laborer, doubts naturally arose.
However, seeing Risti’s academic achievements and consistently strong grades convinced them to support her dream of continuing her education, a dream neither Winarni nor Rubikan had the opportunity to achieve themselves, having completed only junior high school and elementary school, respectively.
“When she told us she wanted to go to college, I wondered whether we could afford it. Our economic situation is difficult. Sometimes there is income, sometimes there isn’t. Being able to eat three meals a day is already something to be grateful for,” Winarni said.
As a mother, Winarni did not want to discourage her daughter’s aspirations, especially after witnessing her academic accomplishments throughout the years.
“She has achieved so much at school, and her grades have always been good. If I didn’t support her, it would remind me of my own experience. I wanted to continue my education, but I couldn’t because my parents simply could not afford it. That’s why I don’t want my daughter to go through what I did. I want her to have a better future,” Winarni recalled through tears of joy.
Rubikan also expressed his gratitude. He has worked as a construction laborer since 1995. Whenever there is a project, he works from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., earning around Rp90,000 to Rp100,000 per day. However, that income depends entirely on the availability of construction projects. When there is no work, he extracts limestone from the area in front of his house and sells it to truck drivers for approximately Rp450,000 per full truckload. Loading the stone onto a truck can take at least a week and sometimes longer, depending on conditions.
Winarni said the most difficult period of their lives was shortly after they got married, when they had to build everything from scratch. Even during the later stages of her pregnancy, she continued working as a domestic helper in Yogyakarta.
“When I first married my husband, I worked as a domestic helper in Yogyakarta. Even when I was pregnant, I kept working and brought Risti with me until I was seven months pregnant. After that, I stopped working. Then, when Risti was two years old, I worked again and brought her with me while I worked,” she recounted.
Throughout Risti’s upbringing, Winarni and Rubikan consistently taught her to be kind to others and never neglect her religious obligations. Even now, Rubikan still finds it hard to believe that his daughter has been admitted to UGM. He hopes that through higher education, she will secure a good career and improve the family’s future.
“I never imagined my daughter could get into UGM. Her parents did not have the chance to pursue higher education, yet she has,” he said, his eyes filled with tears.
Before long, Risti will wear the UGM alma mater jacket as she joins the university’s new student orientation. Even before beginning her studies, she has already envisioned how her future knowledge and skills can help others and improve healthcare services in underserved regions.
“I imagine that after graduating, I will work at community health centers and hospitals, perhaps in remote areas, to help improve the quality of healthcare services for the community,” she said.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Zabrina Kumara
Photo: Donnie