The desire to change her fate and uplift her family’s status motivated Asysyfa Maisarah (18) to apply to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Despite being born into a humble family, Syfa, the second of three children of Mardion (54) and Elfa Harningsih (48), is determined to pursue her dream of studying at one of Indonesia’s top universities.
Syfa is the daughter of a farm laborer living in Sungai Naniang Village, Bukit Barisan District, Lima Puluh Kota Regency, West Sumatra.
Her father, Mardion, only finished middle school and worked as a daily farm laborer, cultivating other people’s orange groves. Meanwhile, her mother is a homemaker who occasionally helps her husband when work is available.
“For a day’s work, I get paid 50 thousand rupiah. But that’s not every day; it depends on whether someone needs help,” said Mardion.
From his work as a daily laborer, Mardion manages to keep the household running and provide for his three children’s education. Fortunately for Mardion, his daughter has an excellent academic record. Since middle school and throughout high school, Syfa has consistently been a top student and received scholarships, which covered her school fees.
“I received a boarding school-type scholarship in high school, so I had dormitory facilities. Sometimes, I missed home, but I had to hold back to save on transportation costs. So, I only went home once a month, sometimes every two months,” Syfa recalled.
Achieving and maintaining such performance takes work. Syfa had to study consistently and extra hard to keep her scholarship. Her hobby of reading books related to her studies or fiction books in the school library helped her feel that studying was never a burden.
“Thankfully, during high school, I was always the overall champion and received the most subject stars each semester. Last year, I also won a bronze medal in the National Indonesian Language Olympiad,” Syfa said.
Despite her academic achievements, Syfa also made time to participate in organizations, such as the Intra-School Student Organization (OSIS), where she served as Secretary.
Her school also chose her to attend a Spatial Planning Introduction event organized by the Padang City Government, and she actively engaged in discussions with representatives from other schools across West Sumatra.
Known for her strong determination to achieve her goals, Syfa expressed her desire to continue to college as she approached graduation. She convinced her parents to let her study at UGM, even though they initially hoped she would study closer to home.
“Costs were a consideration, especially since it meant going far to Java. My father wanted me to go to Pekanbaru, which is closer. My mother was hesitant but still supportive as long as I was confident in my choice. She believed that blessings would follow,” Syfa said emotionally.
When the announcement came, Syfa was accepted to study Accounting at the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM) without a test through the academic excellence-based entrance selection (SNBP) pathway. She also received a 100% subsidized tuition fee waiver (UKT 0), exempting her from tuition fees during her studies.
Despite their financial limitations, Elfa Harniningsih felt proud when she heard her daughter was accepted at UGM. Last year, Syfa’s older sibling had just graduated from UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim, Riau, and her younger sibling is still in 4th grade, requiring considerable expenses.
“The feelings were mixed, happy but anxious, wondering if she could graduate. But Syfa assured us she could because of the scholarship,” the mom shared.
Despite her worries, Harniningsih is grateful that Syfa received a 100% tuition subsidy from UGM, which eases the family’s financial burden.
She believes this subsidy provides opportunities for underprivileged people to pursue higher education. She hopes Syfa can graduate on time and achieve her desired goals.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Firsto