Economic hardship has not prevented 18-year-old Leni Ismawati from pursuing her dreams. The young woman from Gunungkidul had dreamed of studying at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) since elementary school. Her acceptance into UGM’s Accounting undergraduate program through the National Selection Based on Achievement (SNBP) pathway and her receipt of UGM’s fully subsidized Excellence Education Scholarship, which covers 100 percent of tuition fees (UKT), mark the fulfillment of one of her lifelong aspirations.
Leni is the only child of Mr. Semojo (50) and Mrs. Erni (37), who earn an irregular income by tending rice fields and livestock. To help support the family, Erni often works as a farm laborer for neighboring farmers. Despite their financial limitations, they have never allowed economic hardship to stand in the way of their daughter’s education.
Erni said she has always prioritized her daughter’s education, having completed junior high school herself, while her husband attended school through the elementary level. She regrets not having the opportunity to continue her education. No one in either her family or her husband’s family had previously gone on to university, making Leni’s achievement a source of immense pride.
“I have always encouraged my daughter to stay in school. We could always find a way to cover the costs later. I never wanted her to have the same regrets as her parents,” Erni said on Monday (Jun. 29).
The unwavering support from both of her parents gave Leni the confidence to pursue her ambitions.
“My mother always reminded me not to be afraid of chasing my dreams. That encouragement gave me the courage to apply for UGM’s Accounting program,” Leni said.
Erni explained that since childhood, Leni had been taught to live modestly because they were not wealthy enough to do everything instantly. Every goal must be achieved through effort and hard work, including encouraging Leni to save part of her allowance whenever she wants to buy personal necessities. Erni also paid close attention to her daughter’s religious education and social circle, hoping to guide her away from negative influences.
“I deliberately chose not to spoil her from an early age. Besides our financial situation, I was also concerned that she might struggle to face life’s challenges in the future,” she said.
Leni’s journey to her dream campus was far from easy. After deciding to attend SMA Negeri 1 Wonosari, which is quite far from her home, she had to live in a boarding house on her own. However, the experience helped her become more independent and better manage her time.
Unlike many of her classmates who attended private tutoring, Leni studied independently because of her family’s financial constraints. Her most productive study time was in the early hours, routinely up at 2:00 a.m. to study. Her perseverance paid off as she graduated as the second-highest eligible student in her class, strengthening her qualifications to higher education.
Leni’s interest in economics began during her first year of senior high school. She deepened that interest by choosing the economics specialization before focusing specifically on accounting in the 12th grade.
“Since the 12th grade, I have studied accounting more deeply and explored its future career prospects. That made me realize this field is the right choice for me,” she said.
Her academic achievements have consistently been outstanding. Since elementary school, Leni regularly ranked first in her class and graduated as the best student at her junior high school. She was also actively involved in extracurricular activities, including the school Islamic organization (Rohis), the Youth Red Cross (PMR), and the Muhammadiyah Youth Association (IPM) in Wonosari District. During senior high school, she also competed in the district-level National Science Olympiad (OSN) in Economics.
Leni admitted that as she has grown older, her perspective on education has evolved. She once studied to earn top grades and awards, but now she studies to transform her future, both economically and educationally.
“I hope studying Accounting at UGM will open more opportunities and bring many good things for my future,” she said.
Author: Jesi
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian
Photos: Hanifah and Leni’s Documentation