Alfin Dwi Novemyanto (24) couldn’t stop wiping away his tears as he recalled receiving the 2024 Inspirational Youth Award from the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The award was presented in commemoration of Indonesia’s 96th Youth Pledge Day on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII).
Alfin Novemyanto, a master’s student in Constitutional Law at UGM Faculty of Law (FH UGM), never imagined he would receive such recognition, given the difficult journey that brought him here.
Raised by his single mother, who worked as a scavenger to support Alfin and his two siblings, Alfin never gave up on his dream of higher education despite the tough financial situation.
“My mother is a scavenger and a single parent, so I want to raise her dignity,” Alfin shared on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Alfin, the second of three children, was born and raised in Sragen, but his family now lives in Karanganyar, Central Java.
Despite their reliance on income from collecting used goods, his mother remained determined to send all three children to school.
Due to financial constraints, Alfin attended Universitas Terbuka (UT) after graduating high school in 2018 because it allowed him to study while working.
Fortunately, he received a Bidikmisi scholarship (now KIP-K), enabling him to continue his education.
Determined to make the most of this opportunity, Alfin became actively involved in student organizations and competitions.
In 2021, he was named the Best Outstanding Student at UT Surakarta and became a finalist at the 33rd National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS) in 2020.
Thanks to his academic and extracurricular achievements, Alfin received additional scholarships from UT’s alumni association (IKA UT) and the ICE Institute.
Alfin’s commitment to education didn’t stop after his undergraduate degree.
In 2023, he applied for a scholarship from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance’s LPDP Scholarship. He successfully earned the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree.
“I’m grateful to be able to study at FH UGM,” he said, beaming with pride.
Alfin’s achievements are undoubtedly a result of his mother’s unwavering support and prayers.
For Alfin, his mother is his greatest inspiration.
His persistence and accomplishments have inspired many others to pursue their dreams, regardless of their circumstances.
“Don’t kill your dreams because of financial constraints. Anyone can be anything. The bigger your dreams, the higher your achievements will be,” Alfin encouraged.
Author: Tiefany
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang