The ‘Kartini’ lights go global through the promising VOF!



I used to talk with my friend overseas; using blog, emails and chatting. I used teleconference to discuss my first son’s marriage plan in 2006 over three difference places and countries. We even got the minutes after the occasion. I felt nothing so important – just the way it should be; due to I was growing within Information Communication Technology (ICT) for almost 25 years; I studied computer and worked for more than 20 years in computer unit.



However, something happened to me within my working environment. There were some constraints that limit my communication due to bureaucracy and regulations; I got difficulties to visit the fields. The spoon of sand became a hill of sand; then it changed into stone and somehow it blocked my ways to move on. My friend said no need to waste my energy due to he believed it is blocked; not because of miscommunication.



Within powerless situation, I remember Michael Foucault (2000): Information is power! Fund is not the main vehicle either - I could not do my gender programmes freely although funds were available; those even became idle due to the support condition never came to my table. The implementation was difficult due to no approval to utilize it. I was like a bird in the gold nest.
In 18th century my country Indonesia has a shero namely, Kartini. She was forced to get married with very rich man and became second wife. However, she never stopped writing and sending many letters to her friends in Netherland. She paid interest to the education for girls and women; the need of women advancement in the family as men’s partners. She died when delivering her baby with silence. However, her bright ideas expressed in her letters then being published in the book: “After darkness then comes the light”. Kartini is the gender shero in Indonesia; she brought the education light to all women and girls in Indonesia. Up to now her birthday, 21 April is commemorated in Indonesia as ‘Kartini Day’



I inspired by the spirit. I have never given up due to I am the woman with ICT! I advocated and socialized my programme to each country one by one through emails. No opportunity for doing the joint programmes among several countries; but apparently I succeeded performed link in silence with several countries. They invited me to come jumping over the 'stone'. Kartini light is in my hands and it is spreading over the networks overseas and across countries.



I found news about VOF in one email from my network. I read with enthusiasm and I believe this is the true promising programme to promote the gender equality and women’s empowerment, it may advocate more people for sounding the voices, choices and forces to be agents of changes faster for the world! This is not limited by people, by places, by organization, by bureaucracy; nor even by the time. The Kartini lights go global amazingly for the promising VOF!

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