“That the highest happiness for women, from centuries ago until now, is living in harmony with men.” – RA Kartini –
Juliana, a young woman from the Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) community, is living proof that hope and struggle can penetrate the walls of tradition, stigma, and limitations. Her story begins in Sudung, a simple house that witnessed Juliana's journey to pursue a dream she had never imagined before—a dream to study to college level.
The first meeting with Juliana took place in a sudung, a simple traditional SAD dwelling made of wood, bamboo, and rumbia leaves. At that time, Juliana was still small, quiet, and shy. She was one of the children who received a school supplies scholarship from Pundi Sumatra, an organization that cares about the education of the SAD community.
“Juliana used to be very shy, she rarely spoke,” recalled Dewi, CEO of Pundi Sumatra. Pundi Sumatra at that time opened the way for education for SAD children through nature schools, a unique approach that teaches reading, writing, and arithmetic. For children like Juliana, nature schools are the first door to the world of formal education.
Intensive mentoring has been carried out since 2014, when the SAD community began occupying a house built by the Ministry of Social Affairs for Rombong Hari and Badai. Juliana began attending formal school, a big step for a girl in a community that often views education as secondary.
"We do not want to provide scholarships in the form of money, because then the parents will think that their children's education is Pundi's responsibility. So we provide it in the form of objects, such as bags, shoes, and school uniforms," Dewi said again.
As time went by, Juliana watched her friends stop one by one due to the tradition of child marriage. In SAD customs, early marriage is commonplace, often considered an inevitable fate. In the Anak Dalam Tribe, child marriage usually occurs to girls between the ages of 13 and 17.
In a journal written by Ira Hamzah (2014), it is explained that in the customary law of the Suku Anak Dalam, there is no concept of a marriage guardian or child guardian. Their customary marriages are regulated by Tumenggung, the customary leader, and carried out by a shaman who acts as a penghulu. Because this marriage process does not involve the state, marriages that occurred in the past were not officially recorded.
However, the mentoring carried out by Pundi Sumatra brought about change. Parents began to realize that education is an investment for the future. Thanks to these efforts, the number of child marriages among school-age children began to decline.
Juliana herself chose a different path. In 2020, she took the bold step of continuing her education to college, a decision that was not easy for her family. "We were considered strange by the community for allowing Juliana to go to college. They said it was a waste of money," said Samsu, Juliana's father.
For the community, women's roles are often limited to domestic affairs. However, for Juliana, education is the key to opening up wider opportunities, as well as a way to break the stigma.
Juliana officially became a new student at the University of Muhammadiyah Jambi (UMJ) in 2020, majoring in Forestry. As the first woman from the SAD community to continue her higher education, she faced great challenges. She often felt isolated, even receiving negative opinions from her community. However, the support of her parents and Pundi Sumatra became the strength that kept her spirits high.
SAD Goes to Campus in 2020 was the first experience for Juliana and the children from her community to visit a college. This program was the first step for them to get to know the world of higher education, which previously seemed very far and difficult to reach. Their first visit to a college in Jambi City, namely the Muhammadiyah University of Jambi (UMJ), was part of Pundi Sumatra's efforts, in collaboration with Kemitraan and Baznas, to open access to formal education for the Suku Anak Dalam community.
During college, Juliana continued to develop. She not only excelled academically, but was also active in various activities. She once performed poetry readings at the Jambi Cultural Festival, spoke at national forums, and became a resource person to share her story. From a shy girl who only answered with short words, Juliana is now able to speak in public with confidence.
Amidst all the pressure, Juliana proved that women from the jungle can also dream and make it happen. She became a symbol of hope for her community, especially SAD women who have been trapped in tradition and stigma.
“Juliana is proof that education can change everything,” Dewi said. With her courage and determination, Juliana has paved the way for the younger generation of SAD to dream bigger.
At the end of her studies, Juliana not only graduated with a bachelor's degree, but also brought about a major change in the way her community views women and education. Now, she stands as a pioneer, proving that dreams, no matter how big, can be achieved by anyone, including women from the jungle.
May Juliana be a proven prophecy from a writing written by Kartini. That women's emancipation is not for equality, but is a balanced self-proof, between a strong body and a heart that is always obedient. That emancipation is acceptance, every place has a master who is destined and deserved.
