In a remote village called Bontosomba, behind the forests and hills that are rarely touched, stands a strong woman who is rarely highlighted. Her name is Sabaria, an indigenous woman who exudes calmness with her quiet demeanor, but has a strong determination in carrying out various important roles in her community. Although she often feels shy when asked to talk, Sabaria never hesitates to help others. She is a village health post cadre and a volunteer Quran teacher in her hamlet, Dusun Bara.
In her village, the role of the posyandu cadres, which are mostly run by women, is often underestimated and underappreciated. The small wages, only enough to meet daily needs, seem to reflect the view that this work is not very valuable. However, Sabaria and the other cadres know that behind all that, there is a noble task that they carry out—protecting the welfare of mothers and children in the village. Without fanfare, they are the guardians of the future generation.
Over time, Sabaria received a lot of training and mentoring through the Estungkara program. This program equips cadres with various skills, from increasing capacity as health workers to advocating for women's and children's rights. Sabaria herself often reminds pregnant women in her village about the importance of maintaining a balanced nutritional intake, routinely checking pregnancy health, and the importance of breastfeeding and immunization for their children. The knowledge that Sabaria gained from the training, such as how to make Complementary Foods for Breast Milk (MPASI), she not only kept for herself, but she also shared it with the mothers in her village.
Changes began to be felt after several months of the program. The village government began to pay attention to the needs of the integrated health post, and the cadres began to dare to speak up about their rights. Sabaria, who used to be reluctant to speak in public, is now more confident. She no longer hesitates to express her opinion in village meetings. "I used to be shy, now I am braver," she said with a smile. For Sabaria, the responsibility as an integrated health post cadre is not just a job, but a calling. "I don't want to receive a 'blind salary'. I want this job to be useful," she added.
Not only active as a posyandu cadre, Sabaria also has another important role in her village. Seeing many children who have not been able to recite the Quran, she took the initiative to become a volunteer recitation teacher. The children of Dusun Bara who rarely have access to religious education can now learn to read the Quran at her home. In fact, several adults who want to get married come to her to learn to recite the Quran and to declare their faith. "Reciting the Quran is not only for marriage, but also our obligation as Muslims," said Sabaria.
In her life journey as a cadre, Sabaria not only devoted herself to maternal and child health, but also involved in other initiatives that strengthened her community. One of them was a youth social gathering initiated by her. She saw that young people in her village rarely met and interacted because of the long distance between houses.
Through the youth arisan, Sabaria hopes that young people will have a space to gather, share stories, and support each other. Now, the arisan has grown to 22 members consisting of teenage boys, girls, and several adults.
Sabaria's journey to become braver and more skilled in playing a role in her community is inseparable from her experience as a posyandu cadre. She felt firsthand the bitterness of the lives of mothers in Dusun Bara, especially the difficulty in accessing health services due to the long distance. That experience made her not hesitate to accept the offer to become a posyandu cadre from the Tompobulu health center.
For him, the future of the children in his village is a priority. "If we don't protect their future, who will?" he said confidently.
In addition to teaching the Koran, Sabaria is also active as a teacher at Sekolah Kolong, an informal education initiative in her village. For her, children's education must be prioritized, even though the challenges faced are not easy. However, Sabaria remains optimistic. "My hope may take a long time, but I will not give up," she said determinedly.
Sabaria is a real example of an empowered indigenous woman. Despite living in the midst of limitations, she was able to become a driving force for change in her village. From integrated health posts to schools, from house to house, Sabaria's steps continue, spreading kindness and inspiring many people.
For him, this struggle is not over yet. However, with the spirit he has, Sabaria is confident that the change will continue to grow, step by step, for a better future.
