Kusnasriyati, a leader in her own right<\/p>\n
By Sri Wahyuni<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Being the mother of five and wife of Moslem
\nleader Amien Rais is no easy challenge. But it does not stop
\nKusnasriyati Sri Rahayu from building a world of her own in which
\nshe is the leader.<\/p>\n
Education is the field in which she excels. In March 1987,
\ntogether with four friends, she established an Islamic
\nkindergarten under the umbrella of the local Salahudin Education
\nFoundation chaired by Amien.<\/p>\n
The school was later named Budi Mulia Kindergarten II, a name
\nwhich does not sound very Islamic at all.<\/p>\n
\"I really didn't mind about the name of the school ... any
\nname would have done as long as the school teaches Islamic
\nteachings,\" Kusnasriyati said.<\/p>\n
The kindergarten began with fewer than 10 students, including
\nthose of the founders, and two teachers. It is now the favorite
\nsuch school of many parents in the city.<\/p>\n
Budi Mulia employs around 28 teachers and supporting staff.
\nAlmost 400 students currently study at it, coming from across
\nYogyakarta and towns outside the city, such as Klaten 30
\nkilometers to the east.<\/p>\n
The kindergarten originally took up about half of Amien's
\nresidence, which was built on a 1,000-square-meter plot in
\nPandean Sari. It has now expanded to 1,850 square meters.<\/p>\n
The family owns both the land and the buildings. The
\nkindergarten uses them for free.<\/p>\n
\"Right from the start we built it (the kindergarten) purely as
\npart of our devotion to Allah. We expect nothing in return,\"
\nKusnasriyati said, adding that as members of the management
\nboard, the five founding mothers refuse to draw salaries from the
\nkindergarten.<\/p>\n
\"We're happy that what we started is going well. Alhamdulillah
\n(praise be to Allah). That's all that we can say,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Following the success of the playgroup they started in
\nBlimbingsari three years ago -- it has 125 students and 20 staff
\n-- the management is now planning to build another Islamic
\neducation center to provide day-long school programs. The school
\nis expected to open in the 1999\/2000 academic year.<\/p>\n
Toys<\/p>\n
The playgroup in Blimbingsari also uses the land and the
\npremises of a member of the management board for free. However,
\nthe planned day-long school and the after-school program will be
\nlocated on an area of 7,000 square meters in Seturan. This land
\nbelongs to the Center for the Study of Policy Strategy PPSK,
\nwhich Amien founded and chairs.<\/p>\n
Kusnasriyati's concern about education doesn't seem to stop
\nthere.<\/p>\n
After she failed to find good educational aids anywhere in the
\ncountry, she set up CV Surya Mentaram Nusantara Toys two years
\nago to produce and distribute educational aids made of baked
\nwood, known locally as mahoni.<\/p>\n
With the help of the teachers, Kusnasriyati designs the
\neducational toys herself. Wood was chosen because, among other
\nthings, it is non-toxic and can be recycled.<\/p>\n
More than 40 designs have been produced, including a geometric
\nsorting board and a board to learn Arabic. All Surya Mentaram's
\nproducts bear the Certificate of Europe.<\/p>\n
A distribution company, Mentari Promo Sarana, has also been
\nset up in Surabaya, East Java, to market the goods across the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
Kusnasriyati never went on a special course or studied
\npreschool education. Her position for years as the person in
\ncharge of the preschool education program in the Maimed women's
\nwing Aisyiah in Surakarta, however, gave her valuable experience
\nin the field.<\/p>\n
Surya Mentaram is not the only business Kusnasriyati runs. In
\n1993, she and one of her sisters-in-law opened a small kiosk
\nselling traditional food known locally as gudeg. The Warung Sala,
\nwhich specializes in Moslem Chinese food, is located close to her
\nhouse.<\/p>\n
At first, everything -- including shopping, cooking and
\nselling -- was done by the two women.<\/p>\n
As the business grew, they hired more people and now have
\neight people in employment with a daily turnover of between Rp
\n100,000 and Rp 150,000, although \"business has been slowing
\nlately due the monetary crisis,\" Kusnasriyati said.<\/p>",
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