Bajaj Driver Spends Rp 400,000 on Petrol to Take Son to ITB, Secures Scholarship
Basuni Yusuf (56) took his eldest son, Andromeda Sufi Aggoro (18), to the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) by bajaj. The resident of Tegalrejo in the city of Yogyakarta spent Rp 400,000 on petrol, but it was ‘repaid’ with a scholarship for his son.
Andro had passed the entrance test for ITB, his dream university. However, Basuni realised he could not afford Andro’s tuition as he still had to support Andro’s six younger siblings. Basuni works as a bajaj driver, and even then he rents the vehicle for Rp 80,000 a day.
Basuni was deeply torn: he was overjoyed by Andro’s achievement, but also anxious about how to cover Andro’s living costs away from home. In the end, Basuni gave Andro his blessing, on condition that Andro could secure a scholarship.
Basuni had planned from the outset to take Andro to Bandung by bajaj. He shared this plan with the ITB parents’ WhatsApp group. Unexpectedly, that step opened the door for Andro to receive a scholarship.
“From the start I planned to take him by bajaj, and I shared it with the ITB Parents’ Association group. While we were looking around for scholarships, ITB actually invited us to come to the campus, we were invited and offered a scholarship,” Basuni explained when met at his home on Friday (24/7/2026).
Basuni and Andro, accompanied by Andro’s mother and one of his siblings, set off for Bandung on Friday (17/7) at 5pm. They travelled by bajaj after Basuni obtained permission from the vehicle’s owner.
“The journey took 24 hours, though we stayed overnight. We reached Gombong at 11.30pm and slept at a lodge, then set off again in the morning. I rested twice, and we arrived in Bandung at 8.23pm,” Basuni recounted.
“Petrol was around Rp 400,000 return, because we drove at a leisurely pace. Alhamdulillah, we were so happy and so motivated that we didn’t feel the distance, but we took it easy, stopping at prayer times to pray, and then resting. So it took a bit longer,” he added.
As it turned out, ITB had arranged a special ceremony to welcome Andro and his family. There, Andro was ceremonially given various forms of assistance to support his studies.
“It turned out there was an event; when I came to ITB I didn’t know about it. I was so happy I performed a prostration of gratitude. We were welcomed by the Dean, and welcomed by the Rector at his official residence,” Basuni explained.
“We were given Rp 5 million in cash for travel expenses. My son was given a laptop. Then he received a living-cost scholarship of Rp 6 million per semester. As for tuition, the UKT is only Rp 1 million, so insyaAllah we can manage,” he continued.
To lighten the financial burden, Andro will stay at a student pesantren during his studies in Bandung. Beyond that, all that remains is for Andro to pursue his dream, now turned into reality.
“He’ll stay at a student pesantren there. He’s already registered online. Yes, because renting a room is expensive there. The cheapest boarding rooms there are Rp 1 million, while the pesantren is only Rp 3.5 million a year,” Basuni concluded.