Goodwill hunting: Profiles of the students

Muhamad Syafril (Pii to his friends), 24, comes from Bangka Island. His father is a tin miner, his mother a homemaker. The eldest of four graduated in 2003 from University of Indonesia (UI) School of Dentistry. In 2002, he was awarded the 2002 national award for academic excellence. He practices every Monday at Global Doctor and tutors two Gandhi Memorial International School students every evening.

On Goodwill: Aside from financial support, the scholarship training program provides a platform for sharing between students with a similar background. And the English language courses give us a chance to study with native speakers.

The program also provides role models through their commitment. I remember one trainer, Julie. She said, 'See this rubbish? It won't leave my hand until it reaches a rubbish bin'. It's not just the training -- the sponsors, trainers, they're an inspiration. They just give, and don't want anything in return.

On family: My father said to me, "I can't give you anything" -- you know, no money, no land -- "except education". He was the one who urged me to go to Jakarta and go as far as I could with my education. He didn't want me to be a tin miner like him.

Dreams/goals: A goal? Well, I'd like to continue my studies overseas -- lots of (Goodwill) alumni want to do the same. Why overseas? Well, I can broaden my mind and pursue advanced sciences. As for a dream, I'd like to implement a health program at a basic (grassroots) level to help people. Well, on a national scale if I can, but that's a really big dream. Maybe impossible. So I'll start small, in a community, a village.

Personal motto: Be happy, no matter what happens.

Nanang Siswanto, 24, comes from a farming family in Madiun, East Java, and is the youngest of six. His father passed away last August. He graduated from Bogor Agriculture Institute (IPB) in 2003 with a degree in Forest Product Technology and worked 10 months as a lecturer at the University of North Sumatra, Medan. He is now at Unilever as a marketing management trainee.

On Goodwill: When I was a lecturer, I tried to impart all the training I got from ICAC (now Goodwill). It's important not to focus only on our studies, but to develop a comprehensive view beyond our own scope -- a helicopter view.

The training gave us job interviewing skills and helped my self-confidence, also communication skills. It really gave me confidence to talk to foreigners in English and so I decided to apply to Unilever.

I'm proud of my training, and I'm always telling my friends and colleagues about the program. At my office, we have casual Fridays, and I often wear my ICAC T-shirt ...

On family: My parents are just small farmers, but they sent me to the best schools in Madiun, and my brother and sister in Bogor, they have their own families but supported me, too. I want to be independent, improve myself and improve my family's situation. Now, my mother can say to her neighbors, "I may be just a small farmer, but look at my son -- he went to university".

Dreams/goals: I want to prove myself through my effort and be useful for myself and others around me as ICAC did. I'd like to have a business of my own one day and contribute to the community -- I'm learning now about business through experience.

Personal motto: Everything can be achieved if you want, desire it, through strength and taking opportunities. If you go willing from your heart, you can succeed with effort, and even weaknesses can become strengths.

Akbar Meirio, 26, is from Sukapura, North Jakarta. His father, now retired, was a gatekeeper at port authority PT Pelindo II; his mother is a homemaker. Akbar is the only son of three children. He went to a technical high school and worked two years at Toshiba before entering the International Relations program at UI, and supported himself by fixing electronic appliances from home until he received Goodwill sponsorship. Akbar was awarded last year the Dean's Award for best cumulative GPA and is in his final year at UI.

On Goodwill: The scholarship is useful and helpful. Because of the financial support, I was able to focus on my studies, and it also gave me the opportunity to enjoy campus life. I'm now active in the Islamic Study Forum, which is concerned with Islam in a social sciences context, the student study club Eka Prasetya, which focuses on research and socio-political issues. I think these may help approach religion in a social context toward international understanding. And last year, I was able to go on an ASEAN-Korea exchange program for one semester to Dae Jong University.

On family: My parents have always supported our education, but there was no money. They always said, though, that if you really want and really try, you can make it.

Dreams/goals: I would like to go for a Masters in International Relations, studying abroad if possible. I'll try to get a scholarship. A dream, well... I want to be a diplomat. And this is a really big dream, but I'd like to be the Indonesian ambassador to the United Nations.... Personal motto: I believe that if you do the best, you can get the best.

Lenny Junyanty, 22, is from Kota, West Jakarta. Her father is a biro jasa, providing a service in obtaining official documents such as drivers' licenses and ID cards, her mother is a homemaker. The eldest of four, Lenny is in her final year of UI's Psychology program with a focus on educational psychology, and is a member of a Buddhist students organization.

On Goodwill: The program has really helped with my education. My father's work is not stable -- his income is not steady, and depends on how many orders come in -- so I was worried I might need to drop out to support my parents.

I'm a ... well, I call myself a scholarship hunter, and I can say there are no scholarships like this one....

Last year, I got the chance to join Prestasi Junior International -- it's affiliated with Junior Achievement International, which offers economic experiential education and educational opportunities abroad. I was chosen to be the Indonesian representative and went to the international student conference in Chicago, but I think that was the final conference. There's no more funding.

This year, I'm applying to AEIJ, an Indonesia-Japan exchange program with a maximum 10-month program.

On family: My family is ... well, I'm Chinese, you see, but not rich. There are lots of Chinese with underprivileged backgrounds. My parents support my education, especially my mother. She's a terrific woman. I don't know how she did it, but she is very efficient with the little my father makes so that we could always eat three times a day and go to school, and even buy new clothes for New Year's.

Dreams/goals: I want to be involved in education. My long-term goal, well, I want to have my own school or help at a junior high or elementary school, develop a curriculum.

So I need to make stepping stones. After I graduate, I'd like to join a consulting firm. That way, I can increase my knowledge, learning, skills and network ...

Personal motto: If I know there is a need, I can fulfill it. If I am able to do it on my own, I'll do it; if I need help, I'll ask for it. If there's a chance, I'm willing to try.

Hendry Yamin, 22, is from Central Jakarta. His father is a private driver, his mother a homemaker, both with elementary school educations. Hendry's older brother dropped out of school to get a job and support the family. His younger sister is in high school. He is in his final year at UI, pursuing a degree in Business Administration, and is research and development coordinator of the Mangga Dua University Students' Association, which provides free English and computer lessons to unemployed adults and Mangga Dua dropouts.

On Goodwill: The scholarship program not only give financial support, but training for leadership skills. They provide different programs, like English conversation, how to make proposals, CVs, interviewing skills. It teaches how to be an independent person.

I think I'm a more open-minded person (now). And it helped with socializing, especially in a social environment, in the community. It also teaches about friendship, in relationships, to make them bigger, to spread.

On family: They always give support for higher education, even to borrowing from our relatives. They're concerned about their children's education. They don't want their children to have the same life as them.

Dreams/goals: A goal... I would say I have a vision. I would like to be a knowledgeable, social, independent person. I'm maybe interdependent now.

In the short-term, I want to find a good career for the next 20 years and help many foundations with a core competence in scholarships to needy students in Indonesia.

Personal motto: As human beings, we have to take care of our society, not just to satisfy ourselves, but try to understand our society's needs.