Hafifah Bella Novitasari Weaves Dreams Through Education, Breaking Stigmas with Dedication

In the corridors of the Centre for the Development of Digital Communication Civil Servants (Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs), Hafifah Bella Novitasari, affectionately known as Bella, carries out her routine with full energy. As a First Expert Instructor at Kemkomdigi, Bella has significant responsibilities in the “Dikjartih” aspect: educating, teaching, and training Civil Servants (ASN). However, behind her neat uniform lies the long story of a woman who spent over a decade balancing the harsh world of industry with an unquenchable ambition for education. Against the Current and Voices on the Streets Bella’s journey was not easy to reach where she is now. From pursuing her D3 to S1 education, she was accustomed to the work culture rhythm in factories in the Cikarang area. Once working as a Design Developer focused on packaging, she learned about precision and deadlines. However, the real challenge arose when she decided to advance to higher education, the Master’s (S2) programme. No different from outdated views on women, social stigma became her first obstacle when deciding to study, especially up to the S2 level. Bella recalls a memorable moment when she was still working in the factory and commuting by public angkot transport. The driver once cynically remarked, questioning “why should women go to high school if they will end up back in the kitchen?” However, according to Bella, women must have greater value and principles to continue developing. “Don’t be swayed by such talk. Dreams must be as high as possible,” Bella recalls with optimism. Although she experienced a gap year for a year due to family considerations, her spirit remained ignited until she finally decided on Universitas Nusa Mandiri (UNM) to continue her master’s studies in the Informatics programme (S2). Transformation of Mindset at Universitas Nusa Mandiri For Bella, choosing the UNM campus was not without reason. For a practitioner like her, flexible timings, a linear curriculum, and a strategic location were key. Support also came from her S2 lecturer at UNM, Dr Windu, who convinced her that an S2 is a long-term investment, during their first meeting at the Matriculation Activity (introduction to the postgraduate programme at UNM). At UNM, Bella found her intellectual catalyst. The most transformative moment for her perspective occurred in the Descriptive Statistics class taught by Prof Said Mirza. At that time, she was challenged to process real estate data using the Python programming language. The lesson from Prof Mirza at that time left a deep impression in her memory: a Master’s holder must not be satisfied with just presenting beautiful data visualisations. “We must be able to draw conclusions, analyse why the pattern (from the data) occurred. Why did prices drop in a certain year? Why did the trend change?” Bella explains. This analytical mindset is what she then brought into the work world, giving her an edge in compiling business processes and strategies in the ministry as an Instructor. According to Bella, one of the strengths of UNM graduates as a Digital Business Campus is that students are encouraged to collaborate with alumni and active students in research, so UNM graduates already have many works and portfolios. Dispelling the Myth of “Blind Salary” in Bureaucracy After 11 years in the private sector, including her experience as an EDP Supervisor at Martha Tilaar Group (PT Cedefindo), Bella decided to dedicate her knowledge to government bureaucracy. This transition gave her a new perspective on the work ethic of ASN. Bella honestly acknowledges the negative stigma in society that views ASN as just “eating a blind salary” and working lazily. However, her own experience proves the opposite. In the ministry, she often has to work overtime until late at night, conducting online coordination to prepare training modules and competency curricula for ASN across Indonesia. Her main focus now is instilling the core values of BerAKHLAK (Service-Oriented, Accountable, Competent, Harmonious, Loyal, Adaptive, and Collaborative). For her, the professionalism of ASN is key to the nation’s progress. She is proud to be part of that character transformation. Women: The First Madrasah and Digital Literacy For Bella, higher education for women is a non-negotiable necessity. She holds the principle that women are the “madrasah” or first school for their future children. “For the sake of the children too, we must have broad knowledge,” she asserts firmly. Bella’s dedication now extends beyond her office desk. In her spare time, she actively contributes to her surroundings. She helps educate parents and teachers at the early childhood education centre managed by her family. From basic matters to the latest technology literacy such as the use of artificial intelligence like ChatGPT, Bella strives to ensure that those around her do not fall behind the times. From a factory worker in Cikarang to becoming an educator for state apparatus, Bella’s story is real proof that a combination of strong determination, the right education, and a spirit of collaboration can break any stigma.