Humanitarian work has been part of Evi’s daily life for over a decade, throughout which she has focused on the welfare of women and children.

Establishing a literacy corner for the children of former terrorists, living in isolation in a Poso village, is a contribution she counts among her most meaningful.

Evi, 49, is now a paralegal for Poso with the Central Sulawesi offices of the Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women’s Association for Justice (LBH APIK).

With warmth and enthusiasm, she recalled her journey as a women's activist that began in 2011, when she joined the Mosintuwu Women’s School. It was a rare opportunity because the school didn’t require a high school diploma, something Evi had never earned since she only completed junior high school.

During her time at the school, which was founded as a response to the post-conflict reality in Poso, Evi, who was married with two children, felt like she had discovered a new world. Every lesson and every interaction strengthened her concern for other women.

Gaining trust