Far from the more negative undertones that the increasingly popular term “emak-emak” has conjured since its introduction into the vernacular of Jakartans of all walks of life, a group of internationally-connected women in the capital are showing once again that behind every great man there is always a great woman.

Sometime in 2013, Mei Marciel, the wife of then-United States’ ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel, opened her doors in Jakarta to fellow spouses of foreign ambassadors and heads of mission to hold a fundraising event they had planned earlier.

Their initiative was met with enthusiasm from people who wanted to take part in what would be the first Spouses of Heads of Mission (SHOM) annual fundraiser.

“Too many people wanted to come and there wasn’t enough room [at that time],” Rachel Malik, SHOM chairwoman and wife of current British Ambassador to Indonesia Moazzam Malik, told The Jakarta Post recently.

“So the next year, Hotel Indonesia Kempinski very kindly offered us to come to the hotel.”

The hotel has since been the setting for the annual SHOM fundraiser, including the one that was held earlier this month.

The 2019 charity auction offered various items — from luxurious hotel vouchers and fancy tableware to high-end perfumes and reputable liquors, all of which were donated by the SHOM members.

In addition to raising donations through a silent auction in which participants placed their bids on a sheet of paper, the event also featured a festival showcasing various mouthwatering dishes from all continents.

At least a hundred dishes, such as Peruvian potato salad, Singaporean laksa, European chocolate fondant, Slovakian beef goulash and Algerian lamb tagine, as well as various choices of wines were presented at the event. Most of the foods were cooked either by the spouses or their cooks, according to Rachel.

The idea to host such a gathering came from their experiences of living in Jakarta, where they learned about the generosity of its people, Rachel said.

Through the SHOM fundraising events, they hope to return such a favor to the Indonesian communities.

Since the first annual fundraiser took place, SHOM has donated money raised to various institutions, such as a school for refugee children in West Java’s Cisarua, an orphanage in Bekasi and a rehabilitation center for people with physical disabilities in East Jakarta.

“So the idea came from us as a group of ambassadors’ spouses — husbands or wives. It is a way of fundraising for Indonesian charities,” Rachel said.

“[It is also an event for] sharing a little bit about who we are, our food, our culture.”

The spouses also used the annual event to exchange ideas and knowledge on culture and provide support for each other.

“I think it is very much a day about friendship, collaboration and sharing over food. You can share so much when you sit around the table together,” Rachel said. “You can share histories, ideas and stories.” (tjs)

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