The daughter of a garbage collector at Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, West Java, has received fund assistance from the Indonesian Islamic Fraternity Association (HPPI) in Moscow, Russia to continue her studies.

Nur Safitri, a second-year student at Jayabaya University’s School of Psychology in East Jakarta, could not hold back her tears when she received the assistance during the sidelines of Indonesia Festival held in Russia’s capital on Monday.

“It’s a big world after all,” she told journalists as quoted by Antara news agency.

Philanthropist Sylvia Jenkins, who took Nur to Moscow to attend the festival, said she was inspired by Nur’s commitment in juggling her studies with making a living from collecting garbage in Bantar Gebang.

“She still continues pursuing higher education while helping her mother to collect [garbage] in her free time,” Jenkins said. 

She went on to say she expected Nur’s achievements to inspire other youngsters at Bantar Gebang to realize that the world outside their houses was big and that there were many opportunities for them to change their lives for the better.

Jenkins said she wanted more young people to join a youth community — in which young people were engaged in learning and creative activities— which Nur had pioneered at Bantar Gebang. The community now has only eight members.

“Nur is a pioneer. She’s so creative, diligent and is willing to pursue her studies so we do our best to support her,” Jenkins said, adding that Nur wished to name the community the “Bantar Gebang Young Creative” community. (rfa/afr)