TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Woman islander backbone of families, empowerment
Nature’s beauty: A man and his son enjoy a peaceful afternoon on Sabira Island, the northernmost island in Jakarta, on Nov
Change Size
N
ature’s beauty: A man and his son enjoy a peaceful afternoon on Sabira Island, the northernmost island in Jakarta, on Nov. 9. For those living on Sabira, living far from the country’s capital is a challenge. However, they have overcome many obstacles on the most remote island in Thousands Islands regency.(JP/Budi Sutrisno)
Every morning, a gentle welcoming sun brings up the sea colors around the pier of Sabira Island in Thousand Islands regency, a stone’s throw from the home of a 79-year-old elder who is known for her notable devotion as a community unit head.
Throughout her life, Hartuti, affectionately known by locals as Bu Haji Tuti — a nickname referring to someone who has gone on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia — has been a strong backbone for families living on the island, as she has made sure that they stand tall on their own feet and live decently.
“There are 500 people currently living on the island whom I have proudly regarded as my own children,” she told The Jakarta Post recently. “Because we are far from the city’s mainland and the government, I always encourage them to be independent and to take care of each other.”
Sabira is the farthest island in the regency. Located north of Jakarta, it is geographically closer to Lampung province than mainland Jakarta — it is a four-hour boat trip from Angke Port in North Jakarta.
Together with her late husband, Djoharmansah, who was also the island’s former community chief, Tuti has set benchmarks for the island’s fishing families toward positive ways of living in every aspect of life.
“It all started in 1975 when many fishermen left Genteng Island, as it was reserved for tourism development, and set foot on Sabira. My husband and I came four years later and he was then appointed as the community chief,” she recalled.
Arriving on the desolate island after breaking through a storm on a sailboat, the husband and wife and dozens of other incomers slept on tarps and were surrounded by wild nature. They experienced tall reeds, 1-meter-long monitor lizards in plain sight and lightless nights.
They slowly built the island into a livable place. Under her husband’s supervision in 1978, she convinced the people to work together to build up a learning place out of used planks after realizing that the young children lacked a proper education.
“It was a tough time. My husband and I both taught the kids here along with some other residents,” she said. “Fortunately, years later, the government noticed and built an elementary school here, which was then inaugurated by then-governor Wiyogo [Atmodarminto] in 1992.”
The couple’s awareness of the importance of education also led them to help local residents to reach the highest education possible, including finding a nursing school scholarship for a young islander.
Tuti explained that the island had its first integrated health services post (Posyandu) set up in the 1980s, followed by a bigger and more complete community health center (Puskesmas) a decade later. But at that time, there were no professionals to work there.
So she and the islanders pushed for a local resident to get a government scholarship to go to college.
The woman, Rita Sahara, is now the only nurse working full time in the formerly empty health center. With her success story, many parents on the island then strived to send their children to college to follow in her footsteps.
“Bu Haji Tuti and her husband are like my own parents now. The many things they have done for me and the people on this island are just unexplainable,” said Rita. “I see her as a candle that lights a dark room even though it will burn out at the end.”
The complexities of life on the island also branched out to health problems. Tuti, who once attended a first aid training course herself and wished to help ill residents with medicines she bought from the city, used to be rejected by many who believed more in shamans.
“In 2002, Sabira had a malaria outbreak. This place was like a cursed island as there was a sick person in every house. All the sick ones ran to Tuti’s house, lying down on the terrace of the kitchen and waiting for help,” said Idris Saleh, another Sabira elder.
A turning point came when they realized that shamans’ work did not bring any help and that they must instead rely on medical assistance.
Tuti and Idris, who at that time served as a member of the local council, were hand in hand taking the sick neighbors to hospitals in Tangerang, Banten.
The struggle was even greater as it happened in the fasting month, which led to Tuti, as she claimed, never breaking the fast at home. Moreover, it took them eight hours per trip to reach the city by fishing boat, the only transportation they had.
“Because we are far from the city, if there are disasters, disease outbreaks, brawls and other problems happening, we handle it all by ourselves. Who do you want to rely on?” Idris added.
As the wife of a fisherman herself and the former leader of the Family Welfare Movement (PKK), Tuti understands the importance of women empowerment on the island and has been encouraging housewives to enrich their roles at home.
Her advice has been used by many as women on the island now make a living from drying fish that their husbands bring home. The women also process fresh fish into a variety of ready-to-eat food such as crackers, cakes and meatballs, which helps them gain higher revenues.
Samsul Bahri is among Sabira’s fishermen who benefits from such empowerment, saying that the sales of salted products processed by his wife were helpful enough to cover the spending for daily needs of the couple and their three children.
He also noted Tuti’s role as a fish collector who helps distribute the fish to Bogor, West Java.
Throughout the years, however, Tuti admitted to having received many discordant notes from residents, saying how foolish it was that the people of Sabira wanted to live on an island far away.
“We live here because this is where we meet the fate of making a living. Just like the farmers who should live close to their rice fields, fishermen should be close to where fish abound,” said Tuti, adding that although it was difficult in the beginning, the residents can now live better lives with better facilities for health and education.
The locals on Sabira, she said, were also thankful that the government had paid more attention, especially after the visit of Governor Anies Baswedan and his team earlier this year.
The island now enjoys 24-hour electricity, internet network and a speedboat provided by the Jakarta Transportation Agency to save travel time for the islanders.
For Tuti, her story of sacrifice will serve as a legacy to the children.
“Leaders should not just point the finger at people to do work but also have enough patience and sacrifice to do all the jobs. By fulfilling them, we will be always sincerely respected. It will also be a life lesson for our children and grandchildren,” she remarked.
Tuti was nominated for the 2019 Ibu Ibukota Award (Mother of the Capital City Award), held by the Jakarta administration in the category of Family Welfare and Empowerment, for her efforts of “bringing a humanist and harmonious environment to the surroundings”.
“Never in my life did I imagine I would get such recognition. It’s like dreaming, really. I’m just doing my job and sharing kindness to please my conscience,” she said in reaction to her nomination.
The story is part of campaign called #AksiHidupBaik (#GoodLifeAction) launched by the city administration. Follow other stories on YouTube and Instagram account @ibu.ibukota.
