Serving up light: Intan Pradina (right) and Noro Ardanto pose with their decorative lamps. (Courtesy of Lampu Runa)

Indonesia celebrated April 21 by immortalizing the spirit of women’s empowerment, education and emancipation as pioneered by Raden Ajeng Kartini, a woman of a noble family living in the 19th century in Central Java.

Kartini’s struggle for women to have equal education was considered daring in the wake of the colonialization period and, as a result, many see her as an inspiration and role model.

“I admire Kartini because in her day it was very rare that women possessed an independent spirit. Ibu Kartini is an inspiration because her courage and enthusiasm can make a big difference in the lives of Indonesian women today,” Intan Pradini, a craftsmanship entrepreneur, told The Jakarta Post.

With her husband Noro Ardanto, Intan runs a business in decorative lighting products under the brand of Lampu Runa.

Their products are not just ordinary lamps but works of art that function to light a room.

Intan’s venture in the business began in 2012 when she decided to resign from her job as editor-in-chief of a Jakarta-based magazine in order to devote more time to her family.

She was working as a freelance editor when she and her husband had the idea to start a business in the field of handicrafts given their background and passion in the design world.

They started the business in 2013 with a view toward preserving Indonesian wood craftsmanship.

“We believed the contemporary lamp designs were still very expandable. And we had an original design idea that we thought was quite unique and we had never found in Indonesia,” she said.

They showcased the inaugural design at the Vietnam Lifestyle exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City before joining a bazaar in Jakarta in 2013.

They found welcoming responses from the market on both occasions.

“From there we were determined to develop our business. We began to make products other than lamps like ornaments made from light bricks combined with wood. Our distinctive feature is its unique, arty, personal and handmade design,” she said.

Lampu Runa’s products have a niche market and are highly segmented with customers mostly being art lovers.

They have a workshop in Cileungsi in Bogor, West Java, where they employ two crafters and two painters. However, in the case of high demand, the crafting work will go out elsewhere under a partnership program.

The challenge in the business is how they can meet the expectations of customers, especially in customized products.

“The demand for customized designs is greater than the regular, ordinary lamps. Because it is customized, it automatically takes longer to make because it has to be in accordance with the design expected by the customer,” Intan said.

She and her husband work together as a couple, both in the household and at the office, with Intan focusing on promotions and her husband on production.

“For me, Kartini’s emancipation spirit does not mean that women must compete with men, because it is obvious that women and men are different. Women are not created to compete with men but to complement each other and synergize to become one strength,” she said.

“Do not stop learning and continue to develop and establish cooperation and collaboration with other parties.”

Kartini lamps: Dara Manis (Pretty Girls) are among the products created by Lampu Runa. Customers also refer to them as Kartini lamps because of the figures’ kebaya attire. (Courtesy of Lampu Runa)

Women’s dignity

The spirit of self-empowerment has also catapulted Diajeng Lestari to a respected perch among women’s entrepreneurs.

Almost a decade after running a Muslim fashion business called Hijup, she now reportedly has a turnover of billions of rupiah.

“Kartini is a role model who fought for the dignity of women, especially to advance the colonized nation at that time,” she told the Post.

“In the present context, in which Indonesia has gained independence, we can win the struggle of mothers.

“We are fighting for economic independence, overcoming poverty and pursuing other goals that have been summarized in 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

Fighting for economic independence can be done whenever and wherever, as shown by Diajeng, who started her business when she was an employee of a company.

Luckily for her, she has an enterprising spouse in husband Achmad Zaky, CEO of online shop Bukalapak.

She emphasizes honesty and motivation in business.

“We, for example, have aspirations to become entrepreneurs. When experiencing obstacles, in fact we are again tested for honesty. Do you really want to be an entrepreneur?” she was once quoted as saying on detik.com.

Motivation, she said, was the fuel needed by someone looking to enter the business world.

The Muslim fashion marketplace business she pioneered has teamed up with hundreds of local partners in Indonesia, as well as in Southeast Asia.

Through the portal hijup.com, Diajeng has also penetrated the world market and has customers from various countries.