Women’s groups in Indonesia promote peace and prosperity with support from village heads

Date:

Author: Inggita Notosusanto

English | Bahasa Indonesia

Bima, Indonesia – Women’s groups in villages across Bima Regency in West Nusa Tenggara Province are contributing to peace and prosperity by helping resolve issues from village planning to disaster preparedness and conflict prevention.

Strongly supporting these groups are their village heads and the WE NEXUS project run by UN Women with the civil society organizations Wahid Foundation and La Rimpu. WE NEXUS focuses on humanitarian issues, development and peacebuilding and is funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

These four village heads attest to how, with support, women’s groups are making a big difference in their villages.

Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

The village head, Bambang AB, is shown at his office in Samili Village, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia on 7 May 2025. Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Bambang AB, the head of Samili Village, praised the women's group Seruni.

“I always tell the public that our village has Seruni, and they are supported by the village officials including funding support,” he said.

Bambang said Seruni helps prepare for disasters by collecting data on households, hamlets and vulnerable families, including the poor and those with disabilities. He said Seruni has brought many other benefits to the village, including on issues of disability, the elderly, domestic violence, and violence against children. And he has encouraged Seruni, with La Rimpu's guidance, to plan activities aimed at maintaining peace in Samili and between Samili and neighbouring villages.

Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

The village head, Afifudin, is shown in Roi Village, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia on 7 May 2025. Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Not far from Samili is Roi Village, where the village head, Afifudin, fully supports the women's group Rupeksi, which stands for House of Women in Action.

“At one meeting, the Rupeksi representative, Nida, had not yet arrived to draft the Village Work Plan, so I stalled the meeting so Nida could be there and get their priority programmes included in the plan,” he said.

He said Rupeksi started a project inviting village officials and residents to join in cleaning up garbage, which had long caused tension with a neighbouring village.

Afifudin said of the women: “They are present to support and even lead activities in the village and help me revitalize various village activities. I see the spirit of the Rupeksi members, which in turn motivates me to support their activities.”

PPhoto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

The village head, Idris, shown outside office his in Ncera Village, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia on 7 May 2025. Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

South of Roi is Ncera Village, where village head, Idris, supports Sakola Ndai, a school for women started by a women’s group that includes peace activist Nurhaya.

“As the village government, we provide full support, such as funding and coordination with policymaking officials, including the regent and deputy regent. We also involve women in all meetings for developing the Village Work Plan,” Idris said.

Sakola Ndai doesn’t help only women, Idris said.

“For example, Sakola Ndai participants are involved in the care and guidance of children while the parents go to farm onions, for seven months,” he said. “During that period, only the elderly and children are left in the village.”

Together with La Rimpu and with support from the village government, Sakola Ndai also helps resolve environmental and household problems, he said.

Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

The village head, Ahmadi, shown in front of his office in Rato Village, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia on 30 May 2025. Photo: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Ahmadi, the head of Rato Village, has helped the village win awards for the work of its women, including a Certificate of Recognition for Inspirational Women in Bima Regency from the Bima Regent in 2023.

Ahmadi said La Rimpu’s women's empowerment programme in the village “has produced young women with special skills, and they are not afraid to express their opinions.”

“I am convinced that it would be difficult to achieve maximum results in village development without the involvement of women,” he said. “I always think about how women can be included in village development. And this was once questioned because, in the past, there was a belief in our village that women were not capable of playing a role.”

 

Kelompok perempuan di Indonesia mendorong perdamaian dan kesejahteraan dengan dukungan kepala desa

Tanggal: 18 December 2025

Penulis: Inggita Notosusanto

English | Bahasa Indonesia

Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat – Kelompok perempuan di desa-desa di Kabupaten Bima, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat, berkontribusi dalam mewujudkan perdamaian dan kesejahteraan dengan membantu menyelesaikan berbagai masalah, mulai dari perencanaan desa hingga kesiapsiagaan bencana dan pencegahan konflik.

Kelompok-kelompok ini didukung secara kuat oleh kepala desa mereka dan proyek WE NEXUS yang dijalankan oleh UN Women bersama organisasi masyarakat sipil Wahid Foundation dan La Rimpu. WE NEXUS berfokus pada isu-isu kemanusiaan, pembangunan, dan pembinaan perdamaian, dan didanai oleh Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Keempat kepala desa ini membuktikan bahwa dengan dukungan, kelompok perempuan dapat membuat perubahan besar di desa-desa mereka.

Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Bambang AB, S.E., di Kantor Desa Samili, Kabupaten Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat pada 7 Mei 2025. Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Bambang AB, S.E., kepala Desa Samili, memuji kelompok perempuan Seruni.

“Saya selalu memberitahu masyarakat bahwa desa kita memiliki Seruni, dan mereka didukung oleh pejabat desa termasuk dukungan dana,” katanya.

Bambang menjelaskan bahwa Seruni membantu mempersiapkan diri menghadapi bencana dengan mengumpulkan data mengenai rumah tangga, dusun, dan keluarga rentan, termasuk keluarga miskin dan orang dengan disabilitas. Ia menambahkan bahwa Seruni telah membawa banyak manfaat lain bagi desa, termasuk dalam isu-isu disabilitas, lansia, kekerasan dalam rumah tangga, dan kekerasan terhadap anak. Ia juga mendorong Seruni, dengan bimbingan La Rimpu, untuk merencanakan kegiatan yang bertujuan menjaga perdamaian di Samili dan antara Samili dengan desa-desa tetangga.

Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Afifudin, S.Pd., di area pemukiman warga Desa Roi, Kabupaten Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat pada 7 Mei 2025. Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Tidak jauh dari Samili terdapat Desa Roi, di mana kepala desa, Afifudin, S.Pd., sepenuhnya mendukung kelompok perempuan Rupeksi, yang merupakan singkatan dari Rumah Perempuan Beraksi.

“Pada suatu pertemuan, perwakilan Rupeksi, Nida, belum tiba untuk menyusun Rencana Kerja Pemerintah Desa (RKPDes), jadi saya menunda pertemuan agar Nida bisa hadir dan program prioritas mereka dimasukkan ke dalam rencana,” katanya.

Dia mengatakan Rupeksi memulai proyek dengan mengundang pejabat desa dan warga untuk ikut membersihkan sampah, yang telah lama menimbulkan ketegangan dengan desa tetangga.

Afifudin mengatakan: “Mereka hadir untuk mendukung dan bahkan memimpin kegiatan di desa serta membantu saya dalam merevitalisasi berbagai kegiatan desa. Saya melihat semangat anggota Rupeksi, yang kemudian memotivasi saya untuk mendukung kegiatan mereka.”

Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Idris, S.Pd., di halaman Kantor Desa Ncera, Kabupaten Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat pada 7 Mei 2025. Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Di selatan Roi terdapat Desa Ncera, di mana kepala desa, Idris, S.Pd., mendukung Sakola Ndai, sebuah sekolah untuk perempuan yang didirikan oleh kelompok perempuan yang termasuk aktivis perdamaian, Nurhaya.

“Sebagai pemerintah desa, kami memberikan dukungan penuh, seperti pendanaan dan koordinasi dengan pejabat pembuat kebijakan, termasuk bupati dan wakil bupati. Kami juga melibatkan perempuan dalam pertemuan untuk merumuskan RKPDes,” kata Idris.

Sakola Ndai tidak hanya membantu perempuan, menurut Idris.

“Misalnya, peserta Sakola Ndai terlibat dalam perawatan dan bimbingan anak-anak sementara orang tua mereka pergi ke ladang bawang selama tujuh bulan,” ujarnya. “Selama periode tersebut, hanya lansia dan anak-anak yang tinggal di desa.”

Bersama La Rimpu dan dengan dukungan dari pemerintah desa, Sakola Ndai juga membantu menyelesaikan masalah lingkungan dan rumah tangga, ujarnya.

Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Ir. Ahmadi, di depan Kantor Desa Rato, Kabupaten Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat pada 30 Mei 2025. Foto: Wahid Foundation/Dwinda Nur Oceani

Ir. Ahmadi, kepala Desa Rato, telah membantu desa tersebut meraih penghargaan atas karya para perempuan di Rato, termasuk Piagam Penghargaan Perempuan Inspiratif Kabupaten Bima dari Bupati Bima pada tahun 2023.

Ahmadi mengatakan program pemberdayaan perempuan di desa “telah melahirkan perempuan muda dengan keterampilan istimewa, dan mereka tidak takut untuk menyuarakan pendapat mereka.”

“Saya yakin bahwa akan sulit mencapai hasil maksimal dalam pembangunan desa tanpa keterlibatan perempuan,” katanya. “Saya selalu berpikir bagaimana perempuan dapat dilibatkan dalam pembangunan desa. Hal ini pernah dipertanyakan karena, di masa lalu, ada keyakinan di desa kami bahwa perempuan tidak mampu mengambil peran.”