“We live in this diversity as unity. We should not stop anyone from studying to pursue their future!” Ida is a migrant domestic worker (MDW) dedicated to improving access to higher education for the Indonesian and MDW community. She joined the 2023 Fellowship with the aim of bridging language and culture gaps through knowledge exchange.

To Ida, Hong Kong is her second home in the past 10 years. It has been a place that brings forth positive interactions between Ida and the community around her. Feeling empowered by the NGOs and cultures that surround her, she anticipates that Hong Kong will turn out with a bright future, particularly in the education sector.

Having participated as a member of 16 institutional networks, a portion of which concerned Indonesian-based and MDWs communities, Ida was a student and community leader in EmpowerU, also an ambassador at Pathfinders and took part in contributing to NGO groups such as Uplifters, MESH 2020 Peer, and 24 Hours Project HK Team, where she empowered other organizations and raised awareness on finance, mental health, sexual health, personal growth, pregnancy rights and empowering social change through photography.

Currently an MDW caretaking children with special education needs, Ida notices how the MDWs community hopes to receive more educational opportunities to advance their careers. Unfortunately, their working conditions or social status often prevent them from pursuing better education and learning about their rights. Hence, she wishes to make quality education accessible to all, particularly for MDWs. She believes that equal access to education is a fundamental human right regardless of background and that educational programs should be adjusted for those who require special access, ultimately giving everyone an equal opportunity to study to advance their futures.

Joining the Fellowship, Ida believes it can strengthen her social networks by receiving professional mentor support and developing proactive communities with like-minded peers with the goal of advocating for education rights for all. She aims to raise awareness of mental health and personal growth through journaling and art storytelling. Passionate to bridge the gap brought by language barriers, she also hopes her experience can enhance her personal development to increase educational opportunities for the Indonesian and MDW communities.

In her free time, Ida likes to learn and devotes her time to creating positive social impact. She also enjoys art-related activities, street photography, yoga, journaling, and cooking.