
During my 8 weeks interning at Harapan Fian I was able to grasp the full experience of the working culture in Indonesia. There were many lessons learnt and many things I had to adapt to. I would say this helped shift my perspective on the little things that go on behind the scenes of the posts people see on social media. For example, the countless hours of brainstorming, organising how to utilise networks, assigning roles and tasks and so much more. At times I was perceiving things from a Western perspective, however, once I was able to immerse myself in the culture, I was able to comprehend how far off the mark I was in truly understanding the depth of the issues Harapan Fian was addressing.
Looking beyond the scope of what I knew helped me branch out of my comfort zone in participating in tasks that challenged my field of expertise. For example, Harapan Fian’s shift to focus on women’s health was a topic that I was not well-versed in, however, it urged me to do independent research and find past projects to bounce off ideas. Other tasks that I was involved in were collaborating with other local NGOs (PKBI), observing house visits with clients who suffered from health complications, domestic violence and other pressing issues. I was also involved in writing grant proposals on a variety of topics from urban climate resilience, marginalised communities such as street vendors, women’s health and so on. There were also Saturday classes which involved engaging with children in the local community teaching English, maths, science and participating in fun activities from cooking, bracelet making, etc.
In addition, the unconventional work culture at Harapan Fian also taught me the importance of engaging with the community and forming bonds. I was able to know the story of individuals without the role of client and worker hindering them from speaking freely. The unconventional work culture also translated to the children at Harapan Fian leading by example with their action to help out in their community despite their limits as children. Overall, my experience as an intern has helped me personally grow as a person and professional. I hope for Harapan Fian’s success and future endeavours to reach the ears of people who also push for change and action.