Equal distribution of education is one of the homework for the government, including equal distribution of education in Papua. Maria Jochu, a Papuan woman, was born into a gem who emerged with a master’s degree. She has a Master’s degree, and he got it from Marshall University in America via an Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP) scholarship. This achievement also proves that Papuan youth receive education and contribute to the country.

Maria Aprilia Jochu was born into a low-income family and was educated to be simple.

“My father is only a civil servant; my mother is a housewife. Economically, she cannot support me.” the youngest of 8 siblings explained. Even though circumstances hinder her, Maria is still looking for ways to get a decent education and not burden her parents economically.

Maria is a graduate of the Domestic Education Institute (IPDN). “IPDN is free. The state funds it,” said Maria. After graduating and working in the government, Maria was determined to take employee credits to study again for a master’s degree. “So, after becoming an employee, I took employee credit to continue my Master’sMaster’s education.”

  Maria admits that her family has mediocre thinking and gives the impression that they don’t want to progress. This is proven by Maria’s older siblings, who go to school close to home and work as they do. For his family, going to school, working, getting a salary, and living is enough. Finally 2018, Maria completed her studies and received a master’s degree in the Human Resources Management and Services program.

Maria experienced difficulties at the start of college because the learning method differed from that in Indonesia. While studying, Maria also changed her place of residence because she wanted to have friends who could make her more fluent in English.

Because of her master’s degree in Human Resources, many domestic and foreign companies are looking at Maria. However, Maria wants to return to Papua. Maria feels that many things still need to be improved in her homeland. “Papuan youth have to go to school and return to serve. If I don’t witness and feel firsthand the developments and changes happening in Papua, I can’t help change them. So you have to feel every detail of what is happening.”

Having previously been a staff member and village head secretary, Maria has now been given the mandate as village head in Gurabesi, on the northern coast of Jayapura. For him, the LPDP scholarship made him pay more attention to development in Papua and not think about himself.

After all her achievements, Maria is not complacent. There are many things he still wants to achieve. One of his desires is to have a foundation or organization that accommodates women, especially mothers (the term for mothers in Papua) and children, to make women more independent and competitive.

“They must be given hope, they must be given extra strength, given empowerment. “And I think if we empower women and children well, especially in Papua, they will support development in Papua,” hoped Maria. For Maria, women are the main foundation of a family and country.

Self-confidence is difficult for Papuan children to obtain.

In 2021, Maria was elected as chairman of the Mata Garuda Papua organization, an association of LPDP awardee alumni from Papua. Maria thinks Mata Garuda should disseminate more information, especially about LPDP scholarships. Maria doesn’t want what happened to her in the past, with little information, to happen to her younger siblings.

Maria believes that Papuan children must be embraced and given the confidence that they can do it so that the state’s goal of making the nation’s life intelligent can be achieved without exception. Apart from that, Maria hopes that the government can create a forum for young Papuans to channel their potential. “For example, in high school, students who like biology create a biology community so they will focus on biology. “There are those whose hobby is selling or being an MSME entrepreneur, create a platform so that from a young age they focus on the same (system) abroad,” suggested Maria.

Maria advised Papuan sons and daughters to be braver in expressing their opinions. “I have a message for Papuan children who are still insecure. You can do it. So whatever you want, as long as it is good, following religious rules, good for the prosperity of many people, useful for many people, you can open all doors.”

Maria’s struggle to advance Papua has inspired Papuan youth to continue to develop and study abroad.