Yohana’s work ethic inspires her children
Single mother Yohana likes to work hard. She opened a snack stall with a loan of A$200 in 2017. The business was successful, but she found that she wasn’t busy enough for her liking, so she hired some employees to run the food stall and set up a second business – tailoring and making garments – with the support of another loan.
Earlier in her life, the 50-year-old worked at a garment factory in Java, where her hard work was recognised and she rose to the rank of supervisor, until she left to move to Kupang with her husband. She had to bide her time to buy a good quality sewing machine, then she took the skills she’d learned in the factory to set up her own sewing business. Her first big order came from a local church that needed to replace its curtains. She was overjoyed at the opportunity.
She now employs six people at the food stall, while running the tailoring business. Not content with running two successful businesses, Yohana recently set up an online shop, with the support of a A$500 loan, selling second-hand clothes and accessories. She has been able to access capital through Opportunity’s local partner when she needed it to start a new business or grow her business. She has seen a significant increase in her income since setting up the online business, selling through Facebook. “Sometimes I can take 25 orders in a day because online shopping is really on-trend right now,” said Yohana.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yohana pivoted her tailoring business to make face masks, ensuring a steady income for her family during the crisis.
Growing up in Central Java, life was difficult for Yohana’s family when she was a child. “My father was in the army as a soldier,” said Yohana. “He was rarely at home, so my mother cared for me and my six siblings. My mother woke up every day at 3am to sell food, and I woke up early every day to help. If we didn’t sell food, we’d have nothing to eat.
Sometimes we didn’t eat rice at all. We usually only ate rice two or three times a week and ate it off a banana leaf, as we didn’t have enough plates in the house. I went to school without wearing shoes and with no bag. Just a uniform.”
Her 17-year-old son Francisco is in high school now, and her daughter Caroline, aged 21, is at university, studying accounting – she wants to go on to study law and human rights. They’re proud of their mother and help her by uploading product photos for her online shop. Her son is enterprising as well – he set up a computer repair business next to Yohana’s tailoring business, while still attending high school. Yohana and her two children live in a simple, single room home with an outdoor kitchen, behind the building that houses her food stall and sewing business and her son’s business.
If they (my kids) work from their heart, they’ll get anything they want in life. I want them to be brave... and have dreams, like opening their own business like me.”
In Indonesia, working as a civil servant is considered aspirational – but Yohana teaches her children to not depend on someone else for a job. She tells them to dare to open their own business, depend on their own skills and always improve and upskill. “If they work from their heart, they’ll get anything they want in life,” said Yohana. “I want them to be brave and confident to one day have dreams like opening their own business like me.”
Yohana wants to continue to be a great example for her children so they can feel confident creating a better future. “I choose to be happy,” she said. “If I am not happy, nothing will work for me.”
In the future, if it’s feasible, Yohana plans to buy more sewing machines and open a course to teach young girls how to sew clothes and how to sell them.
This program is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).