Tetaplah Optimis Indonesia!!!

“Orang yang optimis selalu melihat segala kesempatan dalam kesulitan, sementara orang yang pesimis selalu melihat kesulitan di segala kesempatan” –Unknown

Indonesia, dengan segala kabar miringnya, dengan segala kasus korupsi yang menimpanya, dengan segala bencana alam yang kerap kali datang seharusnya tidak bisa mematikan api semangat anak muda Indonesia. Kenapa?

Tidak jarang sebenarnya kita mendengar suara pesimis dari orang Indonesia, yang diutarakan dan seolah jenuh dengan semua pemberitaan yang buruk tentang negeri ini tapi harusnya kita bisa melihat selalu ada kesempatan bagi Indonesia untuk menuju perubahan yang lebih baik. Tapi semua hanya bisa dimulai ketika masyarakat dari bangsa ini yakin dan percaya bahwa Indonesia pasti bisa menjadi lebih baik.

Semangat optimisme yang akan menyalakan api semangat anak muda untuk merubah negeri ini. Jika semangat itu sudah hilang dari anak mudanya sendiri, lantas bagaimana negeri ini kedepannya?

Banyak sekali memang dari kita (orang Indonesia) yang kerap kali mengeluh dan menyatakan bahwa negara ini sudah masuk kategori “failed state” atau negara gagal. Bagi saya tidak! Negara ini justru akan jadi negara gagal jika masyarakat atau pemudanya tidak ada lagi semangat, optimisme dan cinta akan Indonesia. Bisa dipastikan, negara ini akan hancur dengan sendirinya.

Karena dengan cara pandang yang optimis, melihat segala kesempatan dalam kesulitan, yang akan menggerakan kita untuk berbuat lebih baik bagi Indonesia. Saya teringat cuplikan dari film “the iron lady” yang menceritakan tentang perjuangan Margareth Thatcher yang saat itu masih muda dan naive yang ingin membawa Inggris menjadi lebih baik.

“if you want to change your country, lead it.”

Itulah kalimat yang paling mengena dalam film itu dan bagi saya berlaku bagi Indonesia sekarang ini. Jika kalian, yang merasa pesimis dengan negeri ini dan muak dengan semua pemberitaan yang ada, rubahlah! Jika tidak ada cara lain untuk merubahnya kecuali dengan memimpin negeri ini, pimpinlah!

Saya teringat cerita teman saya yang berkesempatan menghadiri HNMUN (harvard national model of united nations) 2012 Februari lalu, ia berkesempatan bertemu dengan ibu Sri Mulyani yang sekarang menjadi kandidat terkuat presiden world bank. Ia menyatakan optimismenya jika melihat anak muda Indonesia yang sekarang. “ibu seneng liat anak muda Indonesia sekarang, ibu yakin banget kalau ngeliat anak muda ini suatu hari Indonesia bisa jauh lebih baik” tutur ibu Sri.

Mungkin kita bisa sedikit belajar dari gambar diatas, bagaimana seorang pesimis dan seorang optimis mempunyai cara pandang yang jelas berbeda dalam hidup. orang yang pesimis cenderung mengatakan bahwa gelas itu setengah kosong daripada setengah berisi.

Ada juga cerita tentang dokter yang menangani seorang pasien yang koma dan berpendapat bahwa si pasien “setengah mati” sementara seorang optimis berpendapat ia “setengah hidup”. bagi seorang optimis, selalu ada harapan ditengah kesusahan, pasti ada jalan. Hal ini juga berlaku bagi Indonesia, kita melihat negara ini “setengah mati” menghadapi korupsi dan seribu masalah lainnya, tapi bagaimana dengan yang “setengah hidup” itu? jangan lupakan harapan yang ada itu! apakah kita akan membiarkannya mati juga?

Harapan itu akan selalu ada.

Jadi, jangan pernah biarkan api optimisme itu padam kawan. Biarkan api itu tetap membara, membakar semangat untuk berjuang dan merubah Indonesia. Negara ini belum dan tidak gagal, jangan biarkan negara ini gagal dengan matinya semangat dari orang Indonesia untuk merubah Indonesia.

Stay optimistic, Indonesia could be better if you really want to. Change it.

Nge-branding Indonesia

by Akhyari Hananto

Apa yang terlintas di benak kita kita nama New Zealand disebut? Mungkin jawabannya bisa beragam, akan tetapi mungkin tidak jauh-jauh dari alam yang indah, padang rumput yang penuh sapi dan biri-biri gemuk, air terjun, olahraga extreme, dan lain2. Maka ketika slogan New Zealand adalah “100% New Zealand”, semua orang akan kemudian yakin,…ah…ini adalah produk New Zealand, dijamin menyehatkan. Hal semacam itu lah.

Lalu bagaimana dengan Jerman? Saya pribadi langsung terlintas mesin mesin yang hebat dan canggih, mobil-mobil yang mewah dan kencang, serta teknologi mutakhir yang dijamin kualitasnya. Kita tidak perlu pikir panjang jika suatu produk adalah Made in Germany.

Tetangga-tetangga kita juga mati-matian membangun branding. Australia termasuk yang paling sukses. Ketika nama Australia disebut, orang biasanya akan terlintas sebuah petualangan dan penjelajahan, rumah-rumah besar dengan halaman yang luas, great barrier reefs, mobil-mobil ‘outback’, celana pendek petualang, dan semacam itu. Singapura, tentu saja sudah sangat berhasil.

India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Srilanka, Filipina, mungkin termasuk yang gagal (atau bahkan mereka tidak pernah mencoba) membangun nation branding. Hampir semua orang mengasosiasikan India, Bangladesh, dengan kereta api tua yang penuh sesak, jorok, dengan orang-orang yang berpakaian lusuh..jalan-jalan yang semrawut, kabel-kabel listrik yang terjuntai tak teratur, orang-orang yang tidak tersenyum, dll. Srilanka hampir sama.

Sementara Filipina, negeri yang sebenarnya “pernah” (sangat) maju pada 1960-an, akan diasosiasikan dengan sampah yang menggunung di Manila, atau pemberontakan berdarah di selatan.

Bagaimana dengan Indonesia?

Marilah kita berpikir bersama, dengan beberapa petunjuk dibawah ini *):

• Apakah negara kita diasosiasikan dengan makanan yang tidak enak, terkenal, dan standar hidup yang tinggi?
• Apakah orang lain sering bisa dengan cepat menunjukkan letak negara kita di dalam peta?
• Apakah negara kita tidak terkait dengan negative stereotype dan prasangka buruk?
• Apakah orang-orang dari negara kita disukai?
• Apakah orang lain tidak mengenali bendera negara kita?
• Apakah produk-produk dari negara kita dipersepsikan sebagai top class dan berkualitas baik?

Nah, yang bisa menjawab kita sendiri.

Ketika saya mintai pendapat, seorang teman saya dari Thailand juga bingung memberikan branding buat Indonesia. Karena begitu besar dan beragamnya Indonesia, maka sulit mencari satu branding yang paling pas. Saya rasa yang paling pas adalah bahwa ketika orang menyebut Indonesia, yang terlintas adalah pulau-pulau dengan pantai pasir putih, produk perkebunan dan pertanian yang berkualitas tinggi, dan disukai, orang-orang yang selalu tersenyum, pohon-pohon kelapa, makanan-makanan tradisional yang selain menggoda juga ‘ngangenin”, kebun-kebun rindang, pedesaan dan pematang sawah yang hijau.

Tentu, kita perlu sepakat bahwa nge-branding seperti apapun takkan berguna bila politik dan keamanan tak terjaga, pemerintah yang tidak sigap, media sering mengolok-olok negeri sendiri, dan kita…yes you and me, tak mahir nge-branding ini.

Cara mengukurnya, untuk saat ini, mudah. Google ‘Singapore” di image, dan Google “Indonesia” di image. Rasakan bedanya..

Bisa kita perbaiki dari sekarang?

*Lianti Rahardjo – Binus

Animasi Kelas Dunia dari Batam

Indonesia memang menyimpan banyak kisah inspiratif yang tak banyak diketahui orang. kisah kali ini datang dari Batam, tepatnya di studio animasi milik PT KINEMA SYSTRANS MULTIMEDIA. perusahaan yang lebih dikenal dengan nama merek ‘INFINITE FRAMEWORKS’ ini merupakan studio animasi yang cukup populer di mancanegara karena telah memproduksi serial kartun seperti The Garfield Show, Lucky Luke, Leonard / Dr. Contraptus, dan Franklin & Friends.

Infinite Frameworks merupakan buah usaha gigih seorang warga Indonesia, Mike Wiluan. sekitar tahun 2005, lelaki ini menangkap perkembangan tren animasi di Asia Tenggara cukup pesat. Tak mau kehilangan kesempatan, Mike yang memiliki latar belakang sutradara lepas dan produser film di Inggris kemudian mengambil alih studio post produksi Singapura dan mendirikan studio sendiri di Batam. studio inilah yang kini dikenal dengan Infinite Frameworks.

Mike memilih Indonesia untuk mengembangkan studionya karena keberadaan sumber daya manusia yang melimpah di tanah air. benar saja, hingga sekarang, Mike berhasil mempekerjakan banyak animator Indonesia untuk membuat berbagai karya animasi yang terkenal di dunia. sebut saja Sing To The Dawn atau Meraih Mimpi, dan Tatsumi, film animasi berlatarbelakang kehidupan Jepang yang telah diputar dalam festival film Cannes dan meraih box office di Singapura.

sumber: Intisari Extra

ditulis ulang di Good News from Indonesia oleh Farah Fitriani (farahfitrianifaruq@gmail.com / @farafit)

Erick Setiawan, Novelis Indonesia yang Mendunia

Kita tentu mengenal nama Andrea Hirata, penulis Indonesia yang terkenal dengan karyanya Laskar Pelangi. tapi, apakah kita mengenal nama Erick Setiawan?

Erick Setiawan adalah novelis asal Indonesia yang sejak tahun 1991 pindah ke Amerika dan menetap disana. ia terkenal karena novelnya yang fenomenal, Of Bees And Mist, yang terbit tahun 2009. Berbeda dengan Andrea Hirata yang sukses lebih dulu di negara sendiri, Erick Setiawan pertama meraih kesuksesannya di Amerika.

Penulis kelahiran Jakarta tahun 1975 yang pernah menuntut ilmu di Stanford University, Amerika Serikat dalam bidang psikologi dan komputer ini adalah seorang kutubuku dan suka menulis. Sebelum Of Bees and Mist, Erick telah menulis dua novel namun dua naskahnya tersebut mendapat ratusan penolakan dari para agen sastra, sehingga ia tidak pernah mendapat kesempatan untuk menerbitkan karyanya.

Penolakan tersebut untungnya tidak menyurutkan semangatnya dalam menulis. Erick lalu menulis of Bees and Mist yang diselesaikannya dalam waktu 4 tahun. berbeda dengan dua naskah novel terdahulunya, kali ini dalam waktu yang tidak terlalu lama ia memperoleh agen sastra hingga akhirnya pada tahun 2009 novelnya ini diterbitkan oleh penerbit kenamaan Simon & Schuster. Tak hanya itu saja, Of Bees and Mist mendapat sambutan yang positif dari pembaca dan kritikus sastra. Novel ini menjadi finalis QPB New Voices Award 2010 dan masuk dalam longlist penghargaan sastra bergengsi internasional IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2011.

Of Bees and Mist sendiri merupakan kisah epik cinta, drama keluarga, dan misteri yang berlangsung selama tiga puluh tahun. Tokoh sentralnya adalah seorang wanita bernama Meridia yang memiliki ‘konflik’ dengan ibu serta mertuanya.

Walau inti dari kisah dalam novel ini adalah perseteruan antara anak dan mertua namun Erick mengemasnya dengan begitu menarik sehingga novel ini menjadi tidak membosankan. Di novel ini ada begitu banyak konflik yang dikisahkan, selain perseteruan antara Meridia dan mertuanya, dikisahkan pula konflik antara kedua orang tuanya, Revena dan Gabriel, lalu ada juga kisah kedua adik iparnya, hingga Patinna, pembantu mertuanya yang ternyata memiliki kisah rahasia antara dirinya dengan Eva.

Yang membuat kisah ini semakin menarik adalah balutan misteri dan mistis yang membungkus kisah cinta dan drama dalam novel ini. Baik keluarga Meridia maupun keluarga mertuanya memiliki sisi kelam yang sedikit demi sedikit akan terungkap di sepanjang novel ini. tak heran novel setebal 416 halaman ini mendapat ulasan bagus dari banyak media di Amerika. (baca ulasannya disini)

Novel ini ditulis dalam Bahasa Inggris dan telah diterjemahkan ke dalam empat bahasa yaitu Spanyol, Belanda, Cina dan tentu saja, Indonesia. novel yang dipuji oleh Washington Post ‘Drama rumah tangga yang mengagumkan’ ini telah beredar di empat benua, Amerika, Asia, Eropa dan Australia. Novel ini juga bisa dibeli secara online melalui toko buku terkenal,Barnes and Noble, dan situs jual beli internasional lain seperti Powell’s, Indiebound serta Amazon.

sumber: official website of Of Bees and Mist

ditulis di Good News From Indonesia oleh Farah Fitriani (@farafit / farahfitrianifaruq@gmail.com)

Inspirasi dari Surabaya

Mengintegrasikan Konsep “CSR” Sejak Awal Membangun Usaha

Istilah Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) biasanya diasosiasikan dengan perusahaan-perusahaan besar deengan multi million dollar aset. Tapi Titik Winarti punya konsepnya sendiri dalam memaknai konsep Corporate Social Responsibility dalam menjalankan bisnisnya. Konsep inilah yang akhirnya membawa Titik untuk berpidato di depan Sidang Umum PBB dalam International Year of Microcredit di depan ratusan intelektual dan diplomat yang mewakili berbagai negara di tahun 2005.

Dimulai dari keinginan mengisi waktu luang dengan kegiatan yang produktif tanpa harus kehilangan waktu dalam mendidik anak-anaknya, bisnis kerajinan tangan produksi Titik Winarti dengan label “Tiara Handicraft” kini telah menjamah berbagai negara. Titik Winarti pun laris diundang ke berbagai forum untuk berbagi pengalaman tentang bisnisnya yang sejak awal sarat dengan muatan Corporate Social Responsibility didasari dengan keinginan berbagi dan membantu sesama.

Awalnya usaha Titik dibangun dengan modal mesin jahit bekas dari mertuanya tanpa karyawan. Dari 8 hanya memiliki 8 karyawan di akhir tahun 1990-an, kini usaha Titik berkembang pesat dengan 43 karyawan. Yang istimewa, dari 43 karyawan tersebut, hanya 5 di antara mereka yang bukan penyandang cacat. “Saya tidak pernah secara sengaja merekrut penyandang cacat,” kata Titik Winarti dalam sebuah perbincangan di kediamannya di kawasan Sidosermo, Surabaya. Sejak awal membangun usaha ini, saya tidak pernah menetapkan kriteria apapun. Tidak harus bisa menjahit, tidak harus berijasah, asal punya kemauan belajar dan mau bekerja keras, saya mau menerima,” kata Titik. Dari situlah, dari memiliki satu pekerja yang penyandang cacat, dengan metode gethok tular akhirnya banyak penyandang cacat yang datang untuk bekerja di Tiara Handicraft. Uniknya, para karyawan ini juga dianggap sebagai bagian dari keluarga Titik Winarti, karena mereka makan dan tidur bersama keluarga Titik.

Usaha Titik yang dilandasi semangat membantu sesama inilah yang membuatnya memenangkan kompetisi UKM yang digelar oleh Universitas Indonesia di tahun 2004. “Ketika memberikan presentasi di depan tim juri di Jakarta, saya mempresentasikan tentang usaha saya yang justru tidak menggunakan prinsip manajemen modern atau teori bisnis apapun.. Sebagai contoh, ada produk yang memerlukan 1 orang tenaga kerja yang normal, tetapi karena dikerjakan oleh penyandang cacat, maka dibutuhkan 2 orang untuk menyelesaikan produk tersebut. Dalam kacamata bisnis, saya dirugikan karena ongkos produksi menjadi lebih besar. Tetapi saya memiliki argumen sederhana bahwa dalam teori manajemen modern, ada satu hal yang terlupakan yaitu konsep “rejeki”. Allah sudah menjanjikan bahwa setiap hambanya memiliki rejekinya sendiri. Dengan menggunakan tenaga kerja dua orang, maka ada dua jalan rejeki yang terbuka sementara dengan satu tenaga kerja, hanya satu pintu rejeki yang dibuka Allah. Alhamdulillah, konsep “nyeleneh” yang berdasar prinsip lillahi ta’ala ini justru membawa saya menjadi wakil Indonesia untuk hadir di sidang PBB di New York tahun 2005,” kata Titik

Tiba di New York, Titik sama sekali tak berpikir bahwa ia harus menyampaikan pidato. “Ketika ditanya konsep pidato saya, saya langsung kaget karena saya tak menyiapkan pidato apapun,” kenang Titik. Akhirnya hanya bermodal Bismillah, Titik menyampaikan pidatonya tanpa konsep. “Mungkin karena penerjemah saya dari UI sangat pandai dalam menyampaikan isi pidato saya jatah waktu 10 menit yang diberikan menjadi molor, bahkan tak sedikit peserta sidang yang menangis ketika saya menyampaikan bahwa penyandang cacat sering tak kebagian tempat di dunia kerja,” kata Titik sambil tertawa. Di akhir pidato, para hadirin pun berdiri memberikan standing-ovation. Istri Sekjen PBB Kofi Anan pun menyampaikan apresiasinya. Ternyata konsep yang sering disebut sebagai Corporate Social Responsibility bisa dimulai sejak awal bisnis didirikan, tidak hanya ketika sukses atau sekedar untuk menggugurkan kewajiban.

Sepulang dari menghadiri sidang PBB, usaha Titik pun makin dikenal. Tahun 2007, dia diundang oleh pemerintah A.S. untuk ke Amerika dan belajar tentang usaha kecil menengah serta kewirausahaan di A.S.Hasilnya, dia membangun jaringan bisnis untuk memasok produk ke pengusaha A.S. yang menjalankan bisnis “batik tambal” di Amerika. Tak lama berselang, ia pun juga berkesempatan mengikuti pameran usaha di Australia dan produknya tak pernah absen di berbagai pameran kerajinan tingkat nasional maupun internasional.

“Bagi saya, pencapaian tertinggi bagi seorang wanita adalah ketika ia bermanfaat bagi keluarganya, terutama bisa menjadi pendamping anak-anaknya tumbuh dewasa,” kata Titik sambil menggendong si bungsu yang masih berusia 4 tahun. Dengan menjalankan bisnis tersebut, kata Titik, ia tak kehilangan waktu sedetik pun untuk mendampingi keempat anaknya tumbuh dewasa. “Dan yang terpenting tak hanya keluarga yang mendapatkan manfaat dari usaha saya, tapi juga para karyawan yang sudah menjadi bagian keluarga saya,” kata Titik menutup perbincangan di suatu pagi di kediaman sekaligus tempat produksinya di kawasan Perumahan Sidosermo Surabaya. Sementara itu, di ruang kerjanya beberapa mahasiswa sudah menunggu giliran untuk “berguru” dari Titik dalam rangka penulisan tugas akhir kuliah tentang kewirausahaan. Ya, Titik Winarti, adalah sumber inspirasi bagi banyak orang. Tak terkecuali saya.

Esti Durahsanti

Sunday Profile: Meeghan Henry, Miss Teen Asia USA

Teenager Meeghan Henry seems like a young woman in a hurry. A university student and accomplished singer, the Indonesian-born 17-year-old is also the current Miss Teen Asia USA. California-based Meeghan balances the work that comes with the title, an ambitious music career and her work load at the University of La Verne in California, where she is studying broadcast TV.

As an aspiring pop star, Meeghan has also released a full-length album titled “When I’m 18,” which includes 12 original tracks, mostly written by Meeghan.

As Miss Teen Asia USA, Meeghan said she is using the platform to push positive messages to young people about ending bullying, and staying away from alcohol and drugs. She is also promoting Indonesia to the world.

The Jakarta Globe interviewed Meeghan by email to find out more about her experience as Miss Teen Asia USA 2011, her Indonesian roots and her quest for stardom.

Tell us about your duties as Miss Teen Asia USA?

Once the crown was put on my head, the rest was up to me. Nothing is going to happen if I don’t take action. I can’t just wait for an opportunity to come along. I have to go find the opportunities myself. This reign only lasts for one year and it’s a once in a lifetime experience, so I’m willing to do whatever I need to do.

I travel a lot and I also get to visit different organizations and charities and spread my platform message. It’s such a fulfilling thing.

My platform focuses on the younger generation, and it’s all about living above the influence [of drugs]. I want to spread the message that you don’t have to succumb to society’s pressures to live a successful life.

As Miss Teen Asia USA, what can you contribute to Indonesia?

I think my job as Miss Teen Asia USA and as a native-born Indonesian is to promote my home country along with other Asian countries. Not a lot of people know about Indonesia, although we are the fourth most populous country in the entire world, the third largest democracy and we have more than 17,000 islands.

People usually know Indonesia, maybe, for the tsunami we had a few years back and possibly Bali, but those aren’t the only things the country offers. There are so many islands, there are so many different traditions and cultures and they’re all beautiful. I think if people find that, they would embrace the Indonesian culture. My job is to bring Indonesia to people’s attention.

How have you promoted Indonesia as Miss Teen Asia USA?

I actually just did the 123rd Annual Rose Parade! It was so much fun! I got to ride on the ‘Wonderful Indonesia’ float, which won the President’s Trophy, and I got to ride on it with Raul Rodriguez, who designed the float. The float was actually his 500th float, too, so it was a big deal.

Why did you decide to enter Miss Teen Asia USA?

I’ve always thought that it would be a good thing to dip my fingers into as many different things as possible while I’m still young to get some experiences under my belt, and pageants were always something I loved to watch. The girls were huge role models to me, so I thought to myself, ‘I want to be like them one day.’ Why not start now?

So I entered the pageant, and it was an amazing experience. I learned so many things, from etiquette skills to keeping my poise to self confidence. I also learned about other Asian cultures along with my own, and I gained lots of friends, two of which I consider among my best friends now.

What do you enjoy about being Miss Teen Asia USA?

I love everything about being Miss Teen Asia USA. Of course, I love going to red carpet events and all the perks that come with the title, but I also love meeting kids and hearing them tell me that they want to be like me when they grow up. It’s the best feeling in the world because I always thought the same thing about people like Miss America and Miss Universe. Now, I’m one of them, and I’m glad I can help make an impact with my title as well.

What were some of the biggest challenge of the competition?

For me, the biggest challenge was accepting myself. I was always comparing myself to other girls to see how I compared to them in the competition when I should’ve been focusing on myself. It was really hard not to let myself think about that kind of stuff because it was a competition, but towards the end, I realized that I was beautiful no matter what.

You are also an aspiring singer. What do you like about singing?

Singing is my form of expression. It’s even better when I sing songs that I wrote myself because I completely relate to the song. When I sing, I’m completely vulnerable, and it’s hard to feel that way. But when you have people who tell you that you’re a great singer or have people who just like the music you make, it makes it all worthwhile.

What was your inspiration for the song ‘When I’m 18’?

When I wrote ‘When I’m 18,’ I was in a dream state. I was just super happy that day and I was thinking about the future, and that’s how I came up with the song.

Where have you performed?

I’ve performed my songs at so many places. I was on a school tour last year so I performed at a ton of schools in Southern California, but I’ve also been called on to perform at places such as the Asian American Expo. I sang at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills for my CD release and Colby O’Donis also sang with me. I’ve sung at the House of Blues and Whisky A Go Go, among many other places.

You live in California, what do you miss most about Indonesia?

I miss the food. I love ayam goreng kalasan , mie goreng and sate ayam. However, I visit Indonesia a lot. Probably every other year, if not every year.

What are some of your hobbies?

I love movie editing. I also like photography. In fact, I’m taking a photography class at school right now, and it’s really fun.

What are your plans for the future? Any upcoming projects?

I’m just focusing on my school, singing and being Miss Teen Asia USA. Between all of that, I have to find time for myself and hanging out with friends and being a regular teenager, but I do have a lot of goals for myself in the future. I’m hoping my music career will progress and I want to be a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

But I’m living life one day at a time.

Source: The Jakarta Globe

Indonesian Brings Tintin to Life

It takes whole teams of people to create the subtle details of animated characters in movies. The redness of cheeks, the hairs on necks and the expressiveness of eyes are all the result of armies of digital laborers whose collaborative efforts create movie magic but whose names are buried deep in the credits. The animators are often the unsung heroes.

But it’s a labor of love, and for Rini Sugianto, going into animation was probably one of the best decisions she could have made. Now she has made a career out of her passion, which earned her a job animating for Steven Spielberg’s film “The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn.”

“I always consider myself lucky because I am able to work on something that I love,” Rini said. “Animation is a tough industry, but if you are passionate about it then it is a great, fun job.”

Having grown up with the classic Belgian comic book “Tintin,” the 31-year-old jumped at the chance to work on the feature film even though it meant she would have to move across the Pacific Ocean to Wellington, New Zealand. That’s where Weta Digital, “Tintin” producer Peter Jackson’s animation company, was located.

“I was working in Los Angeles when a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to apply to Weta,” Rini said. “So, I applied, and to my surprise, I actually got a call back. After two weeks of talking back and forth, I finally decided that it was time to pack up and move to New Zealand.”

Jackson co-founded Weta in the 1990s, and the company supplied the special effects for the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “King Kong.”

For Tintin, Rini worked as a character animator. “I had to animate all the characters that are in the shots,” she said. “In Tintin, I worked on 70 shots, so I think that covers all the characters in the movie.”

As one of 80 animators from around the world, Rini’s work on “Tintin” lasted a little over a year. Rini was one of four Indonesians working at the company. “One of the things I like about Weta is that the people are very diverse,” Rini said. “And I worked with almost everyone in the company from different departments because it was a collaborative project.”

To some extent, that collaboration included the director. Each week during production, Rini saw the director review with Spielberg via a copy of the video conference.

“Unfortunately I could only see him on screen,” Rini said. “Only the visual effects supervisors got to interact with Spielberg directly. But working for him definitely made me nervous, and the pressure was there. You always wanted to do a good job and hear him say, ‘Great animation! It’s approved!’

“I love working for him because he definitely knows what he wants and how he wants it. His notes were always clear. He’s a great director.”

One of Rini’s biggest challenges was animating the characters that Georges Prosper Remi, best known as Herg, the writer and artist of the “Tintin” series, had famously created.

“The comic is very close to a lot of people, so I had to take that into consideration,” she said. “The images of the characters were there, and I couldn’t go too far from it. But the animators were allowed to be creative as long as they were approved by the decision makers.”

Members of the production team had the chance to watch the finished project together at Embassy Theater in Wellington last month.

“It was great, the vibe was awesome and seeing my name on the big screen was super exciting too,” Rini said. “It’s been a great experience coming to New Zealand and working at Weta. I’m also a very outdoors-y person, so I knew I would love the country’s nature. All the stories about the country’s beauty are true.”

Rini grew up in Teluk Betung, Lampung, and her childhood revolved around sports. She was a swimmer throughout elementary and middle school. Her introduction to art came in the form of comics.

“My brother and I didn’t grow up around the arts, but we certainly loved comic books, and there was an abundance of them at our house,” Rini said.

The animator graduated from Parahyangan University in Bandung with a degree in architecture. She worked at a firm in Jakarta that produced 3-D presentations for clients; that was her first taste of the world of computer graphics. Eventually, Rini’s interest took her to the Academy of Arts in San Francisco.

“When I was at school, I realized there were many aspects of 3-D, so I decided to focus on animation after I took my first class on Maya 3-D animation software,” Rini said. “At the end of the semester, I asked my teacher which area he thought I was most successful in. He suggested that I focus on animation. I’m glad I followed his advice.”

When Rini started studying digital animation in the United States, she felt she was behind her classmates. Most of them already had experience in the field and a solid background in the craft. That made Rini feel like she needed to work harder to catch up with her peers.

“I think the main difference between the animation industry in Indonesia and the United States is in the foundation of it,” Rini said. “A lot of schools in the States try to give students a solid foundation, so when they start doing their own project, they already have a good base.

“In Indonesia many animators seem to be missing the basics. You can’t learn to run before learning how to walk. But I do think Indonesian animation has the potential to be a good industry. Other Asian countries can do it. Why can’t we?”

Rini looks forward to doing more movies with Weta. She is currently working on “The Avengers,” which will be released next year.

“‘Tintin’ was definitely a stepping stone for my career, it’s my first movie job and I’m hoping to do more,” Rini said.

Taken from: The Jakarta Globe

Indonesian Snaps Up Top National Geographic Photography Award

Indonesian photographer Shikhei Goh has won the prestigious 2011 National Geographic Photography Contest with a spectacular image of a dragonfly in the rain in Riau.

According to reports, Goh will receive $10,000 and have his winning image published in the international edition of National Geographic magazine.

Goh, who won the grand prize as well as nature categories, beat out more than 20,000 other photographs submitted by amateur and professional photographers from more than 130 countries.

In a photo caption credited to Goh, the Indonesian wrote that he was out taking photographs of insects, “as I normally did during macro photo hunting.”

“I wasn’t actually aware of this dragonfly since I was occupied with other objects. When I was about to take a picture of it, it suddenly rained, but the lighting was just superb. I decided to take the shot regardless of the rain. The result caused me to be overjoyed, and I hope it pleases viewers.”

Tim Laman, one of three National Geographic magazine photographers who judged the contest, described the photograph to nationalgeographic.com as a “very striking macrophotography image that rose to the top of the nature category for me because of its originality, beautiful light, rare action in a close-up image, as well as its technical perfection.”

Taken from: The Jakarta Globe

Yes, They Can: Indonesian Women Awarded for Community Contributions

Traditionally, the only roles available to women in Indonesia were “masak, macak dan manak” (cooking, dressing up and bearing children). But today, this is far from the truth.

With better education and increased opportunities, Indonesian women are taking more active roles. They are now leaders, motivators and key decision-makers in their families, businesses and society.

On Dec. 8, Tupperware Indonesia honored 52 exceptional women who have made differences in their communities with the “Tupperware She Can!” awards.

“Despite their gentle physiques, women have a very strong power and influence,” said Nining Pernama, managing director of Tupperware Indonesia. “And as we looked around, we found those who use their skills and knowledge to educate, enlighten and empower other people around them.”

The 52 winners received trophies, certificates and prize money totaling Rp 832.5 million ($92,000) for their life-changing social works.

“I’ve often heard that the greatest power of Indonesia is its natural resources,” said Rick Goings, chairman and chief executive of Tupperware Brands. “I can tell you that in the many times I’ve been here and through the many people that I’ve gotten to know, the greatest power in Indonesia is its women.

“The ‘She Can!’ women are not only symbols but are also role models for many young women in Indonesia for the future.”

According to the 2010 census, there are nearly 240 million Indonesians, about half of whom are women.

“With that many women in the population, women are an asset and hold a lot of potential for this country,” said Sri Danti Anwar, deputy minister for women’s empowerment and child protection. “These women inspire their peers to work as equals to men, to be the best they can be and to empower other people around them.’’

Each winner has an amazing story, and here we highlight three of these strong and inspirational women.

Asmarani Rosalba, Jakarta

Under the pen name “Asma Nadia,” this 39-year-old has written more than 40 fiction and non-fiction books, as well as short stories and song lyrics.

Two of her best-selling novels, “Emak Ingin Naik Haji” (“Mom Wants to Go on a Hajj Pilgrimage,” 2009) and “ Rumah Tanpa Jendela” (“House Without Windows,” 2011) have been made into movies. A third adaptation, “Ummi Aminah,” will be in theaters in January.

“I’ve never thought I’d be who I am now,” she said. “Our family was poor and I was raised in a small, dilapidated house near the railway. But I have a wonderful mother who has always encouraged me to dream big.”

Her mother, Maria Eri Susianti, stayed by Asmarani’s side when she was diagnosed with severe heart and lung problems in her teens. At the same time, doctors discovered five tumors on her neck.

“I spent so many days in the hospital when I was young,” she said. Yet it was during those dark days that her appetite for reading grew. Her mother brought a lot of books to accompany her in the hospital.

Today, Asmarani is the chief executive of her own company, Asma Nadia Publishing House, and chairwoman of her foundation, Yayasan Asma Nadia.

Through Yayasan Asma Nadia, she has set up 37 libraries in Java, Kalimantan and Papua, as well as two libraries in Hong Kong for Indonesian migrant workers.

“This event has inspired me to do more,” she said. “I met [social advocate and fellow award winner] Roostien Ilyas recently and we are planning to create libraries in juvenile detention halls around Jakarta.”

Ainy Fauziyah, Bekasi

“Everyone’s born a glorious winner,” motivational coach Ainy Fauziyah said. “But it’s up to them to achieve their dreams.”

Born in Bangil, a small town in East Java, in 1969, Ainy had to work hard to achieve her own dreams of “making it big.”

“Our family wasn’t rich,” she said. “My father’s a farmer and my mother’s a seamstress. Yet, when I was a child, I saw them working very hard for their children without complaining. I guess it inspired me to work hard to try to make them proud.”

Ainy had a good career as the assistant to the planning manager at a state-owned public housing business in Jakarta, but she decided to leave it all behind when a friend asked her to help rebuild Aceh after it was hit by the December 2004 tsunami.

“No one understood my decision back then. Only my husband stood by me. He truly understands my heart for the people.”

In May 2005, Ainy joined a nonprofit international organization in Aceh.

“I was the only woman and the only Indonesian among the shelter coordinators in the organization,” she said.

She rebuilt hundreds of homes in Lhokseumawe, in northwestern Aceh.

“It’s easy to build homes, but it’s really difficult to rebuild the people’s lives after the disaster,’’ she said.

Yet Ainy saw that trial as an opportunity.

Rebuilding requires a lot of manpower. While Acehnese men helped with the construction of houses, Ainy encouraged the local women to help paint them.

“We gave them a little training and they did a wonderful job,” she said. “They were also very proud of themselves because they could earn a salary for themselves and their family during the difficult time.”

Her painting team grew from 35 to 500 women within a couple of years.

“It’s touching to watch them gain confidence with their new skills,” she said. “Some of them could even put their children through school with their earnings.”

Her program was considered an exemplary success, and Ainy was invited to speak at international conferences.

Today, she is back in Jakarta. She manages her own company, Ainy Coaching, offering motivational and leadership programs in Indonesia and abroad.

But once a week, you can find her at Rumah Dhuafa Indonesia (Home for Indonesian Orphans) in Bekasi, giving motivational lectures to less fortunate kids.

“I want to build their hopes and confidence for the future,” Ainy said. “If I can overcome difficulties and achieve my dreams, they can do it also.”

Nuraeni, Makassar

Nuraeni was a housewife and mother of three young children in Paotere, Makassar, when her husband, a fisherman, died from a motorbike accident in 2004.

With no work experience, she scrambled to make a living. She opened a small warung at her house but could not earn enough.

Her life changed in 2006, when she went to a workshop organized by an NGO, which taught her a process to preserve fresh fish.

Nuraeni, 42, then collected leftover fish from the markets to make abon ikan tuna (preserved shredded tuna).

Her tasty products became popular in Makassar, but Nuraeni did not stop at that. She started looking around and saw the dire poverty experienced by many fishermen’s families in her village.

“Many have become ensnared by punggawas [moneylenders] just to make ends meet,” she said. “The moneylenders then take 50 to 60 percent of their daily catch as payment for their debts. The fishermen barely had enough to provide for their families and had to borrow more.’’

To help break this vicious cycle, Nuraeni founded the Fatimah Az-Zahra cooperative in 2007. Fishermen’s wives learn to make abon ikan tuna and preserved boneless ikan bandeng (milkfish) to sell in the markets. With the additional income, the women can help their husbands repay their debt.

But not everyone is impressed with Nuraeni’s efforts.

“I’ve received countless death threats from moneylenders,” Nuraeni said.

They have also started rumors among the fishermen’s families that Nuraeni was just using them to get rich herself.

“But I explained everything and invited them to take a look at my [financial] books,’’ she said. “I’ve got nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of.”

The Fatimah Az-Zahra cooperative now includes more than 200 women.

“I’m happy to be part of a positive change among my people,” she said.

Taken from: The Jakarta Globe

Belajarlah dari Indonesia

Jumat siang itu saya sedang membaca kolom di sebuah koran dengan judul yang menyinggung tentang pluralisme di Indonesia, ternyata kolom itu merupakan hasil tulisan dari seorang warga Amerika Serikat yang tinggal di Michigan. Sepanjang tulisan itu saya perhatikan sepertinya ia mengagumi Indonesia yang bisa bersatu dengan segala keragaman yang ada. Saya setuju dengan tulisannya yang kurang lebih menyatakan jika Indonesia sudah lebih bisa memahami dan menjalani pluralisme terlebih dahulu, bahkan jauh dari sebelum kemerdekaan.

Saya jadi teringat ketika saat itu Amerika sempat beberapa kali mengatakan indonesia harus lebih demokratis, indonesia harus lebih bisa menghargai hak asasi manusia dan masih banyak lagi. Menurut saya, Indonesia sudah tidak perlu lagi diajari masalah pluralisme dan demokrasi. Indonesia sudah jauh lebih demokratis dari negara yang disebut sebagai pelopor demokrasi, Amerika Serikat. mengapa?

Amerika serikat baru membolehkan wanita untuk mengikuti pemilu pada tahun 1920, setelah sebelumnya wanita tidak boleh mengikuti pemilu. Sedangkan indonesia tidak pernah ada masalah wanita yang terdiskriminasi tidak bisa mengkuti pemilu, bahkan wanita bisa berpartisipasi sejak pemilu pertama di Indonesia. Bahkan warga Afro-Amerika pun baru bisa mendapat kesetaraan setelah beberapa tahun kematian Martin Luther King yang berarti lama setelah Indonesia merdeka.

Selain itu, Indonesia sebagai negara mayoritas muslim terbesar di dunia dapat menerima Megawati Soekarnoputri sebagai presiden wanita pertama di Indonesia, sedangkan Barrack Obama, merupakan presiden kulit hitam pertama bagi Amerika. Indonesia tidak membutuhkan waktu lama untuk bisa menjalankan semua prinsip demokrasi itu. Selain itu Jerman pun memilih belajar dari Indonesia tentang pluralitas dan agama, mengingat masyarakat Jerman yang semakin beragam dengan warga pendatang dari Turki.

Bahkan selain itu, prinsip demokrasi dan pluralis pun sudah terpampang jelas melalui lambang garuda Indonesia. Lambang bintang menggambarkan ketuhanan, bermacam-macam agama tapi tetap satu Indonesia. Lambang pohon beringin sebagai persatuan Indonesia. Lambang banteng sebagai lambang demokrasi, lambang dari sila keempat. Padi dan Kapas sebagai lambang keadilan bagi seluruh rakyat indonesia. Sedangkan rantai melambangkan kemanusiaan yang adil dan beradab. Semua itu terikat dalam satu “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” yang berarti “meskipun berbeda tetap satu jua.”