Tanti, Tiwi, and Trisna, as a triplet, show that they are exceptionally inseparable by being awarded the same scholarship, Beasiswa NTB, to pursue their Master’s degrees overseas. UNIZAR LEARNING CENTRE (ULC) plays a crucial role by providing the best mentoring program fo the three. In this articles, We proudly share their wonderful and unique stories in chasing their respective educational journeys that they would delightedly share in this article.
What it is like being an Identical Triplet
MATARAM – Born in June 16th, 1994, Sri Trisna Yanti (Tanti), Sri Trisna Dewi (Tiwi) and Sri Trisna Wati (Trisna) are the daughters of a local nurse. Their father, Hasan, originally from East Lombok, moved to Lantan village of central Lombok due to his duty as a nurse in the only community health centre in the village. It was during this time that he fell in love to a local girl, the then triplet’s mother, that he chose to stay for good.
In their early childhood, the triplet didn’t even experience kindergarten as their mother devoted her time fully to educate them – from reciting and reading the Quran to other literacy skills mastery. “As a matter of fact, we could write, read and do math, way before our peers could”, said Trisna in praising her mom’s hard work.
In terms of art works, their father used to teach them how to draw colourful pictures and shapes on their only 70cm x 50 cm blackboard. The father’s selfless and altruistic values have also been passed onto the triplet. Having exposed to community services by their father, the three found their calling. Ever since they’re a little girl, they shared the same dream – studying abroad and coming back stronger to inspire their fellow youngsters in the village.
Lantan Eco-Tourism Project – How we advocated ecotourism and empowered local youths
As the biggest highlight of their eco-tourism advocacy, the triplet helped the village authorities to form a youth-based community tourism group through increasing the capacity building opportunities, maximising the potential of ecotourism as an effective vehicle for empowering local communities to fight against poverty. The road to the contribution wasn’t even smooth from the beginning. “As young women, we were underestimated and kicked out of the equation. It was male dominated and typically long term goals were million miles away from their calculation”, Tanti recalled.
Being thirsty of the next milestones and achievement, the three realised that they had to go out of the village ‘Pandora box’, even if it was for a little while. Hoping to be a more intellectually rich individual, post-grad education was a must, as far as they concerned. From here, the journey to the wilderness of securing a scholarship had just started.
How UNIZAR LEARNING CENTRE (ULC) Provided Us Magical ‘Ingredients’
For ULC, we can say that the triplet’s scholarship story is probably one of the most unique, yet inspiring, mentoring sessions we have encountered. In fact, the three were awarded the same scholarships – Beasiswa NTB – being granted sponsorships from the West Nusa Tenggara government’s scholarship scheme. It started with Tanti, in 2018, just a month after the biggest earthquake hit Lombok. Being the very first cohort of Beasiswa NTB awardees, she and dozens of her other fellows embarked on a Master’s degree at Vistula University Poland. The snowball then even bigger. Tanti’s other sisters, the year after, were awarded the same scholarship. Unlike Tanti, however, Tiwi and Trisna felt that to be able to absorb a more contextual pedagogical knowledge they both chose Malaysia, University of Kebangsaan Malaysia to be exact, as they thought that even if the country shares similar cultures and demography with Indonesia but indeed it has a more advance teacher training program. In short, the chosen uni provides the perfect equation of similarities and differences.
“ULC provided me comprehensive guidelines. Not only did the mentors help me to write a compelling scholarship essays, in fact, they gave me an imaginary map, yet so crystal clear, that I could properly select the issues and experiences that all in all in lined with what my program required ” — TIWI —
“With myriad of ideas in my head, bouncing toward one another, I once found it difficult to write what was necessary or not, attempting to write as impressively essay as I could. During the mentoring session, however, I was able to jot down the ideas, grouping them into some different essay materials that I later used to write LPDP and beasiswa NTB essays. I am so proud to say that I was awarded the two scholarships but in the end I chose Beasiswa NTB” — TANTI —-
If I Could Describe This Scholarship Journey in One Word …
“I would say, NURTURE. This journey has a significant impact on my growing process as a human being. I have been nurturing some processes; in forgiving, accepting, embracing, and simultaneously learning to be content for myself”. — TRISNA—
“PERSISTANCE, full stop”. — TANTI —
“SINCERE. This scholarship experience, specifically in the post-pandemic, I have been brought into a spectrum of accepting, of letting many things go and of being eager to experience anything new. — TIWI —
