Andini Claudia, a student of English Education Department (EED) of Universitas Muhammadiyh Yogyakarta (UMY) of batch 2013 represented Indonesia in Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). The program, initiated by President Barack Obama, aims at expanding youth’s skills of leadership, economy, and governmental organization to resolve issues. Another objective of the program is to prepare them to be leaders of 10 ASEAN members so that they can bring positive impacts and changes to their community and nation. YSEALI Fellowship 2017 was conducted at Arizona State University, the United States for five weeks, March 18 – April 24, 2017.
The YSEALI activities were a business class, leadership development, an educational tour to business and humanity development institutions, and voluntary work. The participants also lived with a host family and had a week trip to North Arizona, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington DC.
With the YSEALI theme, Social Entrepreneurship Program, Andini proposed an idea to evolve Buton woven fabric markets. “My idea for the YSEALI was Buton weaving whose process took quite long and whose technique is not easy. However, the price was not directly proportional. By comparison with woven fabric of other ethnics, the Buton woven fabric is much cheaper,” told Andini in an interview on Monday (22/25). She expected that the Buton woven fabric can be sold in international markets.
Besides, Andini also focused on the Buton woven fabric sustainability. “Most of the weavers are the elderly, and only a few are youth. The condition is because the price is not comparable with the making process. To cope with the issue, Andini will organize training of Buton weaving for youth,” she asserted.
Andini is now attempting to actualize her proposal to YSEALI. “To connect the weaver and markets, I try to cooperate with organizations focusing on cultural heritage in Indonesia and other countries. I am now making a teaser of life in Buton so that the information of Buton can be broadcast.
