SURABAYA – “The YES (Youth Excellence Scholarship) scholarship has really changed Linggas, who was shy but is now more confident and brave enough to speak in public. YES is always the best. If there is another YES program, I will definitely join,” said Linggas, a beneficiary of the YES scholarship, an education program run by Dompet Dhuafa in East Java.
Not all teenagers her age wake up early to help their mothers prepare vegetables for sale. Linggas, as she is commonly called, starts her day by greeting her mother who has just returned from the market, then setting up the table, and arranging all the vegetables and other ingredients to be sold in front of their house.
Linggas is an alumnus of SMAN 16 Surabaya and also a recipient of the YES scholarship from Dompet Dhuafa, who has officially been accepted into a prestigious university in Surabaya, namely the Institut Sepuluh Nopember (ITS).
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Linggas shared that initially, he aspired to become an architect. However, after frequently accompanying his father to construction sites, Linggas also wanted to work in construction. But what Linggas meant was mining, which is why he is now studying Geomatics at ITS.
“My late father had a dream that one of his children would study at ITS, as he had once studied there but couldn’t finish. There was always the figure of my father supporting Linggas in his studies. Despite financial difficulties, my parents always made an effort to support Linggas. Of course, Linggas also loves his mother very much,” Linggas said, his eyes welling up.
Linggas’s struggle is not only about pursuing knowledge but also helping his mother amidst her busy schedule. He also shared that his mother initially sold fried snacks—after his father passed away—but it was not enough, so she started selling vegetables. Her mother sells vegetables at home from 4:45 AM to 8:00 AM, then uses a motorcycle to sell them door-to-door until 12:30 PM.
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The mother was also very happy when she found out that Linggas had been accepted into ITS. She also advised Linggas to study diligently, pray regularly, and that one day Linggas would be able to develop and build a career at ITS for his future.
Despite the financial constraints, Linggas never gave up. Even when there were school assignments, he would strive to complete them, sometimes working until 3:00 AM. He also frequently participated in competitions, including a vocational competition at Airlangga University, where he won first place.
Linggas first learned about YES Batch 3 in Surabaya through a friend who invited him to join the selection process. Initially, he didn’t have high hopes of being accepted into the program, but his persistent efforts and successful completion of numerous tests ultimately led him to be selected as one of the beneficiaries of the YES Batch 3 program.
“The YES mentor program is excellent in providing guidance. I would like to express my gratitude and hope that it will continue to run smoothly in guiding the YES students,” said the mother.
The YES Scholarship program runs for 12 months, focusing on Quranic Mentorship, Leadership Development, and Campus Preparation. Over the 12-month period, beneficiaries receive a monthly allowance, participate in group study sessions, access UTBK preparation materials, self-development books, focus group discussions (FGD), book sharing sessions, meetings with YES alumni or guest speakers, and engage in volunteer activities.
The YES program in East Java has been running for four years. In addition to supporting admission to public universities, the YES program also assists beneficiaries in obtaining scholarships during their studies. Linggas himself feels more confident and productive after participating in the YES program. “Thank you to YES Dompet Dhuafa for choosing Linggas as one of the YES beneficiaries. Without YES, Linggas would be nothing.
Thank you Dompet Dhuafa, may Linggas one day become a donor for Dompet Dhuafa. To the younger siblings studying in the YES program, keep up the spirit, because in YES you don’t just study for the UTBK, but you learn many things and also volunteer, and your friends and mentors are all awesome,” he said. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text: Elfi Handayani
Photo: Elfi, Ronggo
Editor: Dhika