Sulis, FAKTA-DAMAR Member, Tanggamus, Lampung

Abstract

Sulis's story is part of a peer-reviewed edited volume of women's life stories that draws on detailed ethnographic research of village women's lived experiences and how they, individually and collectively, have taken action to influence village development in Indonesia's multi-level governance structure under the new Village Law in Indonesia. The analysis identifies the processes of women's empowerment, their involvement in grassroots women's collective action, engagement with civil society organisations, and how women influence village institutions, policies, development spending and priorities, and new projects as well as social norms in communities.

Sulis lives in Tanggamus, Lampung. Through her organisation of youth music groups, she was selected as Head of the Community Welfare Section, a position she has held for thirteen years. Her concern for her community led to the Village Head selecting her to take part in DAMAR's gender awareness training program and, over time, Sulis has become one of its leaders. Sulis is also a key contact point to explain government health insurance policy to her community. Sulis has applied what she learnt in FAKTA-DAMAR classes and felt able to talk to her husband about how to understand gender equality and has developed her leadership and organisational skills. For Sulis, DAMAR's training has enhanced her leadership capabilities. It was the catalyst for her nomination for the 2020 Village Head election.