Saraswati is an Indonesian company that promotes development innovation. For us, innovation represents new or improved products, processes and collaborations that positively impact development assistance and – most importantly – the lives of those most in need. Saraswati works across a range of sectors around issues of gender, equity, diversity and social inclusion. Climate and conservation as well as impactful partnerships are cross-cutting themes important to our approaches and activities.
We are an innovation broker that connects individuals, organizations and communities on a case-by-case basis to provide the most relevant skills and resources for positive social impact. Our work ranges from human-centered design to applied research, data training and analysis, knowledge management, strategic planning, evaluations and even matchmaking. We look to work with and support local partners to ensure results that deliver beyond project cycles.
Our business model reduces unnecessary overhead that inflates development budgets. We were remote working before the COVID-19 pandemic, and we keep personnel costs lean by maintaining a roster of task-specific associates.
Saraswati is women-owned, and we ensure that a majority of our team and associates are women. We take our name from the Hindu goddess of knowledge in recognition that knowledge fuels innovation and that we in development must better promote women as leaders and role models.
The IMFC Secretariat is a platform to support information sharing and collaboration among IMFC partner organizations in Indonesia
Nopa has worked in the hospitality industry in Bali for over ten years. With his effective communication skills and local knowledge, Nopa is a local coordinator for Saraswati’s LAKSMI initiative, which creates a safe learning environment for the promotion of women’s participation and leadership in community development, focusing on micro and small business development as well as environmental conservation.
Muhammad Djindan is a lecturer at the Department of Politics and Government, Universitas Gadjah Mada. He has extensive training and experience in both qualitative and qualitative research. His areas of research include environmental policy, natural resources governance, science-policy interface, as well as civil society and local democracy. Prior to starting a career as an academic, he worked for Oxfam in an emergency and preparedness program, UNDP in a disaster risk reduction policy project, and GIZ in a strengthening women’s rights project. His portfolio is built from combining expertise in academic research and more than five years of professional experience in international development organizations.
Grefi is a final-year student at Tadulako University in Palu, Central Sulawesi. Since 2018, she has been writing news for several media outlets in Central Sulawesi. Starting in 2019, she became a freelancer in graphic design and managing social media for events for NGOs to improve communication and add value to their initiatives. Grefi is also an environmental activist and works on several programs related to marine debris in Palu Bay.
Dhea is interested in creating social media content. She has several years of experience working with international NGOs, such as CBM Indonesia and Fred Hollows Foundation Indonesia, on health and disability issues. Dhea is a person with disability who recently graduated with a master's degree in social welfare.
Rini is a development professional with over a decade of experience working on program management, disaster risk reduction, food security and urban food system, economic governance, research, and capacity building. She has a research background in urban food systems, political ecology in water management, and participatory action research in disaster risk management. Rini has significant experience collaborating with national and local governments, international and national agencies, academia, and youth. Rini completed her Master of Environmental Management and Development from the Australian National University.
Tamiang is a Jane of All Trades. A certified sign language interpreter with the Pusat Layanan Juru Bahasa Isyarat Indonesia, she supports Saraswati’s disability advocacy initiatives. In addition, Tamiang is project manager for Sunyi Savory & Brewery, a company that provides opportunities for deaf Indonesians to gain skills to work as chefs and baristas. Tamiang has been an Assistant Coach at the Rangers Basketball Academy, which focuses on providing opportunities for deaf youth, and participates in Indonesia’s inaugural Women’s Flag Football league.
Popon has over twenty years of experience in research as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning in Indonesia. During that time, she has worked with local research institutions—including KSI partner AKATIGA—as well as some of the largest international development partners, including The Asia Foundation, World Learning, UNDP and Save the Children. She received her Master of Public Policy & Management from the University of Melbourne.
Alya has worked in development since 2018. Her interest in people and development has involved her in numerous workshops and capacity building initiatives for various audiences. Working with people from diverse backgrounds, such as private companies, the media, state-owned enterprises, government institutions, rural teenagers, NGOs, CSOs, and communities, has raised her interest in the environment. She initiated and nurtured a youth community concerned in environmental issues and has connected with several youth communities in Indonesia. She has helped diverse NGOs to communicate their projects and campaigns through pop culture and lifestyle entry points.
Rara has more than 15 years of experience in media and technology, early childhood education and development, gender mainstreaming, youth economic empowerment and green skills. Most recently, she has worked with Diageo Indonesia and UN Women in support of Saraswati initiatives, and has prior experience with the European Union, Accenture, Google, JP Morgan, USAID, as well as various Indonesian Ministries and business associations. Rara has produced a portfolio of educational materials for Jalan Sesama (the Indonesian affiliate of Sesame Street) as well as books, curricula and digital tools to support Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship while at Plan International.
Ratih is a public health/development practitioner who has been working with the community in Indonesia, particularly in Papua since 2009. Her work is mostly concerned with adolescent health, gender and women health, climate responses, health equity, and the intersectionality between health of people and the environment. She completed her doctoral program in Public Health/Health Equity, working with the local community in Jayapura, Papua. She has led research across various Saraswati projects relating to climate and food security, gender-based violence, antimicrobial resistance, and youth and women’s climate entrepreneurship. This has included designing, evaluating, and providing training as well as facilitating workshops.
Lita has more than ten years of experience in the private and academic sectors and is passionate about development. She is an excellent communicator and serves as the primary field-based coordinator and communication contact person for several Saraswati projects. In particular, Lita co-designed and manages Saraswati’s plastics and waste management initiative, LAKSMI. Additionally, Lita serves as Division G Director in the covered area of East Java, Bali, and East Indonesia for Toastmasters International, an International Public Speaking and Leadership Club.
Tia is a graphic and user interface / user experience designer. She has several years of experience in design for the private sector as well as participation in co-design workshops in support of development innovation (on issues ranging from refugee assistance to poverty alleviation and CSO capacity strengthening). Tia is active in environmental and other volunteer activities, including an initiative with her sister to support marginalized children to learn design and drawing skills.
Andrew has lived and worked in Southeast Asia since 1998. He has managed and evaluated a range of pioneering innovation programs, managed large multi-year democracy and governance projects in Indonesia, advised on the establishment of a human rights organization in Cambodia, coordinated humanitarian assistance to refugee camps in West Timor and worked as an election manager for the UN in Timor-Leste.
Kadek is co-founder of Saraswati. She has managed Saraswati's finance and administration since 2016, including accounting, contracting, taxation and legal matters. She previously worked for several years in villa management before building a successful small business in Bali, which she managed from 2010-2016.
Ola is an innovator and entrepreneur. In 2000, she established Studi Rancang Imaji, a Creative Design Company, in Jakarta. Since then, she has launched a successful café called Bean There, and co-founded babacucu.com, the first free commerce startup in Indonesia – which was recognized by Tech in Asia in 2015 as one of the "10 Bootstrap Alley startups that caught our eye". Ola also has significant development experience, including pioneering designs for online monitoring and evaluation platforms since 2012.
Tiwi is a front-end developer and community organizer. She is Creative Director of Ordent, a company that specializes in complex and integrated software solutions for public and private sector clients. Tiwi leads design and front-end development teams. She has worked as technology consultant for The Asia Foundation and is active in the Googe Developer Group community, FOWAB, and Women Techmakers of Bandung.
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