Ara Kusuma
Educator
Cultivating the next generation
Ara Kusuma is an educational innovator empowering Indonesian youth. Ara began her journey as a changemaker at just ten years-old with Moo’s Project which united 150 farmers in Boyolali, Indonesia, to implement sustainable farming practices. Since then, she has become a transformative leader in education and youth empowerment. For over seven years, Ara has led educational initiatives across 19 Indonesian provinces as an Ashoka Youth Years Lead, integrating change-making principles into schools and collaborating with social entrepreneurs from countries such as India, Brazil, and Nigeria. She has partnered with governments, NGOs, and private sectors to reimagine education systems and promote empathy-driven leadership. Her Aha! Project provided quality education to over 4,500 underprivileged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognized as a National Geographic Young Explorer, Ara envisions empowering future leaders to tackle global challenges through innovative and empathetic solutions.
My work is rooted in the belief that education is a powerful tool to empower individuals and transform communities. Growing up in Indonesia, I witnessed firsthand the limitations of a rigid education system and the social inequities it can perpetuate, which fueled me to create learning experiences that go beyond the classroom and equip young people with critical thinking, empathy, and collaborative leadership skills to address pressing challenges.
My commitment to those excluded from traditional education led me to found the Aha! Project. Drawing from my homeschooling experience and recognizing pandemic-related challenges, Aha! provides learning materials and establishes learning circles in rural villages. Leading Aha! has deepened my understanding of the interplay between education, families, and diverse social contexts.
My hope for the future is to build inclusive education systems that empower every child to realize their potential as a changemaker. By fostering empathy, curiosity, and collaboration, I believe we can equip the next generation to tackle complex global challenges, ensuring that education becomes a catalyst for equity and innovation in communities worldwide.
“For me, the most meaningful aspect of my work is witnessing individuals—farmers, students, or children—realize their potential as changemakers.”
Driven by the Javanese principle Mulya Sesarengan, meaning “for the welfare of all,” my journey as a changemaker began at the age of ten. Growing up, my family faced economic hardships that forced my sister and me to leave formal schooling. Unable to afford school, my parents became my teachers, and the diverse places we traveled to while selling goods became our classrooms. I noticed how some farmers sold raw milk and dung at low prices, while others enhanced their value through simple processing. This sparked a question: What if there were a space where farmers could learn from one another and improve their practices? This led to an initiative collaborating with 150 farmers, transforming milk into yogurt and snacks, and building ecotourism.
Years later, this passion for social innovation led me to a role as a Senior Intrapreneur at Ashoka. I’ve spent the last seven years designing youth communities that have empowered 200+ young changemakers, addressing challenges like online gender-based violence and environmental degradation. For me, the most meaningful aspect of my work is witnessing individuals—farmers, students, or children—realize their potential as changemakers.
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