In Sambas Regency and Singkawang City, stands a strong network of women known as the Northern Coastal Women’s Union (SERUMPUN). Since its founding in 2009, this organization has become a home for hundreds of resilient women from various villages — a space where they learn, support one another, and fight for their rights and family welfare. Through SERUMPUN, they have built a grassroots solidarity network that empowers rural women to rise together.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, it became an immense challenge for coastal communities. Many women lost their income and faced double burdens at home, juggling domestic responsibilities and economic uncertainty. Yet the members of SERUMPUN proved that they could endure and recover together. The key was solidarity and social connection. They regularly met — both in person and online — to share information, find economic solutions, and provide moral and emotional support to those in need.
Collective Strength and Economic Innovation
The resilience of SERUMPUN’s women is not built on individual strength alone but on collective power. They help one another meet basic needs, develop joint businesses, and market their products collectively — from woven crafts and traditional textiles to snacks and agricultural goods. This economic innovation has become a vital safety net during times of crisis.
Beyond economic initiatives, SERUMPUN actively equips its members with leadership training, women’s rights advocacy, and family financial management skills. Many women who were once shy and hesitant are now confident community leaders, taking active roles in village forums to champion environmental and women’s empowerment issues.
SERUMPUN’s chairperson, Budiana, emphasizes that the organization continues to encourage women to be independent and empowered — both in the domestic and public spheres.
“We want women to be confident in leading, to manage their livelihoods, and to stand equally in community decision-making,” she affirms.
Facing Challenges: The Test of Resilience
While SERUMPUN stands as an inspiration, it also reminds us of the deep-rooted challenges rural women still face today. Access to education, capital, healthcare, and technology remains limited, restricting opportunities for women’s advancement. Patriarchal culture continues to hinder women’s participation in decision-making at both family and community levels.
Women’s representation in strategic positions — whether in parliament or public institutions — remains far from adequate. Most rural women work in informal sectors, with low wages and little to no social protection. Crises such as pandemics, climate change, or natural disasters can instantly cut off their sources of income, pushing them deeper into extreme poverty and vulnerability.
Rural women are also among the most affected by climate change and environmental degradation, which amplify existing inequalities. Yet women’s participation in organizations, cooperatives, or village forums remains low — despite being critical to ensuring their voices and needs are reflected in development policies.
Strength Through Solidarity
SERUMPUN demonstrates that solidarity, innovation, and the courage to take leadership are the keys to rural women’s resilience. But to face future challenges, broader support is needed.
Governments must expand access to education, healthcare, and financial resources for rural women and ensure their representation in strategic decision-making. Civil society and communities must continue pushing for cultural change toward gender equality and women’s empowerment. Meanwhile, women themselves must keep strengthening their solidarity, skills, and leadership capacity.
From the stories of these resilient women at the nation’s edge, rural women across Indonesia can draw inspiration from the agents of change who face challenges with courage and contribute meaningfully to their communities and country.
Their stories are living proof that when women unite through solidarity and innovation, they can build the foundation of resilience and progress for rural societies.
These are the women who stand on the frontlines — protectors of their communities, pillars of strength, and beacons of hope.
Author: Mohammad Reza, Gemawan Activist