Rahmy Rossyana Dewi

 

From One Small Step: My Journey with YCM

I came from a family that had just enough. Enough to live, enough to send me to school, but not always enough to support the dreams that quietly bloomed inside me. While other kids had books, after-school lessons, and plenty of support, I often had to figure things out on my own. Still, I had hope. And a strong will to keep learning. I learned early that dreams don’t always come with a price tag, but reaching them often does.

Since elementary school, I looked for scholarships to help cover my school fees. I knew my parents were doing their best, and I wanted to help. While my friends went to tutoring centers, I stayed home and studied by myself. We couldn’t afford the same things, but I never stopped wanting to learn. Then one day in 2002, my cousin invited me to a place I had never heard of: SABIL (Sarana Bina Ilmu). It was a small, simple house with just one floor. In the mornings, it was used as a school for children with special needs. In the afternoons, it became a learning space for kids like me — eager to learn, but from families with modest means. I didn’t know it then, but that small place would change my life. The founders — Ibu Gesine from Germany and Ibu Putu — created more than a classroom. They created a home for learning. It wasn’t fancy like the places my friends went to, but it was special. The way they taught was different. At school, we mostly learned grammar and memorized rules, which often made English feel difficult and scary. But at SABIL, we learned to be brave. We learned to speak, to express ourselves, to believe that mistakes were okay. That confidence was just as important as vocabulary. We even had volunteers from other countries who not only helped us speak more naturally, but also shared their cultures, stories, and perspectives. Through them, we didn’t just learn English — we got to know the world beyond our neighborhood. Bit by bit, I grew more confident. I started doing better in school — sometimes even better than classmates who had more resources than I did. By 2006, SABIL had grown and transformed into Yayasan Cipta Mandiri (YCM). We moved into a bigger space — a two-floor building, real classrooms, a small garden, and even a basketball and soccer court. It felt like a new beginning. But the heart of the place stayed the same — a place that welcomed every child who wanted to learn and grow. I kept coming to YCM throughout school. But when I reached my final year of high school, the future began to feel uncertain. My friends were preparing for university. I wasn’t. After relying on scholarships my whole life, college felt like a dream I couldn’t afford. I had no plan. But YCM wasn’t done shaping me. On graduation day, Ibu Putu asked if I would help out at YCM as a treasurer — just until I figured out what I wanted to do next. I said yes. Not long after, YCM introduced me to a new opportunity: a scholarship test for a fashion school —  International Garment Training Centre (IGTC). I took the leap. And I passed.

In 2009, I spent one year there, studying fashion merchandising, marketing, and quality assurance. That was the start of everything. After graduating, I stepped into the world of fashion. Not just any world, but the global stage. I’ve worked with brands like Prada, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Stone Island, and now, I’m with H&M, one of the biggest retail brands in Indonesia.

From a girl who once had no idea what the future would bring, to someone who now works with global brands and teams from around the world. I carry it all with gratitude. I carry YCM in every step. It is more than a place. It is the root of my growth, the foundation of my courage.

All it took was a chance, and someone who believed in me.

And for that, I am forever grateful.