Dr Francisca Indarsiani channelled her LKYSPP experiences into an immensely successful policy-making career, but never lost sight of her true passion: environmental conservation.
"Public policies cannot be formulated without consulting those who would be affected by it."
[ALUMNI-INFO TEXT="With two doctorates under her belt, Francisca is far from your average tree-hugging eco-activist. Together with two friends, she founded the Indonesian Rainforest Foundation (IRF) in 2009. “The IRF’s two main missions are to restore and protect the ecological functions of coastal and forest areas, and improve the livelihood of communities living in the surrounding areas,” says Francisca. Observing the continued deterioration and depletion of Indonesia’s natural resources and environment had spurred her into action.
Under the IRF’s mandate, 36,089 people in Java’s Brebes District have been roped in to reforest 15.3 hectares of land with 153,000 mangrove trees. 225 Central Java spice farmers have also had their produce certified organic internationally, enabling them to once again participate in the global spice trade.
“Working with grassroots communities has allowed me to understand social and economic realities often left undetected by policy makers and development theorists,” Francisca says. Like a tree extending from the forest floor to the canopy, Francisca’s work has also seen her interact with political entities such as the governments of Indonesia, Canada and the United States."][/ALUMNI-INFO]
[ALUMNI-QUOTES TEXT="Francisca admits, however, that Indonesia’s unique island-based geography has proven to be a persistent obstacle in her outreach efforts. She explains, “I am now trying to work in eastern Indonesia, but it’s challenging because of the distance from Java and differences in work culture."
As one of LKYSPP’s earliest graduates, Francisca was attracted to the Master in Public Policy programme due to the topicality and scope of LKYSPP’s courses, as well as its diverse student body. “While preparing policy briefs for use by the international organisations I work with, I would often utilise the methodologies and procedures introduced by my courses in LKYSPP,” Francisca says.
Having fought the good fight for more than two decades, Francisca is now eager to pass the torch on to the next generation. She hopes to inculcate in them a passion for environmental protection."][/ALUMNI-QUOTES]