To Learn, She Went the Extra Mile

GIRL POWER: Tri Puji Ningsih (right) is one of the top TFI scholars from her school and earned a place in the programme together with her friends Prisalia Amanatus Sholihah (left) and Nailil Fitria (centre). PHOTO BY: ERMA SYAFIQAH

How far would you go to pursue a dream? For Temasek Foundation International

(TFI) Specialists’ Community Action & Leadership Exchange (SCALE) scholar Tri Puji

Ningsih, it would be six hours.

The State Polytechnic of Malang student had previously travelled six hours from her hometown in Tuban, East Java to her school. As the journey was long, Puji decided it would be better for her to stay at the school hostel to save time, leaving

her mother in the care of her younger brother back in the kampong.

The three-week TFI SCALE programme in Singapore gave Puji, who is from a single-parent family, a chance to be with her family. “I get to go home for one day before I fly off to Singapore,” the 21-year-old said. “Knowing that I will cry whenever I think about my mother and little brother back home, I have to meet them before I go to Singapore.”

In Singapore, Puji and her friends worked with students from Republic Polytechnic’s School of Infocomm (SOI) and learnt to make use of innovative technologies – such as a tiny and affordable computer known as the Raspberry Pi and the Internet of Things – to develop new ways of farming.

The students also visited farms in Kranji and Tampines Green to study sustainable

farming methods. TFI scholar Prisalia Amanatus Sholihah said the visits enhanced her learning. “Life without challenges is boring. Hence, by joining this project I am able to challenge myself and also explore more about the world of IT (Information Technology),” she said.

Puji earned her place at the TFI SCALE project after she edged out 50 other top GPA scholars from her school.

“I forego sleep every night to prepare my presentation proposal for the interview because I was also finishing my final semester project at the same time. I never thought I could get it and I was in tears when they announced I was selected for the exchange programme,” Puji said. “I want to be someone that my parents can be proud of and travel the world while gaining knowledge."

This article was published on the Republican Post TFI Scale IV special edition. You may read the newsletter HERE.