Two twin sisters from a day laborer’s family in Ponorogo, East Java, have earned full scholarships to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), proving that determination and education can open opportunities far beyond the circumstances into which someone is born.
For Mahmudah Lathif and Muzdrickah Lathif—better known as Rikah—their admission to UGM marks the end of years of perseverance and the beginning of a new chapter. Growing up in Klitik Hamlet, Sidoharjo Village, Jambon District, they dared to pursue higher education despite financial hardship and the limited educational opportunities that have long characterized their community.
Their achievement also carries a broader meaning for the village itself. Once burdened by a long-standing stigma associated with poverty, geographic isolation, and limited access to education, the community is gradually writing a different story—one shaped by young people who see education as a pathway to a better future.
Mahmudah and Rikah are the daughters of Meseri, a day laborer who works in the fields during planting and harvest seasons and takes construction jobs whenever work is available. Their mother, Siti Rokhayati, is a homemaker who occasionally helps in the fields to supplement the family’s modest income.
“As long as there’s work, I’ll do it,” Meseri said, describing the mindset that has sustained the family for years.
When the couple learned they were expecting twins, they made an important decision: they would focus all their efforts on giving both daughters the education they themselves had never enjoyed.
“At the very least, we didn’t want them to experience the same hardships we did,” Siti said.
Long before the girls entered elementary school, their parents introduced them to reading and writing, believing education would offer opportunities that manual labor could not.
The sisters attended the same schools throughout their education—SDN 3 Krebet, MTsN 5 Ponorogo, and SMAN 1 Badegan—not only to reduce transportation costs but also to make their parents’ lives easier.
At school, they quickly became known as high-achieving students who constantly challenged one another.
Since elementary school, both have consistently ranked among the top students in their classes. Mahmudah eventually collected 18 academic and scientific awards, while Rikah earned 14 achievements ranging from regional Olympiads to national essay and poster competitions.
Rather than seeing each other as rivals, they viewed every competition as another opportunity to learn.
“In every competition, there are always victories and disappointments,” Mahmudah said. “We simply took turns.”
Neither sister realized they had been quietly pursuing the same dream.
For Rikah, the idea of studying at UGM began in fourth grade after a teacher told the class about a former student who had earned a scholarship to the university.
“I never told anyone,” she recalled. “I kept that dream to myself.”
Mahmudah’s dream developed differently.
She first became curious after hearing people mention UGM and jokingly began saying she wanted to study there whenever someone asked about her future.
“I always said it jokingly,” she laughed. “But deep down, I truly hoped it would happen.”
Only years later did they discover they had been working toward the same goal.
Their journey to UGM was anything but straightforward.
Both were unsuccessful through Indonesia’s National Selection Based on Achievement (SNBP). They later secured admission to another public university in Malang but decided not to settle because it was not where they truly wanted to study.
Rikah estimated she experienced seven unsuccessful admission attempts through various pathways.
“Of course we felt discouraged,” she said. “But we always believed another opportunity would come.”
That opportunity arrived through UGM’s Talent Scouting for Outstanding Students from Economically Disadvantaged Families (PBUTM).
“At that point, I hardly dared to hope anymore,” Rikah admitted.
UGM announced the results, accepting both sisters and awarding each a 100 percent tuition scholarship.
“After such a long journey, all the studying, all the competitions, and all the hard work finally paid off,” Mahmudah said.
Their father described the news as one of the happiest moments of his life.
He said he felt incredibly grateful when he learned that both of his daughters had been accepted to UGM.
Mahmudah will study Property Management and Valuation at UGM’s Vocational College, while Rikah will pursue Applied Veterinary Technology.
Rikah already hopes to return to her village after graduation and establish a livestock extension community to support local farmers.
“I want the knowledge I gain to benefit the community where I grew up,” she said.
In many parts of their village, young people traditionally finish vocational school before entering the workforce or seeking employment overseas as migrant workers.
Mahmudah and Rikah chose a different path.
Their story demonstrates that neither economic hardship nor geographical isolation defines a person’s future.
“Thank you for never giving up on me and for always believing in me,” Rikah said as she embraced her parents after receiving the admission news.
For the two sisters, earning a place at UGM is more than a personal achievement. It is proof that dreams can flourish even in the most modest circumstances. That education has the power to transform not only individual lives but also the hopes of an entire community.
Author/Photo: Donnie Tristan
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-Editor: Jasmine Ferdian