JWB’s mentorship program empowers Nur Khosiah to help migrant domestic workers

“The passion of wanting to meet new people and share their stories is always deep in my heart. It fuels my daily life,” said Nur Khosiah (Khosi). “Whenever I am free, I like strolling around nearby villages to meet people there, especially women, to hear their stories. We would talk about a lot of things, from food, life in general, to religion.”

Her people-oriented personality and care for women not only make her great at her job, but also keep her very busy.

Aside from teaching at AKBID Mandiri Gresik (Independent Midwife Academy of Gresik), she is very active in FATAYAT, an organization of Muslim women. She is the Head of the Institution for the Protection of Women and Children and the Coordinator of the Laws, Politics and Advocacy. Her key focuses are advocating for women’s rights, inter-religious tolerance and protection of women and children against violence.

However, there was still one gap to be filled. “When I received migrant worker cases, I didn’t have any skills, resources, and knowledge to help them. Sometimes I would just help them by seeking an expert in that field and referring them to the relevant institutions, or I could just take their stories home with me,” Khosi said.

FATAYAT is one of the community organizations participating Program AKSES, an Indonesian mentorship program organized by Justice Without Borders (JWB). This provided an opportunity for Khosi to learn more about migrant workers’ rights, cross-border litigation and more.

“Most migrant workers I know have never heard about cross-border litigation, rights to adequate accommodations, minimum wages, and all the basic stuff.  What they know is that they work and they get paid,” she said, adding, “I am so excited that JWB exists and thrives in advocating justice for them. I feel like I have a chance to help those in need more effectively and raise awareness amongst migrant domestic workers (MDWs).”

“I enjoy learning everything that has been taught in Program AKSES. Cross-border litigation is a subject I want to master the most, because I feel like this is crucial for the successful advocacy to MDW rights,” she explained. 

Although the program gave her a clearer picture on the subject, she felt that she still needs to explore more. “For example, there are many types of evidence that can be required in a case. Identifying and collecting evidence can sometimes be a challenge.”

Nur Khosiah was also pleased that the programme did not just take care of the legal aspects. Mentees received trainings on psychological first aid, which has contributed to FATATYAT’s operations. “The teaching on psychological first aid has inspired us to incorporate those protocols in our own SOP, so that people coming for our help can also get the psychological support they need.”

“My dream is to become one of Indonesia’s advocates in cross-border litigation. Building from my foundations in Program AKSES, I believe I can continue to grow my knowledge and skills,” she concluded.

By Coffee Pang, Public Relations Lead @JWB

The PowerUp Campaign features how JWB scales up its impact through building capacity with our allies. Our partners, including mentors, mentees, funders and frontline organization leaders, came together to share their experiences in our capacity building programs. We also look ahead to how we continue to scale up our impact to ensure that access to justice is as mobile as migrant workers.