Imagine a small stone falling into calm water. Ripples move outward, slowly at first, then growing wider. That is how kindness works – small at first, but capable of touching distant shores.  Its size never matches its echo.

This is the story of two Indonesian women who prove this truth: Listyaningsih, affectionately known as Bunda Lis  from Kebon Tebu, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, and Dwi Septiani from Warabal, Bogor. Neither of them holds a title of authority. They are not professors or leaders of large organisations. But when neighbours mention their names, the tone of their voice shifts. A gleamer of hope slips into the room.

Starting from Simple Things

At that time, in Kebon Tebu, being a high school graduate was already considered an extraordinary achievement. Amidst these limitations, Lis saw children growing up without the opportunity to learn. There was a void waiting to be filled. So that, she began with the simplest way possible: gathering kids at her home, singing, and chanting together. There was no curriculum, just warmth behind each gesture and sincere intentions at every meeting.

^{Bunda Lis with the children at the Kebon Tebu Penjaringan in 2007}

Next, we met Dwi—affectionately called Uwi—who has displayed her distinctive character from a young age. Whenever she received pocket money, she would quietly give it to friends who were mor in need. “Dwi never told me that she gave her pocket money to her friends,” recalled Kiswanti, her mother, who is also a literacy activist and community leader in their village.

^{Dwi as a teenager in 2008}

Growing Together with Wadah Foundation

Motivation turns into action when determination meets the right direction. This is   where the Yayasan Wadah Titian Harapan (Wadah Foundation) comes in as a partner in their journey.  Lis received support to develop her teaching skills, transforming her self-taught early childhood education centre (PAUD) into a more structured institution, which eventually achieved B accreditation.

^{Bunda Lis teaches children at Al-Hidayah Early Childhood Education Centre}

For Dwi, the Wadah Foundation became the place where she found her life’s calling. From being an ordinary student, she was entrusted with helping to teach early childhood education and tutoring programmes, until she finally became a staff member and was entrusted with leading the Wadah Regional House in Bogor in 2020. The Wadah Foundation not only provides a platform—it also nurtures hidden potential. Dwi is now one of the facilitators at the Wadah Foundation and leads several programmes with the community.

^{Dwi teaches children at Nurul Qalbi Early Childhood Education Centre – Dwi with colleagues at Wadah}

Guiding Philosophy

Bunda Lis lives by one truth: that joy grows when she lifts others up. She finds peace in giving, not because she expected anything in return, but because she believes it is the right thing to do.

Dwi has an equally profound philosophy: “If you want to flow like water, that’s good. But never flow to dirty places, because that will contaminate everything.” She also always emphasizes looking at long-term impact, not momentary satisfaction, as her husband shared.

“Bunda Lis is not a dictator. She sees us as equals,” said one of her colleagues. The same is evident in Dwi—when she became a Wadah Foundation staff member and was entrusted with leading the Wadah Regional House in Bogor in 2020, she remained a colleague, not a boss.

Both are also skilled at nurturing others’ potential. Lis transformed a shy teacher into a confident form teacher. Dwi taught her colleagues how to control their emotions while teaching. A beautiful pattern of regeneration has formed at Warabal—those who were once students have now become   teachers and administrators.

Redefining Success

Consistent small steps yield real results. Lis has now earned a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and expanded her activities beyond early childhood education—she has started offering computer training courses and building a team. Meanwhile, Dwi admits her outlook on life has completely changed: “I used to think success meant luxury cars and big houses. I was wrong. True success is when we can make people smile. I can imagine their smiles—and I am happy.”

Lis does not want to stop at what she has achieved now.   “I’m not satisfied. I will keep learning to be a friend, a leader, and a mentor who prioritises the welfare of all.”

^{Bunda Lis with Early Childhood Education and Course and Training Institution teachers – Dwi with Early Childhood Education teachers}

Ripples That Keep Spreading

The story of Lis and Dwi is a reminder: great change does not always require great resources. Sometimes, all it takes is one person who sees a void and decides to fill it.

The small stones they dropped years ago are now creating ripples that touch countless lives. Ripple effects. That is what happens when kindness is done with sincerity.

So, the question now is: what small stone can you drop today? Who can you help smile? Because, as the story from these two extraordinary women, we don’t need to wait until we’re big to start.

^{Bunda Lis teaches at Al-Hidayah course and training institutions – Dwi at Leadership Camp 2023}

Author: Grace Sri Maria Namora Situmorang
Editor: Zul Herman