Indonesian migrants in Singapore: from domestic worker to salon owner

Thousands have gained essential skills, education at Development Singapore

SINGAPORE (MNTV) – Karlina, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, dreams of opening a facial salon when she returns to her hometown.

Each Sunday, after a long week of working as a domestic worker in Singapore, she heads to an inconspicuous building in the central business district, where she and dozens other migrants receive training in new skills. 

“I’m very interested in skincare. I want to have my own business someday,” said the 43-year-old woman in an interview with CNA.

After 18 years working in Singapore, where there are around 200,000 Indonesian migrants, Karlina is now taking the next step to fulfilling her dream by taking up courses at Development Singapore, a non-profit organization. 

Nurul Aida, 26, another student at Development Singapore, shares a similar dream of opening a salon back home. “I won’t work in Singapore forever,” said Nurul.

Both Nurul and Karlina look forward to eventually returning home to build new lives with their families.

They are among around 3,000 Indonesian domestic workers who have received training at Development Singapore. Many of them have returned home to start new careers or businesses and also created jobs for others in their communities.

Development Singapore co-founders Harun Lie and Josanti Cornelius Huwae Kaidoen, who are proud of their former students’ achievements today, never thought the organization would be this successful when they founded it in 2007.  

Harun, 52, said the movement began after he felt concerned reading a newspaper article about the impact of migration on the communities left behind.

“Many mothers in rural areas who didn’t have educational opportunities were forced to work abroad—in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and other countries,” Harun recalled.

“This created problems in their hometowns. Crime rates rose because their children were left behind without a maternal figure.”

Harun was also disturbed after hearing about the plight of his neighbor’s domestic worker who had then recently come from Indonesia.

“The domestic worker cried constantly for two weeks,” Harun recounted. It turned out she had recently given birth and had to leave her four-month-old baby to work in Singapore.

Development Singapore began by securing classroom spaces, recruiting volunteer teachers, and developing a curriculum to award school certifications up to high-school level in partnership with an institution in Batam.

“They aren’t just learning skills, but (are) learning to dream again,” said Sri Redjeki Widjaja, Development Singapore’s current coordinator.

Development Singapore has expanded its offerings to cover entrepreneurship, English, makeup, social media, digital marketing, computer skills, as well as creativity and innovation. 

Some are even pursuing master’s degrees or starting successful businesses back home.

Nurul Fatimah, 34, for instance, successfully runs a motorcycle rental business in Nusa Dua, Bali, after working in Singapore for nine years. Starting with two motorcycles, Nurul now owns 34 units for rent.

Selamet Gunawan Satriyo, who heads the Forum for the Indonesian Diaspora in Singapore (FKMIS), said Development Singapore’s efforts in providing inclusive education have been a boon to the community. “FKMIS fully supports collaborative efforts that go beyond borders in building a more inclusive and adaptive educational ecosystem that empowers each individual based on their potential,” he said.