Askarimah

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Starting Point

Yayasan Askarimah Mandiri Aceh (YAMA), also known as Akarimah, was established in 2020. The name Askarimah is taken from the word ‘Laskar’ which means fighter, while ‘Imah’ is a feminine attribute. Combined together, they mean women fighters for women. 

The mission of Askarimah is to unite ex-combatants, strengthen friendship, and find the identity of peace. Askarimah was born as a response to disappointment with Aceh's local political groups, which discriminate against women. When the rule that 30% of legislative members must be women finally emerged, women would still be the last choice.

Peace Journey

Many female ex-combatants fought in the war, but their struggle is not acknowledged, nor are they included in the written history. Therefore, two of Askarimah's main goals are to make women ex-combatants recognize that they took part in the battle and for history to reckon with their existence.

So far, Askarimah has contributed by advocating for women ex-combatants through various trainings in collaboration with Balai Syura and providing political education for all Askarimah members. These various trainings are carried out because many female ex-combatants receive stereotypes of not being fluent in Indonesian and not being able to read and write.

Success Stories

As a women's movement organization, Askarimah faces significant challenges, including the minimum recognition of its members' existence and abilities. Furthermore, there are horizontal conflicts among members. Many members can’t read or write, making them lack confidence. There is also the difficulty of achieving economic stability.

Despite numerous challenges, the name Askarimah is finally becoming known. The founders of Askarimah began to receive recognition for their abilities and existence. Furthermore, a few women activists from Askarimah could finally speak out and express their desires in the public sphere.