Askarimah

Galleries

Starting Point

Yayasan Askarimah Mandiri Aceh (YAMA), also known as Askarimah, was established in 2020. The name Askarimah is derived from the word ‘Laskar,’ meaning ‘fighter, ’ and ‘Imah’ is a feminine attribute. When put together, the words 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. Even with the rule that requires 30% of legislative members to be women, women would still be the last choice.

Peace Journey

Many female ex-combatants fought in the war, but their struggle is not recognised, and they are not included in the written history. Therefore, Askarimah's primary goals are to have women ex-combatants acknowledged for their participation in the battle and to ensure history recognises their existence.

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

Success Stories

As a women's movement organisation, Askarimah faces significant challenges, including the minimal recognition of its members' existence and abilities. Furthermore, there are horizontal conflicts among members. Many members lack the ability to read or write, which undermines their confidence. Moreover, achieving economic stability is a challenging task.

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