Supporting local champions: Reflections on the first year as ASAP's Indonesia Programme Coordinator
17 December 2024
At the heart of ASAP’s work in Indonesia is a commitment to empowering local conservation organisations—those on the frontlines of protecting the region’s most endangered species. When Cahaya Ramadhani joined ASAP as the first Indonesia Programme Coordinator, it marked a new chapter in our efforts to provide more localised, hands-on support to our partners.
Below, Cahaya reflects on her first year in the role and shares the activities and experiences that have stood out most to her.
Visiting our Partners and their projects
One of the highlights of my first year was visiting our Partners across Indonesia from October to December 2023. I travelled with colleagues to Java, Sulawesi, and Bali, meeting six Partners. Some were already ASAP grantees, while others were exploring or applying for grants.
Visiting ASAP Partner Indonesia Herpetofauna Foundation
During these visits, we discussed their organisation’s work, challenges, and progress, and explored how ASAP could best support them. Many Partners shared how meeting face-to-face and speak in Bahasa Indonesia, our native language, made it easier for them to open up and share their needs more deeply. Since these visits we’ve been able to offer more tailored support and welcome new grantees, including our first recipients of the Continuation Fund and Partner Networking Fund.
My first time at ASAP’s annual Governing Council meeting
In February 2024, I travelled to Singapore for my first face-to-face meeting with the ASAP Governing Council. Over three days, we reviewed ASAP's achievements from the past year and discussed plans for supporting our Partners in the coming years.
I shared insights from my outreach with Indonesian Partners, and the need for targeted organisational development support for our Partners to be more effective in delivering their conservation work and ensuring the long-term sustainability of their organisations. The Governing Council members were welcoming and supportive, offering valuable feedback on how to strengthen my work moving forward. As a result, we are now planning the first-ever targeted one-on-one support for Organisational Development for ASAP Partners, starting with Indonesia.
Meeting with the ASAP Governing Council in Singapore, February 2024
Attending the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group meeting
In June 2024, I attended the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group meeting in Yogyakarta which included updates from various members, discussions on new work plans and priorities, and talks about priority taxa lists.
This was my first specialist group meeting, and a good chance to meet experts specialising in Asian songbirds and their trade. At the event I was able to have catch-ups with attending ASAP Partners on topics beyond project and organisational work. This contrasts with the more focused discussions that typically happen during Partner visits. It helped me better understand the broader context of our Partners’ work, strengthen relationships, and later offer more holistic support.
Completing the Women in Conservation Leadership Programme
Throughout 2024, I joined the ASAP Women in Conservation Leadership Programme with 14 amazing women conservation leaders from across Southeast Asia. The programme began with an in-person retreat in Cambodia in May, followed by eight months of online sessions and one-on-one coaching.
This programme has enhanced my work with ASAP by enabling me to better assist and support our Partners. It exposed me to diverse perspectives and different ways of navigating complex conservation issues, as shared by other women leaders in conservation. What I didn’t expect was how personally impactful it would be. I realised how much I had been missing having peers who truly understand the challenges of conservation work and are so open to sharing and supporting each other.
The highlight was our online graduation in November—a heartfelt celebration with guests and alumnae—where each of us shared personal stories filled with tears, laughter, and joy. It was so wholesome, and I hope we’ll stay connected for years to come.
Cahaya with the 2024 Women in Conservation Leadership Programme participants and delivery team during the retreat in Cambodia
As I am entering my second year with ASAP, I am excited about the plans ahead, drawing on the valuable insights gained from our incredible Partners and what I learned in my first year. I am particularly looking forward to advancing the organisational development plan and providing targeted support for our Indonesian Partners, with the hope of replicating these efforts in other countries in the region.
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