Celebrating Ibu Sari Pollen

We are celebrating International Women’s Day, by sharing inspiring stories from women who have an inspiring women in their life.

I am a Balinese woman and would like to nominate Ibu Sari Pollen. I was in a relationship with a Western man. On the 15th of March 2018, he passed away due to a fatal accident and when he was in a comma, I learned I was 5 weeks pregnant. We were never married.

I kept the baby and I received no financial and emotional support from both his family and mine.

On the 29th of October 2018, I gave birth to my first daughter. Due to breech position, I had to do it through C-section.  Since a few weeks before the delivery, I suffered from severe coughing and I had a little help.

I contacted Ibu Sari after reading about her profile at Indonesia Expat.

She lost the custody of her daughter to her ex husband who does not allow them to meet each other.

Due to the support from her friends, she then decided to use her pain to make a difference by helping widows or divorced women who are chastised and marginalized by society and provided them with shelters, support system, and financial help.

After I gave birth, I immediately contacted her. She was super responsive by sending me two struggling divorced women to help me out for a few days.

A few weeks ago, I called her again. I lived with a father who was physically and emotionally abusive. With sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion I endured when nursing my child, I suffered from Postpartum Anxieties.

After receiving my call, she then asked her driver to pick me up within 2 hours. She gave me a room with fully equipped furniture. She bought the formula for my child. She has been understanding to my situation. She has been very supportive.

I am still living at her center with my daughter.

She runs 2 other programs which are teaching kids with special needs and empowering impoverished Balinese women by employing them for her catering business.