It was still dark when Rita left home. She had hidden her clothes in a plastic bag because she did not own a proper bag yet. That morning, she had one goal: to reach the nearest big town in time to sit for her school examination.
Margarita Luwudara, known as Rita, was the sixth of eight children born into a farming family in Kawasi, at a time when access to education and transportation was far from easy. Travelling to the nearest town could take an entire day, combining journeys by land and sea.
Her journey was made even harder by the fact that she left home without her father’s blessing. When Rita asked for permission to sit her primary school examination in 2008, her father’s response broke her heart.
“Why go through all this trouble for school? In the end, you’ll just be like your older siblings.”
Her father was not trying to hold her back. He was worried that the sacrifices he had made to send her older siblings to school would lead to the same outcome. He was afraid that Rita, too, might not find the future they had hoped for.
Despite her tears, Rita refused to give up on her childhood dream of becoming a pastor. She had been inspired by a religious leader in her village whom she admired for her intelligence and charisma.
Then, support came from an unexpected source: one of her teachers, who promised to provide Rita with meals throughout the examination. The night before she left, Rita hid her clothes beneath an eggplant tree. Before dawn, she quietly set off into the darkness.
Her courage paid off when her older sibling caught up with her, bringing food and news that their father had relented and given his permission. He later accompanied Rita until she completed her examination.
Rita’s achievements gradually changed her father’s view. When asked what she wanted to become, she answered without hesitation: “I want to be a pastor.”
Her determination touched her father, especially because no woman from Kawasi had ever become a pastor before. From then on, his support for her education grew stronger.
Following her senior high school graduation, her dream of studying in Ambon ran into financial obstacles, since her older sibling was also still in school. A way forward came through a Harita Nickel scholarship. This support eased the family's burden, allowing her sibling to focus on covering Rita's living costs.
After completing her theology degree at the Maluku Indonesian Christian University (UKIM) in 2016, fate then led her to work at a company. Then, in October 2018, Rita joined Harita Nickel. Although she never stood at a church pulpit, her theological training became a crucial foundation for the work she does today.
“Because in both roles, I am ultimately dealing with people,” she said.
Today, Rita deals directly with the community's wide-ranging needs and concerns. Her education taught her empathy: to see problems clearly, search for solutions, and anchor her approach in humanity.
As the first local woman to join the CSR team, Rita has faced high expectations from the community. When support reaches those who need it, appreciation follows. But when expectations cannot be met, social dynamics can quickly change. Rita chooses to face those moments with reason and perspective.
“I’m not an ice cream vendor with just one flavour. I can’t please everyone,” she said firmly.
For Rita, being a bridge between the company and the community is about much more than distributing aid. It means listening to people’s hopes, aspirations, communicating the limitations transparently, and building relationships based on mutual understanding and trust.
After nearly eight years of dedication, Rita is now a Community Relations Superintendent.
Her journey is a testament to the people and opportunities that helped shape her: a teacher who opened the first door, a family that eventually supported her ambitions, and a company that gave local talent the opportunity to grow and lead.
Years ago, Rita quietly slipped out of her home in the darkness, determined to reach a school examination with her clothes hidden beneath an eggplant tree. Today, she stands in the community that raised her, not as the girl trying to find her way out, but as a professional helping build understanding between the company and the people around it.
Her journey has come full circle. And through it all, one principle remains at the heart of who she is: treating people with humanity.