In the heart of East Nusa Tenggara, a movement is growing—one that blends education, tourism, and creative economy to empower communities from within. This is the vision of Asarasa Indonesia, a non-profit organization that brings young changemakers together with Indigenous communities to co-create sustainable futures. As one of the winners of the Solve For Change Grant, in collaboration with the Average Foundation, Asarasa is expanding its flagship initiative, Rangkai Asa, to strengthen learning and livelihoods in Nggela Traditional Village.
About the Grant
The Solve! for Change Grant is a catalytic microgrant designed to fuel youth-led innovation across Asia and Africa. With funding of up to SGD 600 per team, the grant supports early-stage projects tackling urgent local problems with community-led, tech-enabled education solutions.
This year’s cycle drew over 100 applications from youth innovators across Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, India, and Nigeria. Each proposal was reviewed not just for feasibility but for its ability to advance Solve Education!’s five pillars: English and Math literacy, AI and digital skills, entrepreneurship and employment readiness, financial literacy, and climate education.
The grant is more than financial support; it is a platform to amplify local voices, build capacity, and spark scalable change. Powered by Solve Education!’s GAIN framework, Gamification, AI coaching, Incentives, and Network, it proves that small grants can unlock outsized transformation.
A Learning Ecosystem Rooted in Innovation
Asarasa was born out of a recognition that while Nggela Village is rich in cultural and natural resources, many of its people—especially women, children, and youth—face limited access to quality education, tourism opportunities, and creative economy participation.
In 2023, Asarasa piloted Rangkai Asa Season 1, fully funding 6 participants to immerse themselves in Nggela through cultural exchange, craft-making, tourism mapping, branding, and waste management. This pilot directly reached 150 beneficiaries, empowered 30 youth, and logged 500 volunteering hours, while strengthening 2 art and craft groups and supporting 20 artisans.
With the Solve For Change Grant, Asarasa is preparing for Rangkai Asa Season 2 in late 2025, scaling up to 30 youth delegates and 60 elementary school students in East Nusa Tenggara. A key innovation will be the integration of edbot.ai into the education program, enabling at least 100 new learners to experience gamified, adaptive digital learning. The grant will also help formalize Asarasa’s legal foundation status, ensuring long-term sustainability.
What makes Asarasa unique is its holistic design:
- Education through contextual, tech-enabled learning.
- Tourism as a platform for intercultural exchange and local promotion.
- Creative economy by revitalizing art, craft, and cultural products tied to Indigenous wisdom.
By weaving these strands together, Asarasa transforms a volunteering trip into a sustained model of empowerment.
Recognized and Ready to Scale
Led by a team of young Indonesians committed to sustainability and culture, including Rana Radhwarana (Board of Trustees), Darama Syahdila (Managing Director), Cargim Mardisal (Digital & Communications), Anis Mustikasari (Project), and Athaya Salsabila (People & Organization), Asarasa blends professionalism with grassroots passion.
The Solve For Change judges provided diverse reflections on the project:
“Powerful project impacting a full society in different ways!!! From children to older people, from education to business. Well done!!” — Erica Lopes, EMEA Product Marketing Manager, Lenovo
“This represents solid, well-intentioned community development work with cultural sensitivity, but lacks the focused innovation and compelling narrative of the top-tier proposals in this evaluation.” — Another member of the Solve For Change judging panel
These comments highlight both the strength of Asarasa’s community-wide approach and areas for future growth. While its breadth of impact was celebrated, feedback also emphasized the importance of sharpening its innovation focus and storytelling to strengthen its long-term influence.
Your Role in Building the Future
Your support doesn’t just provide microgrants, it strengthens ecosystems. By investing in community-rooted innovation like Asarasa Indonesia, you help Indigenous communities protect their culture while opening new pathways in education and the creative economy.
If you believe in the power of grassroots changemakers, we warmly invite you to support this journey. Champion youth delegates. Help expand this model to new villages. Co-host a showcase that amplifies Indigenous creativity and resilience. Together, we can weave good intentions into lasting prosperity.
Check out the 10 finalists of the Solve For Change Grant on our LinkedIn here.