Karina Primadhita and Pin Sudiraharti

Pin Sudiraharti (47) and Karina Primadhita (22) are social entrepreneurs from Bandung. This mother and daughter on their own initiative set up a special needs school for children with hearing and speech impairments.

Setting aside some of her beauty salon business profits, Mrs. Sudiraharti took on her first student in 1997 in her living room – and a further 23 students when she began building a proper classroom near her house in 2000. Now, SLB Prima Bhakti Mulia teaches 75 students with hearing and speech impairments, from kindergarten to junior high school. This school has created jobs for 14 local people as teachers. With a focus on good quality and affordable education, SLB Prima Bhakti Mulia offers scholarship schemes for students from underprivileged families.

Karina is a Global Xchange volunteer, a British Council programme for Indonesian and UK volunteers age 18 – 25. Mrs. Sudiraharti is a community entrepreneur and British Council’s partners in Global XChange 2008.