Jakarta. Indonesia continues to face a pressing challenge in improving the quality of its human capital. According to the World Bank’s Human Capital Index (HCI) 2020, Indonesia scored only 0.54, meaning a child born today is projected to achieve just 54 percent of their full productivity potential under optimal conditions.

This figure lags behind regional peers such as Thailand (0.61) and Malaysia (0.62), reflecting systemic gaps in early childhood education, child nutrition, and healthcare access. Without intervention, millions of Indonesian children risk losing critical opportunities to build the skills and resilience needed to thrive in a global economy.

The Indonesian government, through its Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision and long-term development plan (RPJPN 2025–2045), has set a target to raise the nation’s HCI to 0.73 by 2045. Reaching this goal requires not only policy breakthroughs but also a new generation of young leaders capable of designing solutions on the ground, engaging communities, and driving sustainable change.

Investing in Future Builders

To help close this gap, Tanoto Foundation, an independent philanthropy founded by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto in 1981, launched the Tanoto Foundation Fellowship Program in 2024. The program equips young Indonesians with the skills, networks, and values to become “development actors,” leaders who serve with empathy while driving transformation in education, health, and beyond.

On Aug. 28, 2025, the foundation celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of nine Tanoto Fellows, who spent a year immersed in early childhood education, literacy-numeracy improvement, and higher education soft-skill development across North Sumatra, Central Java, and Kalimantan.

“Since my parents founded Tanoto Foundation, we have grown from building a small primary school in North Sumatra to supporting systemic education reform. But we still see a shortage of mission-driven leaders who can work holistically and inspire communities. This Fellowship nurtures young changemakers who are not only capable, but also grounded in purpose and empathy,” said Belinda Tanoto, Member of the Board of Trustees of Tanoto Foundation.

From Papua to London: A New Generation of Fellows

At the same event, Tanoto Foundation also inaugurated its second cohort of 10 Tanoto Fellows, selected from more than 1,300 applicants nationwide. Over the next year, they will be deployed to partner regions to design, implement, and evaluate community-driven initiatives in education and health.

The 10 Tanoto Fellows of the 2025 cohort come from diverse educational backgrounds and inspiring experiences. They are:

• Julia Rosemary Tapilatu, a marine conservationist from Papua and founder of OurConservaSea, a graduate of Papua University (B.A.) and Texas A&M University (M.Sc.), who actively promotes environmental education in coastal areas.

• Ghefira Auliya Rabbani, a graduate of Riau University (B.A.), who has led various youth development and literacy advocacy programs, and served as Special Advisor for Innovation Acceleration at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

• Kevin Angdreas, an international political economy researcher, graduate of Asia Pacific University (B.A.) and the London School of Economics (M.Sc.), with experience at INDEF, CIPS, and the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia.

• Dinda Kayana Rizky, a graduate of Brawijaya University (B.A. & M.A.), dedicated to inclusive and sustainable urban development, and co-founder of Urbanist Indonesia, a foundation advocating for marginalized urban communities through research, advocacy, and public services.

• Ansar Ahmad, a graduate of the University of Indonesia (B.A.) and Head of Fundraising at Shantanu Indonesia, who has developed grassroots empowerment programs nationwide and actively leads fundraising and advocacy efforts with organizations such as Humanity First and LBH Jakarta.

• Arief Rahman Nur Fadhilah, a career counselor and leadership trainer, graduate of Airlangga University (B.A. & M.A.), with experience in youth development programs such as Pena Bangsa and leadership training at Rumah Kepemimpinan.

• Stephanie Dinda Iskandar, a graduate of the University of Indonesia (B.A.), founder and CEO of Green Neighbour Indonesia, a coalition bridging research, policy, and community action to accelerate climate solutions, with policy research experience at Bappenas, the Indonesian Parliament, and various think tanks.

• Jordi Hildianto, a graduate of Sampoerna University and the University of Arizona (B.A. Double Degree), who has demonstrated strong leadership in youth advocacy and adolescent mental health, with experience in programs such as UNICEF’s Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) and BKKBN’s Forum Generasi Berencana Indonesia.

• Salsabila Hardiyanti Warmanda, a graduate of the University of Indonesia (B.A.), passionate about inclusive education, mental health, and social impact, and active through initiatives such as Sekolah Sehat Jiwa and the Sadari Project.

• Eka Hermansyah, a graduate of the International Islamic University (B.A. & M.A.), an education professional committed to children’s rights, education, and inclusive learning, with experience at development organizations such as SEAMEO CECCEP and Save the Children.

This diversity underscores the program’s belief that development leadership must cut across sectors to meet Indonesia’s complex challenges.

Legacy in Motion

The milestone was marked by the event “Legacy in Motion: Celebrating the Tanoto Foundation Fellowship Journey”, held at the Tanoto Foundation Impact Gallery in Jakarta. Distinguished partners such as Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, Head of Statistics Indonesia, and Aria Widyanto, President Director of Amartha Foundation, joined discussions on evidence-based policymaking and rural education development.

A Unique Model of Leadership Learning

The Tanoto Fellowship adopts an experiential learning model, combining immersion, initiative design, implementation, and reflection. Fellows receive 1-on-1 coaching, mentoring, and leadership camps covering project management, governance, and impact investment.

Graduates join the Tanoto Fellows Network, a lifelong learning and collaboration platform that expands with each cohort, ensuring sustained impact across generations.

“Transformation begins from within, then radiates to communities,” Belinda Tanoto emphasized. “The Fellowship is a living legacy, nurturing leaders who are humble, resilient, and visionary.”

With its fellows embedded in regions from Sumatra to Papua, Tanoto Foundation continues to invest in human capital acceleration, cultivating changemakers who will help Indonesia seize its demographic dividend and compete on the global stage.