Jakarta. “Don’t give up! Stay strong!” Those words from a renowned motivator have stayed in Nur Agis Aulia’s memory to this day and have become his life principle. When he first heard those motivational words, Agis was still a university student -- around 15 years ago.

Thanks to his never-give-up principle, he has now risen to the position of Deputy Mayor of Serang -- a prestigious public office for someone who came from an ordinary family background.

He achieved this after having gone through various professions, starting as an employee at a state-owned enterprise (BUMN) before switching to entrepreneurship by establishing a goat farm he named Jawara Farm. As an entrepreneur, Agis successfully empowered hundreds of farmers, improving their economic well-being.

“It all started with a dream to free people from poverty and ignorance. This has become my grand narrative,” he said.

That conviction also guided him when he decided to enter politics. For him, by becoming a public official, the impact he could deliver to society would be far greater.

Multiplying Goodness Through Politics
It all began in 2019, when he courageously ran in the Serang City Legislative Election. From there, Agis was elected as a member of the City Council (DPRD) for the 2019–2024 term.

After serving on the council, Agis didn’t retire from politics. Encouraged by colleagues and peers, he ran in the 2024 Serang mayoral election as a deputy mayoral candidate. Paired with mayoral candidate Budi Rustandi, Agis won and now helps lead Serang City.

“After being elected, we maximize the roles we have. With Jawara Farm, I could help 500 people. As a council member, it was tens of thousands. Now, as Deputy Mayor, I’m targeting hundreds of thousands—even millions—through policies. This is my leap to multiply goodness, strengthen it, and expand it,” he explained.

From an Ordinary Family
Born in Serang on April 21, 1989, Agis grew up in a modest family. His father was a low-ranking civil servant, and his mother was a homemaker. After completing elementary and secondary school in his hometown, he pursued higher education at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (UGM).

Because of this family background, Agis was well aware that many families in his area still needed support. This realization drove him to leave his comfortable position at a Jakarta-based BUMN and return home to Serang, Banten, to develop his hometown’s potential. Many villages in Serang were still underdeveloped, with high poverty rates.

“I saw that poverty and unemployment in the villages weren’t due to a lack of human resources, but because local potential wasn’t being optimized,” he said.

From there, he saw opportunities in agroindustry, particularly sheep and goat farming. Despite lacking an educational background in that field, he realized the livestock market still had vast potential.

“As long as humans can’t eat stones, plastic, or paper—and as long as sacrificial worship isn’t done with chickens or rabbits—given the population and its needs, this is a huge potential,” he joked.

Agis eventually founded Jawara Farm, an integrated goat and sheep farm. Beyond just business, through this enterprise, he empowered local farmers, providing them with schemes to earn daily, weekly, monthly, and even annual income.

With a learning by doing spirit, he grew his business. It wasn’t without challenges—at one point, he was even deceived by an employee.

But holding firmly to his don’t give up principle, Agis bounced back. His hard work paid off. From operating only in Serang City, his livestock business expanded to Greater Serang, throughout Banten Province, and even into Central Java.

“Now we have active partners in Bogor (West Java) and Magelang (Central Java). We’re collaborating with sheep and goat farmers across Indonesia,” said Agis, who later earned the nickname Juragan Kambing (Goat Boss).

Networking as the Key
Nur Agis Aulia’s success as Deputy Mayor of Serang was built through countless efforts. During university, he was active in the UGM Student Cooperative and even served as its chairman.

Coming from a modest family, he also sought scholarships to support his studies. Eventually, he was awarded the Tanoto Foundation Scholarship after going through a rigorous selection process.

In the program, Tanoto Scholars (scholarship recipients) weren’t only required to excel academically but also to develop their potential outside the classroom through organizational and leadership activities.

“I’m grateful to Tanoto Foundation for supporting my tuition and living expenses, so I didn’t have to worry about finances and could focus on studying and organizing,” he said.

According to him, Tanoto Foundation’s programs provide vital preparation for young generations, especially through soft-skill development such as communication, networking, and leadership.

These soft skills played a significant role in his career. For instance, networking was a skill he put into practice by maintaining good relations with fellow Tanoto Scholars, initially through Facebook and later through various digital platforms.

“Networking is also a key to surviving in a world full of challenges. If you really want to grow, the key is building networks that lead to collaboration—so growth comes faster,” he said.

One of his most memorable experiences with the Tanoto Foundation was when scholarship recipients gathered at a camp in Bogor, West Java. There, Tanoto Scholars from universities nationwide received leadership training from professionals.

“It was a powerful leadership-learning practice. Each student had their own ego, but at the camp, we were taught to be wiser and motivated to become leaders who create positive change,” Agis explained.

His never-give-up spirit continues to drive him to multiply goodness, especially in developing Serang City.

Tanoto Foundation TELADAN Scholarship Registration Open
Currently, Tanoto Foundation is accepting applications for the 2026 cohort of the TELADAN Scholarship at 10 public universities in Indonesia. Successful candidates will receive full tuition and living stipends. What sets it apart is that recipients also receive structured leadership development training for 3.5 years, from the second to the eighth semester.

Tanoto Scholars benefit from leadership and soft-skill training, as well as additional financial support for competitions, conferences, certifications, and short-term learning programs both domestically and abroad, such as summer courses, exchanges, and volunteering. They also have opportunities to intern at Tanoto Foundation’s industry partners and receive funding for collaborative research.

Additionally, Tanoto Scholars will join the Tanoto Scholars Association at their respective campuses -- a platform for collaboration and social contribution through the Pay It Forward spirit. Upon graduation, they become part of Tanoto Foundation’s global alumni network.

This year, the TELADAN Program is also open to first-semester students who are recipients of the government’s KIP-K scholarship at the 10 partner universities. For more information, click here: bit.ly/JadiTELADAN2026

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