The proof can be exemplified by the extraordinary life of Richard Waery. While he was born a simple man from the Maluku Islands, his journey is one of resilience, opportunity and the transformative power of education.

Origin story

Richard’s story started the day his family were forced to flee his hometown of Ternate during the Maluku conflict of 1999, leaving behind their home and everything they owned with nothing more than the backpack he was carrying. The event shattered his belief in the harmonious community his family fostered in Maluku, exacerbated by political conflicts happening all over the country. 

Set behind the background of economic instability following the fall of the New Order regime, the remnants of division lines became the spark that ignited discrimination among some people. Families like Richard’s became one of the casualties, forced to leave the comfortable into uncertainty, without a guarantee that they could return to their home. For them, the pain felt tremendous.  

Before the riots reached its peak, his father and younger brother had already fled to their grandparents' house in Halmahera for safety, leaving Richard and his nine-month-old baby brother in the care of his mother.

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He recalled how he begged his parents to stay in Ternate because he had a school event he wanted to attend. However, the riots broke out and the event never materialized. The family was ultimately caught in the middle of the riots.

Fortunately, the three remaining family members were able to join the rest of the family in Halmahera, Maluku before leaving for Manado. For the next five years, Richard lived in a refugee camp in Manado where he was able to graduate elementary and middle schools

Richard then went on to SMA 5 Manado, crediting his mother’s determination and his family’s support to not neglect his academic journey, even in times of uncertainty.

“My mom always prioritized our education. She made sure that if everything else wasn't working out, the kids still got their education,” he said, despite the limited choice of institutions and transportation. 

Taking another first step

It’s funny how a small step of kindness can change someone’s life in an instant. For Richard, it came with a piece of paper. He recalled one of his teachers giving him a scholarship application form from the Putera Sampoerna Foundation, one he did not expect to receive. The teacher saw a potential in young Richard that others seemed to miss. 

Even after filling out his form, there are other things to consider, with the biggest one being the language barrier. He admitted that he was initially intimidated by his limited English fluency. Moreover, because of his conservative family background, Richard's parents were hesitant and worried about sending him to the United States. Despite all that, Richard successfully passed the rigorous interview process and was selected as one of five students with the opportunity to continue their academic career abroad.

To convince his parents, the foundation sent a team of people to Manado to speak directly with and reassure Richard's parents that he would be safe and well-supervised abroad. They all understood that Richard needed a support system to ensure that he can mentally take on the new challenge.

“I think the credit really goes with the Putera Sampoerna Foundation team at the time. I was under the impression that I would be going to school somewhere in Indonesia or even in Manado, but the funding would come from abroad, which is pretty typical then. So when it was laid out that you're going to the US, my parents, I think more so maybe my grandparents were definitely concerned about having their oldest 15-year-old son going abroad on his own,” he said. 

With the support of his family and Putera Sampoerna Foundation, Richard pursued an IB Diploma at United World College (UWC) in the US in 2005, with a brief orientation period in Bogor where he stayed with one of the team.

Before he turned 20, he had started over twice: once by leaving his home as a child to be a refugee, and another by becoming an international student where he has to learn how to live away from his home and family.

The journey continues

The initial journey to the US was not easy as Richard experienced culture shock and intense academic pressure, having to study difficult material amidst the language barrier. Yet, he persisted. After graduating from UWC, he continued his undergraduate studies at Westminster College, focusing on Computer Science and Biology.

Outside of the classroom, Richard was never idle. He became a programming & 3D game modding instructor, teaching C++ curriculum and 3D game design to children using engines like Unreal and World of Warcraft. Moreover, he became  a programmer analyst for Mail & More, Inc., taking on the task that handled all aspects of IT, from hardware maintenance and developing internal software solutions for operational efficiency to system security.

After graduation, his work became the foundation for the company to decide to sponsor his work visa. In 2014, he moved to Washington, D.C. and began working in the government technology sector, including at a company called WebFirst.

Even as a young employee, Richard was able to grow alongside the company, as it developed from around eight employees to over 50 during his tenure there, handling multimillion dollar projects for the United States federal government.

Today, Richard attributed his success not only to his resilience, great deal of luck, generosity, institutional support and the people who opened doors for him. Some doors opened led to his education and scholarship opportunities that made it possible for him to hone his passion. 

Beyond his academic career, his work ethic coupled with experience, taught him things that can’t be covered through a textbook: confidence, communication and leadership skills. His is a story that proves that access to quality education can create transformative opportunities that empower individuals to overcome adversity and contribute meaningfully on a global stage.

We can see Richard in the eyes of many young Indonesians, waiting for their chance to shine. Like the untapped potential of resources in the country, the talent of locals, regardless of their socioeconomic background, must be one that we nurture. Like Richard, scholarship and quality access to education can be the tool that helps these children be the person they are meant to be in the future.  

“For the people reading my story, just know that anything in life, good or bad, it’ll pass. One thing doesn't define your whole life, so just keep preparing yourself so that when an opportunity comes, you're ready to take it seriously,” he advised. “There are lots of nice people out there. Be very open to the blessings and be open to the guidance to anybody who would want to extend their hands.”

Richard is now entering a new phase in his life. After marrying a Nepalese woman and having two children, he is taking a break from his full-time job to spend more time with his family.

"Twenty years ago my family's choices were constrained by circumstances; today I have enough stability to deliberately slow my career while my children are young," he concluded.

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