Goodbye and Hello from Secretariat WELCOME NEW COMERS! This month, UCLG ASPAC Secretariat Team welcomes two (2) new comers that will strengthen the personnel. Please welcome Hesti Prihatiningtyas (Programme Administration Officer), a newly created post, and Lisiah or Chacha as Programme Associate.
What do they say about joining UCLG ASPAC? “I am so excited to join UCLG ASPAC. I am being optimistic that I will get a lot of valuable experiences through interaction with so many local governments globally, as well as explore knowledge regarding SDGs implementation in urban development. You are never too old to develop your capacity. That was the first idea in my mind when joining UCLG ASPAC as Program Administration Officer. With previous working experience on various fields, I finally found my passion to work with the community especially since I joined one of the donor’s projects in 2006. Since then, I have learned so many issues by working for a non-profit sector, particularly gender issue and women participation, land and forest governance, and currently, urban development as part of the SDGs implementation. In principle, I, myself, always want to practice gender equality concept and become independent financially. It is because by being financially independent, women can contribute in increasing the family welfare as well as protecting themselves against discrimination or
being marginalized. For that, women need to encourage themselves to get access for better education.” - Hesti Prihatiningtyas (Programme Administration Officer) “Becoming new member of UCLG ASPAC as programme associate, I graduated from Civil Engineering major from University of Parahyangan in Bandung in 2002. My working experience varies:from construction, facilities management, reconstruction program, rehabilitation of infrastructure project (recovery of earthquake program in Padang, Indonesia). I also had experience working in Africa Construction Engineering at Peace Keeping Mission United Nations with duty station in Monrovia, Liberia (facilities management office). Here, in UCLG ASPAC, I will focus on Waste to Energy program, which is new for me. I enthusiastically embrace this new experience, to establish collaboration with government officer(s) who share vision of environmental sustainability. For me, this program is really interesting, particularly because this is a community- based project.” - Lisiah (Programme Associate) ‘TILL WE MEET AGAIN!
IT has been three months and as end of January came, Giovanni Urru, an intern from Sardinia, Italy, said goodbye to Secretariat Team members. Entering his last day in UCLG ASPAC Secretariat Office, Giovanni Urru shared knowledge he received during his internship period. He mentioned that he was so grateful knowing more information about cooperation amongst local governments. Beside his internship experience, Gio, the name we usually called him, also took time visiting Bali, Yogyakarta, and Kapuk Island. “I love Indonesia; but still, Bali is the most wonderful place I have visited,” he said. After finishing his internshipin UCLG ASPAC, Gio is now preparing to begin his new internship in Macedonia. UCLG ASPAC Secretariat Team wishes Gio the best for his research!