Barbie celebrates International Women’s Day by encouraging girls world wide to dream big. Following the inclusion of Indonesian designer Anne Avantie within the Barbie Role Model program, Butet Manurung will likely be chosen as a part of the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022.
Who is Butet Manurung?
Butet, born in Jakarta in 1972, studied anthropology and Indonesian literature at Padjadjaran University in Bandung. In 1999, she joined the conservation organization WARSI Jambi, where she oversaw an academic program for the Orang Rimba, an indigenous, nomadic community living within the Jambi forest. This effort led her and 4 colleagues to found the SOKOLA Institute, a nonprofit organization that gives educational and literacy opportunities to greater than 15,000 children and adults in distant Indonesia.
Butet has received quite a few international awards for his work as an educator and activist, including UNESCO’s “Man and the Biosphere” award in 2001, TIME magazine’s “Hero of Asia” in 2004, “Ashoka Fellow” in 2006, “Asia Young Leader” in 2007, “Young Global Leader” in 2009, Ernst and Young Indonesia “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2012 and “Asian Nobel Prize” Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2014.
She graduated from the Australian National University with a Master’s degree in Applied Anthropology and Development Participation in 2011. In 2012, she studied Global Leadership and Public Policy on the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University within the United States.
According to Mattel, Inc. Barbie partners with entrepreneurs and role models to encourage the subsequent generation of leaders and dreamers on International Women’s Day. Barbie is committed to empowering the self-confidence and infinite potential of ladies world wide through a multi-faceted campaign designed to advertise access to female role models, support women entrepreneurs and collaborate with like-minded global programs.
“We know that children are inspired by what they see around them, so young girls need to see themselves in role models who have bravely overcome obstacles and overcome dreams to become the brave women they are today,” said senior Lisa McKnight vice chairman and global head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel.
Reminding girls of 12 global role models that they may be anything by featuring one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls featuring women who’re trailblazers of their fields equivalent to technology, wellness, STEM, education and more. Role models from world wide include:
– Shonda Rhimes (United States) – Founder of the American television production company Shondaland
– They are (United States/Japan) – Founder and CEO of Women’s Startup Lab and Women’s Startup Lab Impact Foundation
– Pat McGrath (UK) – makeup artist and founding father of Pat McGrath Labs
– Melissa Sariffodee (Canada) – CEO and co-founder of Canada Learning Code and Ladies Learning Code
– Adrian Azuara (Mexico) – Founder of All4Spas
– Pray for Emanuela Bertain (Brazil) – Teacher and founding father of Sala 8
– Jane Martino (Australia) – Chairman and co-founder of Smiling Mind
– Lan Yu (China) – Fashion designer
– Buteta Manurunga (Indonesia) – Founder and Director of SOKOLA
– Sonia Peronaci (Italy) – Founder of the Italian food website GialloZafferano
– Tijen Onaran (Germany) – CEO and Founder of Global Digital Women and Co-Founder of ACI Diversity Consulting
– Lena Mahfouf (France) – digital content creator, filmmaker and writer of “Always More”
Source: Changemakr.asia, Mattel.com, TheSun.co.uk
