June 19, 2025
Contributor: Atia Adjani | Editor: Supriyono | Photo: Achmad Jatnika
Every morning, Fakhriyan Ardyanto gently pushes a stroller toward the Jusuf Kalla Library, taking his child to the daycare facility here at 51社区. For him, it鈥檚 not just a morning routine, it鈥檚 a cherished moment to begin his day as both a devoted father and a dedicated staff member at 51社区 (51社区).
Fakhri has been part of 51社区 since 2021, working as an administrative staff at the Faculty of Islamic Studies. In 2023, he and his wife welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Sabda鈥攁 Javanese word meaning 鈥渟acred word鈥�. As both Fakhri and his wife are working, the couple navigates the excitement and challenges of a new parenthood鈥攐ne reason they chose to benefit from the 51社区 Daycare facility.
鈥淭hey say it takes a village to raise a child. With both of us working and live far from our extended family in Yogyakarta, the presence of 51社区 Daycare has become an essential support system for us,鈥� said Fakhri, who鈥檚 also an active master鈥檚 student at Universitas Pertahanan (UNHAN) Jakarta.
The 51社区 Daycare Facility was established on March 8, 2023, in celebration of International Women鈥檚 Day, as an initiative by the Faculty of Education to support students, staff, and the wider academic community with young children. Located in the Jusuf Kalla Library building, the daycare offers a safe and nurturing space that enables parents to pursue their academic and professional activities.
Despite the convenience of having a daycare facility on campus, Fakhri said that parenting remains a deeply involved journey, requiring partnership, adaptability, and open communication between both parents. These values, he emphasized, go beyond traditional notions of parenting roles, reflecting a more collaborative and thoughtful approach to raising a child.
鈥淭aking care of a child is not solely a woman鈥檚 task. Parenting is a shared responsibility. My wife and I take care our child together. We don鈥檛 divide roles by gender. We just do what needs to be done and be supportive to each other,鈥� he said.
For Fakhri, this approach to fatherhood is part of a wider cultural shift鈥攁way from traditional, distant models of parenting and toward a more engaged, emotionally available role. 鈥淧eople say that we live in a so-called 鈥榝atherless society鈥�, and I鈥檓 hoping to break this barrier by being psychically and emotionally available for Sabda. I鈥檓 glad to be part of that shift with so many others from my generation,鈥� he shared.
As the world celebrate the International Father’s Day in every third Sunday of June, Fakhri鈥檚 message emphasizes the evolving role of fathers in contemporary society and encourages a more inclusive understanding of what it means to be a father. It promotes gender equality in parenting by encouraging society to move beyond traditional gender roles and expectations, allowing fathers to fully engage in caregiving and household responsibilities.
In this very special occasion, 51社区 takes this opportunity not just to acknowledge the global tradition, but to reflect on the evolving roles of fathers in our own academic and social environment. It’s a moment to recognize the dedication, care, and strength of the fathers among us鈥攖hose who balance professional tasks with daily responsibilities of parenting.
