Alumni Profile
Mirza is Director of the Chony Zamani Foundation and Orphanage, an institution that manages an Islamic vocational high school in the remote mountainous region of Nganjuk, East Java – the only secondary school within several hours travel for many families. The Islamic vocational high school he leads aims to break the cycles of poverty, underage marriage and school attrition.
Born and raised in Nganjuk, Mirza is an education changemaker with a mission for social transformation: providing high-quality, international-standard education for youth in rural Indonesia. Equally importantly, Mirza is striving to build a school environment informed by Islamic principles at every level – not just in the standard of education, but also in school management, fair pay for teachers, and the quality of school facilities. He is also actively working with partners from Japan and South Korea to create meaningful employment pathways for his graduates.
Beyond the classroom, Mirza blends entrepreneurship with social impact — partnering with businesses, leading orphan care initiatives, and transforming his foundation into a beacon of hope for underserved youth. He is also a Committee Member of Nganjuk Creative Hub, which plays a role in ensuring that the creative sector in Nganjuk receives development and support.
Born and raised in Nganjuk, Mirza is an education changemaker with a mission for social transformation: providing high-quality, international-standard education for youth in rural Indonesia. Equally importantly, Mirza is striving to build a school environment informed by Islamic principles at every level – not just in the standard of education, but also in school management, fair pay for teachers, and the quality of school facilities. He is also actively working with partners from Japan and South Korea to create meaningful employment pathways for his graduates.
Beyond the classroom, Mirza blends entrepreneurship with social impact — partnering with businesses, leading orphan care initiatives, and transforming his foundation into a beacon of hope for underserved youth. He is also a Committee Member of Nganjuk Creative Hub, which plays a role in ensuring that the creative sector in Nganjuk receives development and support.
Program Highlights
Participating in the AIMEP was a deeply impactful and transformative experience for me, both intellectually and personally. The program broadened my understanding of social, religious, and multicultural dynamics in Australia while reinforcing the importance of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue. It was a truly life-changing experience.
As the founder of an educational institution, the experiences of visiting Balcombe Grammar School and Al Siraat College gave me perspective on running a school. In these schools, I learned how Australian management establishes student-centered programs that are still in line with the Australian government’s goals on education. As a result, they are able to manage their academic performance while accommodating student interests.
Participating in the AIMEP reshaped my understanding of both Australia and Islam in Australia. I observed that Australia is a society continuously negotiating diversity through dialogue and inclusion. Learning the history of Makassan traders as well as engaging with contemporary Muslim leaders, academics, and civil society actors helped me understand that Islam is not a recent presence but an integral part of Australia’s social fabric.
Personally, it strengthened my confidence in engaging across cultural and religious differences with empathy and openness. Professionally, the program sharpened my ability to approach issues of diversity, inclusion, and social cohesion from a more global and comparative perspective.
AIMEP helped me to connect and create several initiatives with fellow delegates and Muslim leaders in Indonesia and Australia. For example, the collaboration between my institution and Kitabisa.com has allowed us to create a professional fundraising campaign so we can expand our services to reach more underserved communities. I was also involved with a recent Australia-Indonesia collaboration with Nurul Jadid Pesantren where we promoted gender equality and raised the importance of education for underserved communities. Pak Rowan and Bu Brynna have also supported me personally to continue my study and to create grant proposals. We are still working on several project with AIMEP alumni, like Mas Angga (AIMEP 2024) as the founder of Myskills, and other potential projects. These intangible benefits have changed my social journey within several weeks after finishing the program.
As the founder of an educational institution, the experiences of visiting Balcombe Grammar School and Al Siraat College gave me perspective on running a school. In these schools, I learned how Australian management establishes student-centered programs that are still in line with the Australian government’s goals on education. As a result, they are able to manage their academic performance while accommodating student interests.
Participating in the AIMEP reshaped my understanding of both Australia and Islam in Australia. I observed that Australia is a society continuously negotiating diversity through dialogue and inclusion. Learning the history of Makassan traders as well as engaging with contemporary Muslim leaders, academics, and civil society actors helped me understand that Islam is not a recent presence but an integral part of Australia’s social fabric.
Personally, it strengthened my confidence in engaging across cultural and religious differences with empathy and openness. Professionally, the program sharpened my ability to approach issues of diversity, inclusion, and social cohesion from a more global and comparative perspective.
AIMEP helped me to connect and create several initiatives with fellow delegates and Muslim leaders in Indonesia and Australia. For example, the collaboration between my institution and Kitabisa.com has allowed us to create a professional fundraising campaign so we can expand our services to reach more underserved communities. I was also involved with a recent Australia-Indonesia collaboration with Nurul Jadid Pesantren where we promoted gender equality and raised the importance of education for underserved communities. Pak Rowan and Bu Brynna have also supported me personally to continue my study and to create grant proposals. We are still working on several project with AIMEP alumni, like Mas Angga (AIMEP 2024) as the founder of Myskills, and other potential projects. These intangible benefits have changed my social journey within several weeks after finishing the program.
