The Kaya Story: From Starting to Smedley
There is a particular kind of courage required to build something from nothing. Not to chase an accolade but to grow a community. Not to win an award but to build better speakers and stronger leaders.
That is the story of Kaya Toastmasters.
West Australian’s first bilingual club, operating in Bahasa Indonesia and English, was never just a club. It was a declaration: that language is not a barrier to leadership, and that the Indonesian diaspora in WA deserved a space that felt like home and pushed them to grow.
Within its first year, Kaya achieved the Smedley Distinguished Club Award, the highest recognition Toastmasters International bestows. Let that land for a moment.
The believers came early. Toastmasters International, our mentors, sponsors, and ‘Angel Investors’ gave their time, networks and names before the evidence existed to support the vision. That hands-on belief was worth more than any dollar.
The members made it real. Officers who gave more than their job descriptions required. Members who arrived barely able to introduce themselves publicly and left commanding rooms in two languages. The recipe? We say YES every single time. We push each other to be great. We are loud in every way. And like family, we are a safe space where everyone is welcomed, then gently and persistently encouraged to become more than they imagined.
The Chamber was the glue. Without the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce WA, the pieces would never have come together. ICCWA provided the anchor, the trust, the cohesive community that held Kaya’s foundation before we had earned our own.
The Smedley is not the destination. It is the proof that the journey was real.
Terima kasih. Thank you. Kaya stands because of you.
Kaya Toastmasters | Perth’s First Bilingual Club | Founding President: Agata Dharma | District 17
