Rella Tung

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I was born in Sumatra in 1976 and grew up there as the fourth of five children. My father was a businessman and traveled a lot while my mother was a homemaker and stay-at-home mom.

I was a tomboy and most of my friends were boys. I was a very active and athletic child who loved to swim, run and climb trees.

"During my last year of high school, I became interested in the German language and studied it at school. I was determined to learn and was very studious. My hard work paid off when I received a scholarship to the University of Indonesia to major in German literature. I was ecstatic! I attended the university for six years.

"While there, I met my future husband, Jiway. We married and had two children who are now both teenagers.

"My husband and I started a project to create an organic farm to recruit street kids to teach them, instill discipline, hard work, teamwork and responsibility. We called it The Learning Farm.

"I branched out to create a catering and bakery business specializing in baked goods and food using no preservatives. We worked on this project for six years and then decided to move to Java when my husband received a job opportunity.

"Our town is known for its leather crafts and I became interested in leather handbags. I visited a few leather workshops but the designs did not suit my taste.

"I enjoy simple but elegant designs so I decided to create my own. After using some of them, people became interested in them and I decided to start selling them. At first, only my friends on social media purchased them. Later, people from other Indonesian cities from other countries began buying them, too.

"I use premium leather and materials I choose myself to ensure quality. My designs are simple, elegant and have a timeless charm. Every bag is made with attention to detail by the experienced artisans who assist me."