Raden Adjeng Kartini was a princess from the island of Java. Born in 1879, her life was severely narrowed by social restrictions and taboos, the common lot for women of her era. What was uncommon was that her father and brother allowed her to attend a Dutch elementary school across the street from their family compound.

Kartini's education and ability to read, write, and speak Dutch set her apart from other young women. Far from flaunting her advantage or settling into feelings of superiority, Kartini spent her short life planning for the education of other women. This is a quote taken from one of the many letters she wrote to her Dutch friend Stella in 1899 when she was twenty:

"I have been longing to make the acquaintance of a 'modern girl,' that proud, independent girl who has all my sympathy! She who, happy and self-reliant, lightly and alertly steps her way through life, full of enthusiasm and warm feelings; working not only for her own well-being and happiness, but for the greater good of humanity as a whole."

By naming our clinic after Kartini, we honor the spirit of a young Javanese princess, very much like your daughters and our own.