Good bye, Femi, we miss you
Femi Adi Soempeno
Our friend and former participant Femi Adi Soempeno was among the passengers of the Russian Sukhoi jet that crashed near the Indonesian capital on Wednesday, May 9, 2012. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Femi’s family and those who loved her.
For all of us here at DW Akademie, it was a joy and a privilege to have known Femi. We loved working with her during our 2009 workshop “Online Journalism and Web 2.0”.
During this three-week training course, Femi became friends with Akademie staff and trainers and with the other participants; journalists from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, China, Pakistan, Nepal and the Philippines.
The final project of this workshop was a multi-media website called “Made in Germany”. It included texts, slide shows, audios and videos covering things the Asian course participants had encountered and researched while in Germany.
Screenshot of "Made in Germany" website
Being a great photographer, Femi contributed a slide show to this final project. She had taken pictures of all the strange and funny signs she’d seen in Germany.
Femi also proved her outstanding journalistic potential by writing an article for “Made in Germany” about Germany’s most influential news magazine Der Spiegel.
This article was the outcome of a visit to the offices of Spiegel Online International in Berlin. Femi and the other workshop participants heard a presentation from a Spiegel journalist, who also had time for an in-depth discussion about online news media in Germany.
The title of Femi’s article was Der Spiegel Running Fast in the Media Industry.
If you knew Femi and would like to share your memories of her, please feel free to give us some feedback or write a comment.
6 Comments
Leo Gatdula | Thursday 2012-05-10
Femi was my favorite classmate in Bonn.
I liked her personality. She was very friendly, but she remained professional. We chatted like friends, but our conversations focused on our work as journalists.
She’s a person who can carry on an intelligent, and interesting, conversation.
I can talk and talk and talk about her, but right now, I still can’t believe that she’s one of those passengers.
Taufique Ahmed | Thursday 2012-05-10
Femi, I know you can hear us! You’re out there in the skies. And, you’re in our hearts. You can listen to everything we say, we pray.
Femi, I still remember the days back in Berlin when we all came back and you couldn’t because of an unwanted accident. You had to stay and we had to leave you. I looked into your eyes before leaving Berlin and felt so bad for you. Those weren’t helpless eyes, they were only the inspiring ones, that I couldn’t read.
The best day during our workshop in DW-Akademie probably was the day when we all went to the train station in Bonn to receive you as you were on your way back from Berlin. We hugged each other. I looked into your eyes again…yes, those were in tears, happy ones.
Oh Femi, isn’t it so early to leave?
Who gets this rare opportunity to live in the skies forever? I know someone who can.
Femi, my dear, it’s my privilege that we met. Femi, you’re so attached to our hearts and will always be.
Femi, tell the sky the words I say to you right now, “Be gentle, sky, and let me rest “.
Femi, take rest my sweetheart. You’ll be missed so much dear!
Meas Raksmey | Thursday 2012-05-10
My time together with Femi was brief but my memory about her will last. If only this gathering were to celebrate rather than to mourn.
Meas Raksmey | Thursday 2012-05-10
Gone but not forgotten. You’ll be missed. Rest In Peace.
Evelyn Liebich | Friday 2012-05-11
“Do you know why I love you more than anyone else? Because you’re writing. Your words will not be swallowed by the wind but will last, last far into the future …. ”
(Femi’s favourite quotation by Pramoedya Ananta Toer)
I know you can feel what I am writing and feeling about you, Fe.
You are just outstanding and inspiring. We will miss you…
PS: Give my regards to Pram.
“When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen”
(Femi Adi Soempeno)
kargt | Monday 2012-05-21
Please also check out our friend Leo’s blog post about Femi.
http://ljubomirgatdula.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/femi-continues-to-take-beautiful-pictures/