Born in Biak, he began English studies at Cenderawasih University (Abepura) in 1982 and worked as a coordinator and field researcher at the Rural Community Development Foundation (YPMD) in Abepura.
bˈɔːɹn ɪn bˈaɪək, hiː bɪɡˈæn ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ stˈʌdiz æt sˈɛndɚɹˌæwəsi jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɐbˈɛpʊɹɹə ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː ænd wˈɜːkt æz ɐ koʊˈɔːɹdᵻnˌeɪɾɚ ænd fˈiːld ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃɚɹ æt ðə ɹˈʊɹɹəl kəmjˈuːnᵻɾi dɪvˈɛləpmənt faʊndˈeɪʃən ˈɪpmdˌiː ɪn ɐbˈɛpʊɹɹə.