Lian was born in Poso and returned home after the communal conflict to document the overlooked experiences of women and children. While her research revealed both layers of violence and moments of interfaith solidarity, a question from a woman in a refugee camp—about how research would change their lives—pushed her to move beyond documentation and toward action.

The Poso conflict, often framed as religious violence but driven by deeper political and economic interests, left lasting social and environmental damage. Women bore the heaviest burden, facing displacement, loss of livelihoods, insecurity, and sexual and psychological violence. Largely excluded from peace processes, many women were left without access to education, economic opportunities, or decision-making spaces—impacts that continue to shape daily life in Poso.

In response, Lian founded Institut Mosintuwu to strengthen peace and gender justice through grassroots education. Through the Women’s School and its evolution into the Women’s Village Reform School, over 520 women have built leadership skills, rights awareness, and interfaith solidarity—helping rebuild trust, address trauma, and advance post-conflict development rooted in justice and care for nature.