PANGKALPINANG -- To support the economic independence of the community, PT Timah is committed to encouraging the empowerment of women's groups in operational areas to improve the welfare of families and communities.
Through the social and environmental responsibility (CSR) program, PT Timah helps capital and supports production equipment for the Ak Leho women's group in West Bangka Regency and the Mandiri UMKM Group in Puding Besar, Bangka Regency.
PT Timah realizes that women have a strategic role in community economic development. PT Timah designed a number of initiatives to support women's groups to be more independent and competitive.
One form of support provided by PT Timah is supporting capital and also reminding production facilities and infrastructure. The two women's groups fostered by PT Timah are engaged in the culinary field.
The head of the Mandiri UMKM Group, Rofida Pratiwi, said that she originally started a business making pastries since 2018.
“At first I made my own cakes by relying on recipes from my aunt, then I was taught and passed down the knowledge of making cakes from my aunt who had lived in the neighborhood of cake makers in Pagarawan,” she explained.
Apart from wanting to improve the family economy, Rofida's initial motivation for forming the Mandiri MSME Group was to empower women around her residence to be independent and have an income.
She hopes that one day the women will be independent and able to create job opportunities.
“I invite my friends to join this group so that they have additional income and are active not only as housewives but are able to improve the family economy,” she hoped.
PT Timah through the PUMK program helps develop their business by providing assistance to add production equipment. She explained that the assistance provided by PT Timah was used to rejuvenate baking equipment and add some equipment for cooking side dishes.
“For the needs of making wet cakes, we have bought additional mixers and electric ovens. For cooking side dishes we have bought a frying pan, large pot, refrigerator, freezer,” she said.
The 15-member Mandiri Puding Besar MSME group is currently able to develop a business from pastries to cooked vegetable menus and various wet cakes for various events.
“We are very grateful to PT Timah, because the assistance provided by PT Timah for our group motivates us to develop this business so that in the future it will provide more benefits not only for our members but also for the surrounding community,” she said.
PT Timah's presence in encouraging the economy of women's groups is also felt by Ak Leho Shrimp Pempek UMKM in Belo Laut Village, West Bangka Regency.
Not only providing equipment assistance, but also mentoring and training.
The initiator of the UMKM Pempek Udang Ak Leho, Mersi, and her colleagues process shrimp into various food products such as Pempek Udang, shrimp paste, kemplang or crackers to improve the community's economy. It is known that Belo Laut Village has shrimp potential obtained from fishermen who catch fish.
To increase the production of Pempek Ak Leho, PT Timah donated a frezer that is used to store shrimp raw materials in larger quantities.
In addition, PT Timah also provided production equipment such as vacuum, vinegar bottle, vacuum plastic and dulang and built a production house.
“Alhamdulillah, with the help of freezers from PT Timah, we can now store shrimp in large quantities. With more shrimp stock, we can produce and serve more orders from customers,” she said.
According to Mersi, PT Timah has been supporting their shrimp pempek business for a long time. The reason is, PT Timah often helps marketing Pempek Ak Leho products.
In the future, Mersi hopes that PT Timah will continue to assist her in running Ak Leho's business so that it can improve the economy of their group.
These two women have the same determination to support the community's economy, so that they can be empowered by utilizing their potential. They continue to ignite the spirit of struggle to contribute to their group like the spirit transmitted by the figure of Kartini. They are a reflection of a strong Kartini who encourages the advancement of women's groups. (*)
