WEST BANGKA -- PT Timah continues to be committed to empowering communities around the mine area by optimizing its local potential. One of the empowerment programs is implemented through social innovation in the company's operational areas.
The various social innovation programs carried out by PT Timah for communities around the mine have given birth to local heroes whose impact has been felt by local residents.
These three local hero figures trained by PT Timah shared their experiences with PT Timah in driving the community's economy in the CARBON Webinar # 4 (Serita Bersama Sucofindo) which was held virtually on Wednesday (21/8/2024).
PT Timah's Local Hero who shared his experience was Arief Junanto, Principal of the Muntok Special School, Ananda Rahmat from the Pemuda Harapan Farmer Group who implemented the BELA NUSANTARA (Sustainable and Prosperous Inclusive Marine Protection) program, and Zulyanti Local Hero of PT TIMAH Tbk TB Batu Besi who conveyed NEW LIFE AFTER MINING.
Not only the three of them, this webinar also presented resource persons who are local heroes such as Dede Ahmad from PT Pertamina Patra Niaga FT Bandung providing material on Sharing Feelings and Stories, Alex Eko Setiawan, trained by PT Pertamina Patra Niaga Shafthi, with material on Betel Leaf Empowerment.
Head of Muntok State SLB, Arief Jananto, said that PT Timah and Mentok State SLB are implementing the Disabled Entrepreneur School program to help and support the economic independence of people with disabilities who are students and alumni.
According to him, the Disabled Entrepreneur School program is in line with the school's vision and mission to support students' independence. The students were given batik batik training and also started a fruit juice business.
Not only developing students, but PT Timah also provides support for equipment, supplies, and training and provides a sales place to market BELA NUSANTARA program products.
"This program is implemented in an integrated manner, not only at the Mentok State Special School, but also integrated with other assisted groups that are members of the BELA NUSANTARA program such as the Harapan Youth group which supplies fruit needs and we give fruit waste to them to be processed into compost, including the supply of pempek shrimp from the tough women shrimp pempek group," he said.
Arief continued, PT Timah has coached them from upstream to downstream, even helping to increase the variety of batik motifs they produce, as well as helping promote their products. This makes students even more enthusiastic about producing batik. Apart from that, the batik motif created has been recognized through IPR by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
"Previously, our batik motifs were limited and sales were still small. However, PT Timah coached us to increase the number of motifs and expand the reach of our batik sales. Students also became more enthusiastic about the presence of PT Timah," he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Harapan Youth Farmer Group under PT Timah, Ananda Rahmat, said that the BELA NUSANTARA program with PT Timah that was carried out was Agroforestry.
They utilize ex-mining land in Belo Laut Village to develop it into productive land. Thanks to PT Timah's support, they were able to carry out agroforestry activities on ex-mining land. They are built to make compost and carry out irrigation with a water-saving system.
"Agroforestry activities involve planting perennials and productive plants, including fruit, vegetables, and so on, on land used for mining. We have also used organic waste that arises as a result of our activities, we use the waste into compost. Apart from that, we also provide irrigation save water with a drip system," he said.
Zulyanti, a local hero of PT Timah from Batu Besi, East Belitung Regency, said that they were cultivating the local Badau pineapple plant. They process Badau pineapple into various processed foods such as dodol and their products are well known to the public.
However, when Covid-19 hit, it affected their business and they were forced to stop their business. Even though at that time, they also had to meet economic needs.
"Covid subsided, we started opening our business again. Luckily, PT Timah looked at my business by building it with capital assistance. Thanks to PT Timah's capital assistance, the Badau Pineapple Dodol business became increasingly well known and turnover continued to increase, until now. Thanks to the Pineapple Dodol business, it changed lives, for the better "My children, my husband and I managed to complete our education up to S1," he concluded. (*)
