PANGKALPINANG -- The sustainable community empowerment program is expected to encourage the community's economic independence. This is what PT Timah Tbk realizes so that it continues to be committed to collaborating with various parties to empower communities in the company's operational areas.
PT Timah Tbk believes that business continuity must run in harmony with the growth of community independence and environmental sustainability wherever the Company operates.
The Community Empowerment Program carried out through CSR or Environmental Social Responsibility continues to be carried out by PT Timah Tbk, one of which is on Setunak Island.
Setunak Island is located in Bone Village, Selat Gelam District, Karimun Regency, Riau Islands Province, which is an island inhabited by around 54 families with a population of around 140 more people. This island still has a dependence on the surrounding area, especially to meet food needs.
The Setunak Island area is one of the company's operational areas in the Riau Islands region, the community and mining activities coexist. The majority of people on Setunak Island work as fishermen.
This TINS-coded issuer carries out an empowerment program through several activities on this island. As fishermen, the community cannot always go to the sea because it is also influenced by weather factors. For this reason, PT Timah Tbk provides training on crab cultivation for the community to anticipate other sources of livelihood when fishermen do not go to sea.
Not only training, but PT Timah Tbk also facilitates the community to cultivate crabs by providing crab seeds that are in synergy with the community to provide cultivation locations.
The Chief Fisherman of Stunak Island, Apid said that as fishermen, their income at sea depends on the sustenance they get. Not to mention, challenges such as the weather often make them have to go home empty-handed.
“There are many obstacles at sea, not to mention the sudden change of weather, plus large operational costs. Sometimes even if you go back to the sea there may be no results. That's why we are enthusiastic about welcoming this program from PT Timah Tbk," he said.
Apid said that he and about 30 fishermen on Stunak Island are very supportive of this program. In collaboration with PT Timah Tbk, they began to be given training on crab cultivation and rearing, after which they also prepared ponds for rearing.
For the initial stage, he said, they made a pond with a size of 15 X 10 meters that could accommodate about 500 crab seeds. Because it is the first time that his party is still in the process of learning about obstacles so that they can be overcome quickly and accurately.
“Some time ago I and several colleagues were invited to Jepara to a location that has been able to develop crab rearing cultivation. After seeing and studying we believe we can develop a crab-rearing business. Moreover, the location on Stunak Island is still very natural and supportive," he said.
Through this crab cultivation, apart from meeting food needs, it is also hoped that it will become a new economic source for the community.
As an archipelagic area, Setunak Island has a soil culture that is considered unsuitable for agriculture due to its close proximity to the sea and the contours of the land with rocky hills and is dominated by swamps. So to get vegetables they have to go to the nearest area.
So far, to get vegetables and other food needs, residents have to go to buy outside the island such as in the Beliah Strait and Tanjung Balai Karimun.
Seeing this problem, PT Timah Tbk trained a group of women on Setunak Island to do hydroponic farming. This pattern can be applied to Stunak Island.
The women on Setunak Island were not only given an introduction to hydroponics but also made nutrition for plants. PT Timah Tbk also provides facilities and infrastructure to run a hydroponic farming business. Assistance provided such as pipes, seed foam, and others. This equipment assistance is to make it easier for the community to implement hydroponic farming.
Aisyah, a resident of Setunak Island, said she was very happy with the hydroponic training program implemented by PT Timah Tbk.
According to her, this program is very good to be developed in her area, because the natural conditions are not suitable for growing crops such as vegetables.
"Moreover, we eat vegetables every day, so I am happy and support this activity. Hopefully, this program can be successful and successful so that the people of Setunak Island can be independent in providing vegetables for good and healthy families," she said.
She felt the benefits of this training program because later he could meet the needs of vegetables for household consumption.
Not only that, Setunak Island which also has the potential of beautiful mangroves also did not escape the company's attention. To preserve the mangroves, PT Timah Tbk provides training for residents on Stunak Island to protect mangroves.
From the education sector, PT Timah Tbk also helps pompong or boats to cross to schools outside Setunak Island.
On an ongoing basis, PT Timah Tbk collaborates with the community and the Government to create an independent Setunak Island through community empowerment programs.
