Economic empowerment initiatives in Indonesia

Various Indonesian organizations are implementing initiatives to foster economic independence and family welfare through specialized training and cooperative management.

BPJS Ketenagakerjaan has expanded its Pemberdayaan Ekonomi dan Kemandirian Penerima Manfaat (PEKA) program, a nationwide collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower designed to transform social security payouts into sustainable economic capital. Minister of Manpower Yassierli emphasized that benefits should serve as seed capital to establish or expand productive businesses rather than merely providing short-term compensation. This approach aims to help heirs and retiring workers achieve long-term economic independence.

Director Saiful Hidayat noted the initiative follows a ‘Value Beyond Protection’ philosophy to help families regain productivity. The program aligns with the Ministry of Manpower’s ‘Tenaga Kerja Mandiri’ (TKM) initiative, which has supported hundreds of thousands of independent workers. Implementation includes entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, and business mentoring, with active sessions previously held in Maluku and Makassar.

Simultaneously, the Family Welfare Empowerment Movement (TP PKK) is strengthening family economic independence. In Jeneponto, the movement inaugurated the Jeneponto Bahagia PKK Cooperative to serve as an economic vehicle for community members. In Central Java, the TP PKK is promoting the ‘Kapulaga’ program (Kelompok Usaha Berbasis Keluarga), which encourages cadres to develop businesses based on local potential through a structured process of assessment, group formation, training, and continuous mentoring.