Dayakan Indonesia (Empower Indonesia) is a new network that launched Wednesday which gathers change agents, social entrepreneurs, and social enterprises to assist micro entrepreneurs and low-income families improve their livelihoods.
The idea is that the network would help in terms of capacity building for small enterprises because it remains one of big problems for small Indonesian enterprises apart from access to capital.
According to The Jakarta Post, the Empower Indonesia network launched with 17 organizations and individuals, including Pencerah Nusantara, the Asgar Muda Foundation, Selamatkan Ibu (Save Mom), I love Indonesian Food (ACMI), Dondi Hananto, Roby Muhamad, William Wongso and Michael Leksodimulyo.
Goris Mustaqim, the founder of youth development organization Asgar Muda Foundation, says that not only is this new movement important for people living below the poverty line, but also for organizations who provide their expertise.
“For example, we plan to collaborate with social shopping website bukalapak.com to market goods from our entrepreneurs in Garut,” he said.
Another member, Michael Leksodimulyo, is an ex-doctor who resigned from a private hospital in Surabaya to become a social entrepreneur. He counsels people from various backgrounds including beggars, buskers, and the homeless.
Empower Indonesia is a project that grew out of the Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional (BTPN) microfinance program Daya. The public can participate through the website DayakanIndonesia.com.