Women-owned MSMEs are equipped with digital marketing training and other business-related topics to grow their businessMSMEs play a big role in the Indonesian economy and are one of the sectors most impacted by the pandemic. This impact was also felt by the ultra-micro entrepreneurs assisted by YCAB Ventures experienced on average a 69% decline in income in 2020. Business digitalization can be a solution to these problems. Together with Facebook She Means Business, YCAB Foundation officially launched the Karya Perempuan program on August 10, 2021. This launching coincides with Indonesia’s Independence Day and the 22nd anniversary of YCAB Foundation. Karya Perempuan was held as an initiative to increase the business resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic of women-owned MSMEs by providing digital marketing and financial literacy training, as well as the YCAB Foundation’s commitment to break generational poverty through women empowerment programs.
Karya Perempuan is targeting more than 200 women MSMEs spread across Jakarta, Central Java, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Papua, and West Papua. According to a survey done by OJK in 2019, financial literacy in the majority of these areas was still below 50%. For six months, starting from August 2021 to January 2022, participants will receive training on digital marketing strategies that can optimize their business through social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
This program invited 17 women entrepreneurs to take part in the first phase of training which will be held for 3 days from August 10 to 13, 2021 with material about creative content, introduction to Facebook pages, optimization of Facebook and Instagram ads, and introduction of WhatsApp Business. The 17 participants’ business sectors include food, clothing, handicrafts, cleaning products, and electronics, the majority of which are homemade. In accordance with the curriculum that has been designed, the participants have also attended the second phase of training in the form of financial literacy with Ibu Harta from YCAB Foundation through the WhatsApp chatbot platform.
In order to support this program for the next few months, YCAB Foundation and Facebook She Means Business will work closely with the government, especially the central Ministry and relevant regional offices, as well as organizations, focused on women entrepreneurs. Through collaboration with relevant parties, Karya Perempuan can grow the reach of participants to provide more training modules thereby creating a bigger impact.
