A Story of an Industry Growing with Its Community in a Village

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Morning in Mekargalih Village, Garut Regency, West Java, usually begins with the sound of vehicles passing along to a small industrial area on the edge of the village. On the same road, several young people walk in groups to their workplaces. Some are still very young, only a few years out of high school. Some bring meals from home. In the midst of scattered settlements and rice fields surrounding the village, a factory stands and slowly becomes part of the rhythm of local life. Since beginning operations in 2018, Ciomy Factory in Mekargalih has introduced a new dynamic for the village. For some residents, the presence of industry is often associated with large and rapid change. But in Mekargalih, the story developing is more of a gradual process, as industrial activity intertwines with the community’s economic life. Inside the production area, most workers are from Garut. More than 90 percent of employees are local residents, and more than 30 percent of them come directly from Mekargalih Village and the surrounding area. For a village that previously relied more on agriculture and small trade, job opportunities like this represent a new gateway for many families. The most striking thing is the workers’ age. More than half of the employees are aged between 19 and 23. They are the younger generation who might previously have imagined having to migrate far to find work. Now, some of them are starting careers in their own region. Some among them are graduates of nearby Garut schools, such as SMK Negeri 1 Garut, SMK 12, MAN 2, MAN Al Falah, STAI PERSIS, Universitas Garut, and several other educational institutions. For their families, the opportunity to work locally is not only about income but also about hope that their children can build a future without leaving home. Outside the factory gates, other economic activities are also moving slowly. Canteens offering meals for employees are beginning to appear. Some home businesses that previously served only the local area now have an expanded market from the factory’s operations. A number of local MSMEs even regularly participate in meeting the company’s operational needs. They supply meals for employees and other requirements related to production activities. Such simple collaboration creates new opportunities for small businesses around Mekargalih. There is also activity that indirectly connects social with economic life, one of which is a weekly cake-sharing programme to mosques in the surrounding villages. The cakes are not produced in the factory; instead they are bought from residents who run home businesses. For families running such small ventures, this activity provides extra income and also helps their products become more widely known.