BPJS Ketenagakerjaan Transforms Benefits into Productive Capital
BPJS Ketenagakerjaan is empowering 1,426 beneficiaries through its Economic Empowerment and Beneficiary Independence Programme (Peka). The programme is designed to transform social security benefits from merely meeting consumptive needs into productive capital for building economic independence.
The national soft launch of Peka was held centrally in Bandung on Tuesday (18/8) and was followed simultaneously at 45 locations across Indonesia. The event was inaugurated by Minister of Manpower Yassierli together with BPJS Ketenagakerjaan President Director Saiful Hidayat and Bandung City Regional Secretary Iskandar Zulkarnain.
Peka is part of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan’s Value Beyond Protection approach. Through this programme, social security protection is followed by training and mentoring so that beneficiaries and heirs are able to build new sources of livelihood.
Yassierli appreciated Peka for encouraging social security benefits to have a sustainable impact. According to him, the programme has the potential to produce independent workers and new entrepreneurs who can then create jobs.
Meanwhile, Saiful Hidayat said Peka was born from concern about the sustainability of benefits received by workers and heirs. Without training and mentoring, he said, the benefits were feared to be spent only on consumption.
“We want to encourage a shift from consumptive to productive, from receiving benefits to having capability, and ultimately becoming independent,” said Saiful.
The success of Peka, he said, is not only measured by the number of participants or training sessions, but by the ability of beneficiaries to generate income and become economically independent again.
A total of 1,426 beneficiaries took part in the Peka activities at 45 locations throughout Indonesia. The type of empowerment is tailored to the needs of participants and the economic potential in each region. Training includes entrepreneurship, digital marketing and content creation, culinary arts, crafts, floristry, barista skills, laundry services, beauty, sewing, reselling, and various other business fields. The programme involves central and regional governments, ministries and agencies, businesses, banks, universities, training institutions, communities, and strategic partners.
Head of the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan Jakarta Grogol Branch Office Multanti also supported the implementation of Peka. According to her, social security protection benefits should not only be felt in the form of compensation, but should also become a foundation for workers’ families to rise and build more independent lives.
Multanti assessed that empowerment is not enough through training alone. Participants also need mentoring so that the skills acquired can be applied into income-generating business activities.
“We believe that with synergy, the benefits received will not only improve family welfare, but can also grow new businesses that ultimately open up employment opportunities. This is in line with the spirit of Value Beyond Protection from BPJS Ketenagakerjaan,” she said.
The Peka programme is also said to be in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s sixth Asta Cita, particularly in encouraging economic equity and poverty alleviation.