Disability Empowerment Becomes Part of Efforts to Boost Economic Independence
PT Pertamina Patra Niaga is expanding efforts to empower people with disabilities through various community involvement and development (CID) programmes across its operational areas. These programmes are designed to provide broader access for disabled individuals to develop skills, secure job opportunities, and build economic independence.
Corporate Secretary of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, Roberth MV Dumatubun, said the company strives to create inclusive spaces for all levels of society, including people with disabilities. “Pertamina Patra Niaga is here for everyone. Through the CID programme, we open opportunities for our disabled friends to work, enhance their capacity, and make positive contributions to the environment and society,” Roberth stated in Jakarta on Saturday.
One of the programmes is Perintis (Pemberdayaan Inklusi Teman Istimewa) through the Kedai Kopi Teman Istimewa in Indramayu Regency, West Java. The coffee shop, managed by deaf individuals, has been operating since 2023 and has benefited 155 deaf people. Throughout 2025, the business recorded a turnover of Rp300 million. “This coffee shop is a symbol of independence and proof that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to grow and be empowered,” Roberth said.
Additionally, Pertamina Patra Niaga’s affiliate company, PT Polytama Propindo, runs the Setara Programme (Sinergi Kawan Inklusi), which develops Polystep prosthetic legs made from recycled polypropylene waste. The programme not only provides more affordable assistive devices for people with disabilities but also supports the implementation of a circular economy. Since 2023, the Setara Programme has reached 114 beneficiaries in Indramayu and generated revenue of Rp190 million throughout 2025.
Roberth emphasised that community empowerment is an important part of the company’s commitment to creating sustainable benefits. “We believe business success must go hand in hand with community empowerment, so that the benefits can be felt widely and sustainably,” he asserted.
Chairman of the Indramayu Disability Group, Suprayitno, assessed that the programme has a broader impact than mere social assistance. “We used to be constrained because assistive devices were very expensive and difficult to obtain. Now, we can make our own, learn, and even sell our products. This is not just assistance, but a form of recognition that we are equal,” Suprayitno said.
Similar efforts are also underway in Boyolali Regency, Central Java, through the Difabelpreneur Kresna Patra programme run by Fuel Terminal Boyolali. This programme focuses on increasing the capacity of people with disabilities through sewing training, developing inclusive job placement agencies, and establishing the Dwija Praja Amarta Inclusive Community Learning Activity Centre (PKBM). As part of programme innovation, a disability-friendly sewing machine called Jr-Difa was developed using company iron scrap and has obtained a patent. Funding for PKBM participants’ education is also supported through the utilisation of used cooking oil and plastic bottle waste. Through this programme, 170 people with disabilities have been successfully placed in various local garment industries in Boyolali, opening up wider job access and economic opportunities.