Former Indonesian Migrant Worker Becomes Job Creator in Lampung

While many regions still face employment challenges, Eko Cahyono is creating new job opportunities from his hometown in Mesuji Regency, Lampung. The former Indonesian migrant worker, who once worked in South Korea, now manages eight mini ATM outlets and recruits local residents at each branch he opens. Interestingly, his journey did not begin with large capital or an established business network. After returning from South Korea several years ago, Eko started his business with a simple building supply shop. Over time, he expanded into selling household furniture before eventually spotting another opportunity needed by his surrounding community: closer and more easily accessible financial transaction services. At that point, Eko began opening mini ATM services. The business ran reasonably well, but he felt it was not yet yielding maximum results. The turning point came in 2024 when he started using BukuAgen services. Previously, Eko used another provider and often faced obstacles when his machines malfunctioned. Slow handling frequently hampered his daily business operations. “If there is a problem, I just WhatsApp the sales team and get a direct solution. The income is also far better,” said Eko. This change gradually propelled his business growth. From four outlets when he first adopted BukuAgen, the number has now grown to eight outlets with a total of ten EDC machines, all using BukuAgen services. Eko believes that using BukuAgen has driven an increase in his business income. Besides earning a better profit-sharing portion compared to his previous provider, he also gains additional benefits from various incentive and cashback programmes. From January 2025 to January 2026, the network he built recorded 18,806 transactions, making him a Champion Agent for the highest transaction volume in the Lampung, South Sumatra, Bengkulu, and Jambi region. According to him, the greatest achievement is neither the award nor the transaction volume but the opportunity to create jobs for his surrounding community. Every time he opens a new outlet, Eko recruits residents from the village where the outlet is established. In this way, his business growth directly creates new job opportunities in the local community. “I am happy to be able to open new job opportunities. Seeing the news about how difficult it is to find work nowadays, I am proud if this business can help local residents get jobs,” he said. Currently, the business network he has built employs eight staff members who are all local residents. In fact, two of them are university graduates. Besides opening job opportunities, the outlets managed by Eko have also become part of the local community’s daily economic activity. Every day, the outlets operate from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. to serve various transaction needs, from cash withdrawals and transfers to bill payments. In several areas of Mesuji, services like this serve as a closer and more practical alternative to going to an ATM or a bank office. With an average of around 50 to 60 transactions per day across his entire outlet network, the services provided by Eko help the community access various financial transaction needs more easily and efficiently. Eko’s story was one of the portraits highlighted during the 2026 Laskar Agen Juara Roadshow held in Palembang. At the event, he received an award as the Champion Agent with the highest transactions for the Lampung, South Sumatra, Bengkulu, and Jambi region. It is an achievement reflecting the consistency and growth of his business in serving the community’s needs. BukuAgen has now reached over 250,000 MSME players in various parts of Indonesia. Through the services available, merchants can provide various financial transaction services for the community while opening up opportunities for additional income sources for their businesses. “If a merchant joins BukuAgen, from a business perspective their income can increase by at least 100% per year. There are even merchants who initially had only one shop and have now expanded to open 18 to 20 shops,” said Adi Harlim, Director of Sales (Merchant Success & Retail) at BukuWarung. According to him, Eko’s story shows how business growth can create a broader impact on the surrounding community. “When merchants grow, they not only improve their own businesses but also open up job opportunities and drive the economy in their communities. We want to empower the existing ecosystem so it can grow further and accelerate economic turnover at the community level,” he added. More broadly, stories like Eko’s show how small business players can play a role beyond merely running a business. From a venture started after returning from abroad, there are now new jobs, financial services closer to the community, and economic opportunities felt by more and more families in the vicinity. This journey is far from over. Eko hopes to continue expanding his business so the benefits felt by the surrounding community become even wider. “My hope is that someday my children can become people who are beneficial to their surrounding environment, not just holders of higher education degrees,” Eko concluded.