Lansia Entrepreneur Programme Empowers Productive Ageing Population

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Population and Family Development (Kemendukbangga)/BKKBN is continuing to empower the population to remain productive in old age, one of which is through the Lansia Entrepreneur programme. Minister Wihaji stated in Bekasi on Wednesday that the Lansia Entrepreneur programme is a family development initiative aimed at strengthening family resilience to achieve a demographic dividend amidst the phenomenon of an ageing population. He explained that Lansia Entrepreneur is part of the Lansia Berdaya (Empowered Elderly) programme, implemented through the Bina Keluarga Lansia (BKL) Elderly School. The programme encourages the elderly to continue working, develop businesses, and increase independence and welfare in old age. “The Lansia Entrepreneur programme includes capacity building for the elderly through entrepreneurship training to develop skills, interests, and hobbies, training involving ministries, agencies, and partners, and implementation in BKL and Elderly Schools within BKL groups,” he explained. Meanwhile, Bekasi Mayor Tri Adhianto said that since 2022, the city had targeted 3,000 elderly people to join the schools, a figure that has now been surpassed. “The surge has been extraordinary. In just the third year, approximately 3,500 elderly people have become students, spread across 22 elderly schools in all sub-districts of Bekasi City,” said Tri Adhianto. The 2026 Bekasi City Elderly Craft Activity, themed ‘Empowered, Creative, and Happy Elderly’ at the GOR Bang Yan, served as a showcase for all elderly schools in Bekasi City. It featured exhibitions and performances of creations learned by the elderly during their studies, including traditional beverages, eco-green batik, knitted fashion, and snacks.