Lazada Hosts 'UMKM Bangkit' Training to Support Economic Recovery in North Sumatra
In an effort to support the recovery and digital transformation of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Lazada Indonesia, together with the Medan City Cooperative, SME, Industry, and Trade Office, held a training programme titled ‘UMKM Bangkit: Digital Strategy Training for MSME Recovery in Medan’ at the Karibia Boutique Hotel in Medan.
The event reflects Lazada’s commitment to supporting regional economic recovery, particularly for MSME players facing various challenges, while accelerating the adoption of digital technology. This one-day training included educational sessions on online selling strategies and product photography techniques to enhance the appeal and competitiveness of MSMEs in the digital market.
The event was officially opened by the Mayor of Medan, Rico Tri Putra Bayu Waas. In his remarks, he emphasised the synergy between the government and Lazada, as a top-tier e-commerce platform, which plays an important role in accelerating regional economic recovery and opening new business opportunities and jobs.
Furthermore, Rico revealed that many MSME players still face obstacles such as immature business planning, lack of understanding of sales strategies, and limitations in marketing and promoting products. He stressed the importance of training, particularly in digitalisation and marketing strategies, so that business actors can improve their competitiveness.
‘MSME players must be bold in marketing their products, understand sales strategies, and utilise digital platforms to develop and level up,’ he said, quoted from a press release received on Saturday (28/3).
For information, 100 MSME players from various sectors, such as fashion, crafts, and other leading local products, participated in the event. Participants received guidance on managing online stores, digital promotion strategies, and hands-on practice in creating attractive visual content to improve sales performance on e-commerce platforms.
‘We understand that utilising digital platforms is key for MSMEs to rise and grow. Through this training, Lazada is committed not only to helping MSMEs enter the digital ecosystem but also to ensuring they can optimise their business potential sustainably,’ said Yovan Sudarma, Vice President of Government Affairs at Lazada Indonesia.
In line with this, Riza Damanik, Deputy for Micro Enterprises at the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, highlighted the important role of MSMEs as the main driver of the national economy, while emphasising the urgency of accelerating transformation in this sector. She specifically expressed appreciation to Lazada for the training initiative, which is seen as capable of accelerating economic recovery in North Sumatra.
According to her, strengthening digitalisation will directly impact the increase in productivity and efficiency of business actors, so MSMEs can be more competitive amid dynamic market changes.
Riza also emphasised that amid the flow of digitalisation and increasingly tight competition, digital transformation has become a necessity. She stressed the need for appropriate instruments and support so that MSMEs can get closer to consumers while optimising business processes more efficiently.
‘Digital transformation is not just a trend, but a need for MSMEs to remain relevant. With training support and collaboration with Lazada like this, we hope MSME players are increasingly ready to adapt, expand markets, and grow sustainably,’ she stated.
This training programme is part of Lazada’s ongoing commitment through the ‘Naik KeLaz’ initiative to empower MSMEs in Indonesia. The programme is designed to help business actors adapt to technological developments, increase competitiveness, and drive digital economic growth, particularly in supporting MSME recovery post-disaster in Sumatra.
Through this training, MSME players in Medan City are expected to strengthen their business capacity, improve product quality and marketing strategies, and optimise the use of digital platforms to expand market reach and sustainably improve sales performance.