Micro businesses to solve crisis

Micro businesses to solve crisis

From Bisnis Indonesia

Nobody can predict when the ongoing protracted economic crisis
will stop. Meanwhile, the country's labor force continues to rise
in number and the labor market can provide jobs to only 30
percent of it. Squeezed by economic difficulties, private and
state enterprises continue to lay off some of their employees.

In such a situation, the right thing to do is to run a small
private business, like what business experts such as Gede Prama,
Hermawan Kertajaya, James Gwee and Syafei Antonio have often
suggested.

I have my own experience in this respect. I was laid off in
1997 and faced a bleak future. For the next three years, all
efforts to get a job became futile.

In 2001, I began a small business. I drew up a proposal for
this business and applied for assistance to a number of
government agencies, state-owned enterprises and foreign
institutions in Jakarta. I could then run a small business
producing active carbon from coconut shell charcoal and designing
a website.

My friends, also laid off, run their businesses producing
tomato sauce, soy-bean sauce, syrup, light beverages and mushroom
crisps. The last-mentioned product is now exported.

JOKO YUWONO
Semarang