Micro entrepreneurs given recognition

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Nine entrepreneurs were named on Thursday as recipients of the Global Micro-entrepreneurs Awards 2005 from the University of Indonesia's School of Economics' UKM Center, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Citigroup.

Komariah, a housewife from Purwakarta, West Java, who owns a dried-fish processing business, was named as one of the three winners of the award's category for micro-entrepreneurs with assets of less than Rp 5 million (some US$500).

Other awardees in the category were Rosidah, also from Purwakarta, and Siti Murtinah from Nias, North Sumatra. They both own businesses making traditional snacks.

All nine winners were selected from 24 finalists in the three categories, who were themselves shortlisted from 402 candidates across the archipelago.

They were chosen according to their ability to sustain their businesses through microcredit programs, the value-added factor of their products, the social impacts of their businesses, such as how it had created jobs, as well as their entrepreneurship initiative.

The selection process involved seven judges chosen from Bank Indonesia, educators, the business community and the media.

UKM Center head Nining I. Susilo said she hoped that the awards would encourage both micro-entrepreneurs and creditors to develop small businesses while participating in microcredit cooperatives, thus spurring the country's economy.

"Small businesses, if managed properly, can help the local economy. However small, they will always bring contributions for themselves, their families and the local community," she explained.

The award for the category of micro-entrepreneurs with total assets of between Rp 5 million and Rp 50 million went to Suwardi, a freshwater fish farmer from Tulung Agung, East Java.

Also receiving the award, were Hasan Hidayat, a handwoven textile vendor from Pekalongan, Central Java, and Desak Ketut Rai, a traditional snack producer from Gianyar, Bali.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rochim from Cilegon, West Java, who makes innovative traditional snacks from cassava (singkong), received the award for micro-entrepreneurs with assets of more than Rp 50 million, along with Joko Widianto, a dairy product businessman from Bandung, and Henny Hasyim, an embroiderer from Sidoarjo, East Java.

Each winner will receive prizes of Rp 100 million and further entrepreneurship guidance from the UKM Center, while the creditors who nominated them will receive acknowledgements for their roles in the microcredit programs.

Last year, Titik Winarti, a housewife and handicraft entrepreneur from Surabaya was named Indonesia's representative to receive a Microcredit Award from the UN.