Micro entrepreneurs given recognition

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.