MPMX Expands Empowerment Programme for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

Access to equal skills training and economic opportunities remains a challenge for persons with disabilities in Indonesia. Beyond facing barriers to entering the formal workforce, many also have limited access to education, capacity-building training, and support for achieving economic independence. In response to these challenges, PT Mitra Pinasthika Mustika Tbk (MPMX) has introduced the MPM BISA (Bisnis Inklusif Siap Aksi) programme, an evolution of its flagship corporate social responsibility initiative, the Life Skill Training Center (LSTC). The LSTC, which has been running since 2015, initially focused on providing mechanical skills training and later expanded to include driver partnerships and financial literacy for online drivers and university students. This year, MPMX is extending the programme to specifically target persons with disabilities, aiming to promote equal access to education and economic opportunities while supporting the creation of inclusive financial independence. The effort includes training in financial literacy, business and financial risk management, digital security literacy, confidence building, and business mentoring. In collaboration with the Mien R. Uno Foundation, the MPM BISA programme has selected 30 entrepreneurs from the visually impaired and physically disabled communities through an administrative selection and interview process to assess their needs, potential, and motivation. MPMX’s General Manager of Corporate Communication & Sustainability, Natalia Lusnita, stated that MPM BISA is designed not just as a training programme, but as a more inclusive collaborative space involving persons with disabilities in a shared journey of growth. She added that the company believes every entrepreneur has great potential and that access to knowledge is a key to unlocking those opportunities. The programme spans three months, from participant recruitment in May to its conclusion in July 2026, covering preparation, training, enrichment, mentoring, judging, grant provision, and reporting. In-person training sessions were held on 9–10 June 2026, with all participants attending classes on financial literacy, financial risk management, digital security, digital ethics, and business ethics. The curriculum is designed to help participants manage their business finances more wisely, recognise financial risks, and enhance their readiness to operate in a developing digital ecosystem. The programme also serves as a two-way learning space, where volunteers gain insights into resilience, creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and new perspectives on opportunities and challenges. To strengthen the programme’s impact, MPMX will provide grant funding to three selected participants as capital for business development, with recipients chosen based on their commitment, consistency, and ability to apply training materials to their business plans.