Pertamina Launches CID Programme to Strengthen Local Community Self-Reliance

PT Pertamina (Persero), through Pertamina Patra Niaga, has introduced a Community Involvement and Development (CID) programme that encourages communities to develop their regional potential sustainably. Across various parts of Indonesia, Pertamina Patra Niaga is delivering empowerment programmes born from the needs of local communities. From a creative village in South Sumatra, a horticultural area in Maluku, to a coastal village in Aceh, all programmes are designed to enable communities to grow into the main actors of economic development in their regions. In Sugihwaras Creative Village, Palembang City, Pertamina Patra Niaga is assisting the community in developing an environmentally based creative economy. Various value-added products, such as kelulut honey, aromatherapy candles made from used cooking oil, and processed jasmine products, have become new sources of income for MSMEs. The programme not only improves skills but also opens opportunities for housewives, youths, and other community groups to build competitive businesses. Munir, head of RT 06 Sugihwaras and a programme beneficiary, expressed appreciation to Pertamina Patra Niaga for the tangible benefits the programme has provided. ‘We thank Pertamina Patra Niaga for the support given to residents. Through this evaluation, we are also formulating plans so that the programme’s benefits can be even greater and sustainable for the community,’ he said. Meanwhile, in Wayame, Ambon City, the main challenge for the community is limited water access, which impacts agricultural productivity. Through the Wayame Horticultural Demonstration Plot programme, Pertamina Patra Niaga provides an environmentally friendly water supply solution alongside horticultural cultivation assistance. The facility helps farmers increase harvest yields while strengthening food security and the family economy. A similar commitment is also realised in the coastal area of Aceh through the Gampong Berdikari programme in Lhokseumawe City. Together with fish farmer groups, Pertamina Patra Niaga is developing semi-intensive vannamei shrimp cultivation with support for production facilities, training, and business capacity strengthening. This programme opens opportunities to increase pond productivity while creating a more sustainable source of income for coastal communities. Vice President Corporate Communication of Pertamina Patra Niaga, Kitty Andhora, stated that each region has different challenges and potential. Therefore, the community empowerment approach must be tailored to local characteristics. ‘For Pertamina Patra Niaga, the success of the Community Involvement and Development (CID) programme is not only measured by the amount of assistance provided, but also by the extent to which the community can develop independently after receiving mentoring. Because of that, we always start from the potential the community possesses, then develop it together through sustainable collaboration,’ she said. Through an approach that prioritises collaboration and empowerment, Pertamina Patra Niaga hopes that communities will not only become beneficiaries but also be able to become drivers of the local economy that create a sustainable impact on their surrounding environment. ‘We believe that when communities grow and become self-reliant, the resulting benefits will continue to develop, not only for the beneficiary families but also for the community and the region where they live. This is the true form of energy—energy that moves life,’ she concluded.